Wire / Chairs Missing
Artist Wire
Album Title: Chairs Missing
Album Cover:
Primary Genre Rock
Format CD (3)
Released 08/00/1978
Reissue Date 05/09/2019
Label Pinkflag
Catalog No PF12SE
Bar Code No 5 024545 812404
Packaging Book Bound Thang
Tracks
Chairs Missing (Disc 1) The Original Album
1. Practice Makes Perfect (4:11)
2. French Film Blurred (2:34)
3. Another the Letter (1:07)
4. Men 2nd (1:43)
5. Marooned (2:21)
6. Sand in My Joints (1:50)
7. Being Sucked in Again (3:14)
8. Heartbeat (3:17)
9. Mercy (5:46)
10. Outdoor Miner (1:44)
11. I am the Fly (3:09)
12. I Feel Mysterious Today (1:57)
13. From the Nursery (2:58)
14. Used to (2:23)
15. Too Late (4:12)
Chairs Missing (Disc 2) Singles, B-Sides And Studio Recordings
1. I am the Fly (Single Version) (3:06)
2. Dot Dash (2:24)
3. Options R (1:35)
4. Outdoor Miner (Single Version) (2:52)
5. Practice Makes Perfect (Single Version) (4:05)
6. Underwater Experiences (Advision Version) (3:32)
Chairs Missing (Disc 3) Studio Demos and Fourth Demo Sessions
1. Practice Makes Perfect (3:46)
2. Oh No Not So (1:35)
3. Culture Vultures (2:06)
4. It's the Motive (1:19)
5. Love Ain't Polite (1:06)
6. French Film Blurred (Version 1) (1:14)
7. Sand in My Joints (1:49)
8. Too Late (4:12)
9. I am the Fly (6:00)
10. Heartbeat (2:42)
11. Underwater Experiences (3:14)
12. Stalemate (2:15)
13. I Feel Mysterious Today (1:40)
14. Dot Dash (2:19)
15. French Film Blurred (Version 2) (2:15)
16. Options R (1:48)
17. Finistaire (Mercy) (5:45)
18. Marooned (2:16)
19. From the Nursery (2:50)
20. Indirect Enquiries (Version 1) (1:42)
21. Outdoor Miner (1:43)
22. Chairs Missing (Used to) (4:09)
23. Being Sucked in Again (3:38)
24. Men 2nd (1:45)
25. Another the Letter (1:06)
26. No Romans (1:12)
Date Acquired 03/30/2020
Personal Rating
Acquired from The Band At A Gig
Purchase Price 40.00

Web Links

All Music Guide Entry:
Discogs Entry:
MusicBrainz Entry:
Wikipedia Entry:

Notes

Notes:
Disc 1
Recorded and mixed May 1978 at Advision Studios, Gosfield Street, London

Disc 2
1. Recorded and mixed January 1978 at Advision Studios, Gosfield Street, London
2 & 3. Recorded and mixed April 1978 at Advision Studios, Gosfield Street, London
4 & 5. Recorded May 1978, mixed October 1978 at Advision Studios, Gosfield Street, London
6. Recorded and mixed May 1978 at Advision Studios, Gosfield Street, London

Disc 3
1–13. Recorded and mixed December 1977 at Riverside Studios, Church Path, Chiswick, London
14–26. Recorded and mixed April 1978 at Riverside Studios, Church Path, Chiswick, London

Manufactured under licence from The state51 Conspiracy
℗ & © 2018 pinkflag

Expanded edition of the 2006 CD remaster (PF12). The album is presented as an 80-page 7-inch sized hardback book with recording details, new interviews with the band members, photographs and lyrics.

From the pinkflag website:
All audio has been painstakingly remastered – or, in some cases, mastered for the first time!

