Description

Black vinyl with 4-page lyric insert. Limited 150 copies

Falling Off The Edge Of The World – Revisiting ‘Beyond World’s End was originally released in 2009 and it cleared out the Gaskin closet by pulling together a number of lost gems. Founder members Paul Gaskin and Dave Norman explain how the release came about and why it matters. When asked about how the original release of Beyond World’s End came about, Paul Gaskin thinks for a moment. I got an email out of the blue from a fan in America, Nick Vrankovitch, he explains. He and his brother had formed a company, and were looking for obscure tracks. He wondered if we had any unreleased material, and we thought it would be a good idea to use just Stef-era songs, and then dedicate the release to his memory. We were two songs short though, so David trawled through his extensive cassette collection, and we found two bootleg quality tracks that we cleaned up and submitted. I sent a bunch of old photos for the booklet, but we couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw the final product. It was so plush, with 180gm vinyl, and the packaging was this thick, he indicates with his fingers. With the original version long unavailable, it was high time for the album to be re-issued as the songs it boasts are integral to Gaskin’s development as one of the more unique bands of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. And the material does stand as a fitting testament to bassist Stef Prokopczuk, who’d died the year before the record’s release. The opening four songs should need no introduction, appearing as they did in re-recorded form on Gaskin’s debut album End Of The World. These, the original demo versions, were the result of the band’s first trip to a recording studio. They’d also ditched their original (although never used onstage) name of Sceptre. I still can’t believe it was all done in just one ten-hour session, the two tracks which became our first single plus ‘Despiser’ and ‘End Of The World’,” Paul says, his recollection adding a couple of hours to the clock but never diminishing the speed at which the three-piece put everything to tape. Gaskin then returned to Fairview where in April 1981 they recorded their debut album ‘End Of The World’. Then the band got a bad advice, get yourself a front man!. We didn’t intend to be that kind of band. I wanted to be a classic three-piece with a Rush tilt, insomuch as I wanted to expand as musicians, and not be a ‘cock-rock’ band.” Despite Paul’s reservations the band started to seriously consider a vocalist, and “a tape from a singer called Mick Clarke was definitely the best of the bunch, but he was so full of himself it was untrue,” he adds, bluntly. Mick Clarke joined the band in August 1981 or thereabouts, when Gaskin were already writing material for their second album. “We already had a few songs,” continues the drummer, “including ‘Broken Up’ which had been recorded as a possible single at the ‘End Of The World’ sessions, but was never released at the time. [This versions of the song, together with the other outtake from those first album sessions, ‘Don’t Worry ’Bout A Thing’, appear on this album.” Mick came from Barnsley, and was mates with some of the Saxon boys. He favoured a more American, melodic rock sound, in that sort of Journey, Foreigner, Boston vein, and certainly had the voice for it. He was a very strong character though, and immediately started trying to steer the band away from its HM roots, which resulted in a division in the camp with Paul and I on one side, and Mick and Stef on the other.” Towards the end of 1981 another four-track demo was recorded, this time at The Enid’s studio, The Lodge, in Suffolk, to test-drive material for the eagerly-awaited follow-up to ‘End Of The World’. “When we went to make that demo for the second album, it was clear it would never work out. We did two of my songs, and two of Mick’s, and he used his to get the Ace Lane deal,” says Paul, grimly. Riven by internal pressures, the band fell apart. Paul’s two songs from The Lodge session ‘Lay Me Easy’ and ‘Come Back To Me’ appear on this album; ‘Come Back To Me’ (together with first-album outtake ‘Broken Up’) would go on to be re-recorded for Gaskin’s second album ‘No Way Out’. As Paul mentioned , Mick Clarke took his demo tracks and landed a deal with Expulsion Records for his new band Ace Lane. Unfortunately, he also took Stef Prokopczuk with him. “It’s actually a great album,” says Dave, rather charitably, of Ace Lane’s sole LP ‘See You In Heaven’, “but it’s not NWOBHM.” Beyond World’s End is completed by two cuts which showcase the band in its natural environment – live on stage. Burning Alive is taken from a gig on St Valentine’s Day 1981 at Gaskin’s spiritual home, The Priory, in Scunthorpe. A lively and raucous rendition of the song – filled out with the addition of The Day Thou Gavest Lord Hath Ended – this version is of additional interest to fans as it features second guitarist Dave Screen. As for Dirty Money, which is introduced as a new song and would go on to become the opening track on No Way Out, neither Paul nor Dave can recall much about its origins. “I think the original live version came from another gig at the White Hart in Acton which was The Who’s old stomping ground,” notes Dave; “something I discovered much, much later via the internet. It was quite a poor recording and had to have some judicious studio surgery to pass muster – if only we’d had the budget and the equipment back in the day. It was probably late 1981 or perhaps very early 1982; before Stef left, anyway. From their earliest days Gaskin produced some truly great songs, and whether you view this as a collection of miscellaneous compositions, a tribute to their original bassist, or a snapshot in time, ‘Beyond World’s End’ is a fine collection of material from one of best-loved bands of the NWOBHM. Enjoy!

Track list:
1. Sweet Dream Maker
2. Despiser
3. End Of The World
4. I’m No Fool
5. Burning Alive / The Day Thou Gavest Lord Hath Ended-live
6. Lay Me Easy
7. Broken Up
8. Don’t Worry ‘Bout A Thing
9. Come Back To Me
10. Dirty Money-live