The La's (album)
Encyclopedia
The La's, the self titled album by The La's
, was the only studio release
from the Liverpudlian four piece, released in 1990, but it earned them a place in the history books of British music and inspired a generation of bands, from Oasis
and The Charlatans to Pete Doherty
. It included "There She Goes
", the group's biggest hit and one of the most memorable anthems of the early '90s, and "Timeless Melody
". A deluxe edition
of The La's was released on 7 April 2008.
, Gavin MacKillop, John Leckie
, Bob Andrews, Jeremy Allom and Mike Hedges
. The final sessions for the album were recorded December 1989–February 1990 at the Eden Studios
, London with producers Steve Lillywhite
and Mark Wallis. "There She Goes" is remixed version of the original single recording produced by Bob Andrews in 1988.
in the United States. The album was praised by critics and embraced by fans. It was the result of nearly three years in the studio with a string of acclaimed producers. Each attempted to capture the sound sought by talented perfectionist Lee Mavers, the lead singer and principal songwriter of the band.
Unfortunately the sound eluded each of the producers, and the album eventually released was immediately disowned by the band.
A new version of the album, recorded by Mike Hedges
(who has also worked with U2
, Manic Street Preachers
and The Cure
) was found on a cassette, this new version was digitally remastered and released for the first time as part of The La's: Deluxe Edition.
This edition also includes previously unreleased archive recordings and radio sessions by the band, as well as deluxe packaging and expanded sleevenotes. The GLR session is a mono reproduction of the right channel only from the original stereo broadcast.
Production
Additional personnel
The La's: Deluxe Edition personnel
The La's: Deluxe Edition production personnel
The La's
The La's were an English rock band from Liverpool, originally active from the mid-1980s to early 1990s. Fronted by singer, songwriter and guitarist Lee Mavers, the group is most famous for their hit single "There She Goes". The band was formed by Mike Badger in 1984 and Mavers joined soon after...
, was the only studio release
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
from the Liverpudlian four piece, released in 1990, but it earned them a place in the history books of British music and inspired a generation of bands, from Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
and The Charlatans to Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty
Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
. It included "There She Goes
There She Goes
"There She Goes" is a song written by British singer/guitarist Lee Mavers and recorded first by Mavers' band, The La's.In May 2007, the NME magazine placed the song at number 45 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.-Lyrics and meaning:...
", the group's biggest hit and one of the most memorable anthems of the early '90s, and "Timeless Melody
Timeless Melody
"Timeless Melody" is a pop song written by Liverpool singer/guitarist Lee Mavers and recorded by Mavers' band, The La's.-Formats and track listings:* All songs written by L.A...
". A deluxe edition
Special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
of The La's was released on 7 April 2008.
Writing and recording
All of the songs on The La's were written by Lee Mavers between 1986 and 1987 and after signing to Go! Discs in 1987 and for the next three years The La's worked with several producers to record their debut album, including John PorterJohn Porter (musician)
John Porter is an English musician and record producer.-Biography:He attended St Michael's School, Allerton Grange School, King's College, and Newcastle University....
, Gavin MacKillop, John Leckie
John Leckie
John Leckie is a British music producer, notable for producing many high-profile albums such as The Stone Roses's debut and Radiohead's The Bends...
, Bob Andrews, Jeremy Allom and Mike Hedges
Mike Hedges
-Career:Mike Hedges started as a tape-op at Morgan Studios in London in the late 1970s. Having graduated to engineer, he went freelance in 1981 and became an engineer/producer....
. The final sessions for the album were recorded December 1989–February 1990 at the Eden Studios
Eden Studios
Eden Studios was a commercial recording facility in west London. It opened in 1967, originally at 11 Eden Street in Kingston upon Thames, before moving to 20-24 Beaumont Road in Chiswick in 1972. It was started by Philip Love, Mike Gardner and Piers Ford-Crush. Love and Gardner owned the studio and...
, London with producers Steve Lillywhite
Steve Lillywhite
Steve Lillywhite is an English Grammy Award winning record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited for working on over 500 records and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including XTC, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Dave Matthews Band, U2, Peter Gabriel,...
and Mark Wallis. "There She Goes" is remixed version of the original single recording produced by Bob Andrews in 1988.
Release and reception
The album was released in 1990 on Go! Discs in the United Kingdom and in 1991 on London RecordsLondon Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
in the United States. The album was praised by critics and embraced by fans. It was the result of nearly three years in the studio with a string of acclaimed producers. Each attempted to capture the sound sought by talented perfectionist Lee Mavers, the lead singer and principal songwriter of the band.
Unfortunately the sound eluded each of the producers, and the album eventually released was immediately disowned by the band.
A new version of the album, recorded by Mike Hedges
Mike Hedges
-Career:Mike Hedges started as a tape-op at Morgan Studios in London in the late 1970s. Having graduated to engineer, he went freelance in 1981 and became an engineer/producer....
(who has also worked with U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
and The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
) was found on a cassette, this new version was digitally remastered and released for the first time as part of The La's: Deluxe Edition.
This edition also includes previously unreleased archive recordings and radio sessions by the band, as well as deluxe packaging and expanded sleevenotes. The GLR session is a mono reproduction of the right channel only from the original stereo broadcast.