Credits:
Art Direction – Jon Wozencroft
Booklet Editor [Book Sub-editor] – Craig Grannell
Cover [Cover Direction] – Brian Palmer
Cover [Cover Image Concept] – BC Gilbert
Cover [Cover Photography] – Annette Green
Engineer – Nick Glennie-Smith (tracks: 3-1 to 3-26), Paul Hardiman (tracks: 1-1 to 2-6)
Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Ken Thomas (tracks: 1-1 to 2-6)
Image Editor [Photo Restoration] – Malka Spigel-Newman
Image Editor [Scanning] – Colourstream
Layout – HQ (4), JW
Liner Notes [Intro] – Jon Savage
Liner Notes [Main Text] – Graham Duff
Mastered By – Denis Blackham
Performer [Music] – Wire
Photography By – Annette Green
Producer – Mike Thorne

Companies, etc.:
Licensed From – The state51 Conspiracy
Manufactured By – www.keyproduction.co.uk
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Pinkflag
Copyright © – Pinkflag
Recorded At – Advision Studios
Recorded At – Riverside Studios, London
Mixed At – Advision Studios
Mixed At – Riverside Studios, London
Mastered At – Skye Mastering
Glass Mastered At – TAKT – 2100007579597
Glass Mastered At – TAKT – 2100007579627
Glass Mastered At – TAKT – 2100007579658

Barcode and Other Identifiers:
Barcode (Text): 5 024545 812404
Barcode (Scanned): 5024545812404
Matrix / Runout (CD1): 2100007579597 www.keyproduction.co.uk
Matrix / Runout (CD2): 2100007579627 www.keyproduction.co.uk
Matrix / Runout (CD3): 2100007579658 www.keyproduction.co.uk
Mastering SID Code (CD1, CD2, CD3): IFPI LK97
Mould SID Code (CD1): IFPI 9R89
Mould SID Code (CD2): IFPI 9R95
Mould SID Code (CD3): IFPI 9R88
Other (CD1 catalog no.): PF12SE – 1
Other (CD2 catalog no.): PF12SE – 2
Other (CD3 catalog no.): PF12SE – 3
Other (ISBN): 978-1-9999803-1-3

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed Folder: Wire - Chairs Missing CD1_dr.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR         Peak         RMS       Filename            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR07   -0.10 dB   -09.26 dB   01 - Practise Makes Perfect.aif
DR09   -0.10 dB   -10.71 dB   02 - French Film Blurred.aif  
DR09   -0.10 dB   -10.07 dB   03 - Another The Letter.aif  
DR08   -0.10 dB   -09.44 dB   04 - Men 2nd.aif        
DR08   -0.10 dB   -09.71 dB   05 - Marooned.aif        
DR07   -0.10 dB   -07.90 dB   06 - Sand In My Joints.aif    
DR08   -0.10 dB   -09.59 dB   07 - Being Sucked In Again.aif
DR10   -0.10 dB   -14.30 dB   08 - Heartbeat.aif      
DR07   -0.10 dB   -09.82 dB   09 - Mercy.aif      
DR09   -0.10 dB   -10.46 dB   10 - Outdoor Miner.aif  
DR08   -0.10 dB   -09.25 dB   11 - I Am The Fly.aif    
DR07   -0.10 dB   -10.55 dB   12 - I Feel Mysterious Today.aif
DR08   -0.10 dB   -08.74 dB   13 - From The Nursery.aif    
DR08   -0.10 dB   -10.37 dB   14 - Used To.aif        
DR06   -0.10 dB   -07.80 dB   15 - Too Late.aif        
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Files: 15
Official DR Value: DR8
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed Folder: Wire - Chairs Missing (Singles, B Sides & Extra Tracks)(CD2)_dr.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR        Peak         RMS       Filename            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR7   -0.10 dB   -08.72 dB   01 - I Am The Fly (Single Version).aif
DR7   -0.10 dB   -08.27 dB   02 - Dot Dash.aif        
DR7   -0.10 dB   -07.67 dB   03 - Options R.aif      
DR6   -0.10 dB   -07.38 dB   04 - Outdoor Miner (Single Version).aif
DR7   -0.10 dB   -08.28 dB   05 - Practice Makes Perfect (Single Version).aif
DR7   -0.10 dB   -12.40 dB   06 - Underwater Experiences (Advision Version).aif
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Files: 6
Official DR Value: DR7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed Folder: Wire - Chairs Missing (Studio Demos)(CD3)_dr.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR         Peak          RMS       Filename            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR09   -0.10 dB   -12.04 dB   01 - Practice Makes Perfect.aif
DR07   -0.10 dB   -09.15 dB   02 - Oh No Not So.aif    
DR09   -0.10 dB   -11.08 dB   03 - Culture Vultures.aif    
DR07   -0.10 dB   -09.36 dB   04 - It's the Motive.aif      
DR09   -0.10 dB   -10.44 dB   05 - Love ain't Polite.aif    
DR08   -0.10 dB   -09.47 dB   06 - French Film Blurred (Version 2).aif
DR08   -0.10 dB   -09.94 dB   07 - Sand in My Joints.aif    
DR08   -0.10 dB   -10.28 dB   08 - Too Late.aif        
DR08   -0.10 dB   -10.42 dB   09 - I am the Fly.aif    
DR10   -0.10 dB   -13.32 dB   10 - Heartbeat.aif      
DR07   -0.10 dB   -12.05 dB   11 - Underwater Experiences.aif
DR08   -0.10 dB   -10.06 dB   12 - Stalemate.aif      
DR07   -0.10 dB   -11.58 dB   13 - I Feel Mysterious Today.aif
DR08   -0.10 dB   -09.43 dB   14 - Dot Dash.aif        
DR10   -0.10 dB   -12.61 dB   15 - French Film Blurred (Version 2).aif
DR08   -0.10 dB   -09.21 dB   16 - Options R.aif      
DR07   -0.10 dB   -09.12 dB   17 - Finistaire.aif      
DR08   -0.10 dB   -10.35 dB   18 - Marooned.aif        
DR08   -0.10 dB   -09.76 dB   19 - From the Nursery.aif    
DR07   -0.10 dB   -08.95 dB   20 - Indirect Inquiries (Version 2).aif
DR07   -0.10 dB   -08.33 dB   21 - Outdoor Miner.aif  
DR08   -0.10 dB   -10.23 dB   22 - Chairs Missing (Used To).aif
DR09   -0.10 dB   -11.40 dB   23 - Being Sucked in Again.aif
DR08   -0.10 dB   -09.84 dB   24 - Men 2nd.aif        
DR07   -0.10 dB   -08.88 dB   25 - Another the Letter.aif  
DR08   -0.10 dB   -10.28 dB   26 - No Romans.aif      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Files: 26
Official DR Value: DR8
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reviews
All Music Guide Review by Steve Huey:

Chairs Missing marks a partial retreat from Pink Flag's austere, bare-bones minimalism, although it still takes concentrated listening to dig out some of the melodies. Producer Mike Thorne's synth adds a Brian Eno-esque layer of atmospherics, and Wire itself seems more concerned with the sonic textures it can coax from its instruments; the tempos are slower, the arrangements employ more detail and sound effects, and the band allows itself to stretch out on a few songs. The results are a bit variable -- "Mercy," in particular, meanders for too long -- but compelling much more often than not. The album's clear high point is the statement of purpose "I Am the Fly," which employs an emphasis-shifting melody and guitar sounds that actually evoke the sound of the title insect. But that's not all by any means -- "Outdoor Miner" and "Used To" have a gentle lilt, while "Sand in My Joints" is a brief anthem worthy of Pink Flag, and the four-minute "Practice Makes Perfect" is the best result of the album's incorporation of odd electronic flavors. In general, the lyrics are darker than those on Pink Flag, even morbid at times; images of cold, drowning, pain, and suicide haunt the record, and the title itself is a reference to mental instability. The arty darkness of Chairs Missing, combined with the often icy-sounding synth/guitar arrangements, helps make the record a crucial landmark in the evolution of punk into post-punk and goth, as well as a testament to Wire's rapid development and inventiveness.
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