Track listing
Bonus tracks
The La's: Deluxe Edition (2008)
Personnel
The La's- Lee MaversLee Mavers__notoc__Lee Anthony Mavers is an English musician from Liverpool, England. Mavers was the songwriter, singer and rhythm guitarist in The La's and is perhaps best-known for the hit "There She Goes" in the late 1980s....
– guitar, vocals - John Power – bass, backing vocals
- Peter "Cammy" Camell – guitar
- Neil Mavers – drums
- John "Boo" Byrne – guitar (on "There She Goes")
- Chris SharrockChris SharrockChris Sharrock is an English drummer from Bebington, Merseyside, England who has a long history of being an official member of many noted British bands, including The Icicle Works, The La's, The Wild Swans, World Party, The Lightning Seeds, The Robbie Williams Band, Oasis, and Beady...
– drums (on "There She Goes")
Production
- Steve LillywhiteSteve LillywhiteSteve Lillywhite is an English Grammy Award winning record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited for working on over 500 records and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including XTC, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Dave Matthews Band, U2, Peter Gabriel,...
– producer, mixing - Mark Wallis – additional producer, engineer
- Donal Hodgson – engineer (on "Looking Glass")
- Bob Andrews – producer (on "There She Goes")
- Dave CharlesDave CharlesDave Charles, also known as David Charles is a British drummer, recording engineer & record producer. He often appears under both names on the same album, e.g. Help Yourself's The Return of Ken Whaley, where Dave Charles is credited with drums and vocals and David Charles as producer.Charles'...
– engineer (on "There She Goes")
Additional personnel
- Ryan Art – design
The La's: Deluxe Edition personnel
- Barry SuttonBarry SuttonBarry Sutton is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Liverpool who has performed with numerous alternative rock bands since 1981. His career began as the songwriter and vocalist in the unsigned bands Western Diplomats and Marshmallow Overcoat...
– guitar (disc one: tracks 13–18, disc two: tracks 1–13, 20) - Chris SharrockChris SharrockChris Sharrock is an English drummer from Bebington, Merseyside, England who has a long history of being an official member of many noted British bands, including The Icicle Works, The La's, The Wild Swans, World Party, The Lightning Seeds, The Robbie Williams Band, Oasis, and Beady...
– drums (disc one: tracks 13–18, disc two: tracks 1–13, 18–20) - Paul HemmingsPaul HemmingsPaul Hemmings is a Liverpool based musician and photographer. He played with The La's, Mike Badger and The Onset and Ian Broudie and the Lightning Seeds...
– guitar (disc two: tracks 14–15) - John "Timmo" Timson – drums (disc two: tracks 14–15)
- Peter "Cammy" Camell – guitar (disc two: tracks 16–17)
- Iain Templeton – drums (disc two: tracks 16–17)
- John "Boo" Byrne – guitar (disc two: tracks 18–19)
The La's: Deluxe Edition production personnel
- Mike HedgesMike Hedges-Career:Mike Hedges started as a tape-op at Morgan Studios in London in the late 1970s. Having graduated to engineer, he went freelance in 1981 and became an engineer/producer....
– producer, remastering (disc two: tracks 1–13) - Ian Grimble – engineer, mixing (disc two: tracks 1–13)
- Kevin Metcalfe – remastering (disc two: tracks 1–13)
- John PorterJohn Porter (musician)John Porter is an English musician and record producer.-Biography:He attended St Michael's School, Allerton Grange School, King's College, and Newcastle University....
– producer (disc two: track 14) - Kenny Jones – engineer (disc two: track 14)
- Gavin MacKillop – producer (disc two: track 15)
- Andy MacDonald – remixing (disc two: track 15)
- John LeckieJohn LeckieJohn Leckie is a British music producer, notable for producing many high-profile albums such as The Stone Roses's debut and Radiohead's The Bends...
– producer (disc two: tracks 16–17) - Barry Hammond – engineer (disc two: tracks 16–17)
- Mike ShepherdMike Shepherd (music producer)Mike "Sheppy" Shepherd, born 1977, is a music producer and head engineer of Lakewind Sound. He was born and raised in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. He graduated from the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology in 1998....
– engineer (disc two: tracks 16–17) - Bob Andrews – producer (disc two: tracks 18–19)
- Dave CharlesDave CharlesDave Charles, also known as David Charles is a British drummer, recording engineer & record producer. He often appears under both names on the same album, e.g. Help Yourself's The Return of Ken Whaley, where Dave Charles is credited with drums and vocals and David Charles as producer.Charles'...
– engineer (disc two: tracks 18–19) - Jeremy Allom – producer (disc two: track 20)
- Mike Haas – engineer (disc two: track 20)
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format(s) | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
November 1990 | Go! Discs | LP, CD, Cassette | 828 202 |
| Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... |
||||
| United States | 1991 | London Records London Records London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label.... |
LP, CD, Cassette | 828 202 |
| Japan | 1998 | Polydor | CD (8 bonus tracks) | POCD 1041 |
| United Kingdom | 2001 | Go! Discs | CD (Remastered edition, 5 bonus tracks) | 549 566 |
| United Kingdom | 7 April 2008 | Polydor | 2xCD (Deluxe edition) | 5306021 |
Chart performance
| Charts (1990–1991) | Peak chart position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
30 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
196 |