Heartbreakers' L.A.M.F. LP to be reissued from 'found' master tapes

A cleaner version of L.A.M.F., pressed from the recently discovered tapes, The Found '77 Masters will be out for RSD July 17th. 

Here's the scoop from Jungle Records...

Johnny Thunders & his Heartbreakers crew

FOUND IN AN ATTIC - a punk rock archaeological discovery: a copy master of the original 1977 Track Records tape, without 'mud'!  This classic punk album, recorded in London by the New York band featuring two New York Dolls, was always controversial - and not just for the acronym.  Upon release on Track Records in 1977, it was universally condemned in the music press for having a 'muddy mix' - later found to be a mastering fault.  When Track went bust the following year, manager Leee Black Childers managed to burgle the Track Records' Carnaby Street office and liberated the tapes that belonged to him and the band - he found everything except the master-tape.

Subsequent releases were remixed from the multi-tracks ('Revisted', 1984) or compiled from outtake mixes - the 'lost '77 mixes' (1994) being the version most known since.  A lift from the vinyl for a 'definitive' box set still didn't achieve much clarity.  Meanwhile, fans found the 1977 cassette version didn't have the infamous 'mud', nor did certain European vinyl matrixes.

Unexpectedly, in 2020 a chance meeting led Jungle to Daniel Secunda's archives.  Danny was an old-school music biz pioneer who became a Track Records director - and the Heartbreakers 'L.A.M.F.' co-producer.  In amongst his archives stored in his attic were numerous tape boxes, including two with no artist name, marked: 'Copy Master 12.7.77'.  They turned out to be a crystal-clear 'L.A.M.F.', just as the band and producers intended it. 

Sadly, in August 2020 the Heartbreakers co-lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Walter passed away.  He was the last of the Heartbreakers 'L.A.M.F.' line-up - Johnny Thunders died in 1991, Jerry Nolan in 1992, and Billy Rath in 2014.  Walter's punk memoir autobiography is to be published in paperback in June 2021, and his band The Waldos also get their album 'Rent Party' reissued on blue vinyl for Record Store Day's RSD Drop2, followed by a CD reissue.

L.A.M.F. - the found '77 masters is to be released for Record Store Day 2021 RSD Drop2 on July 17 as a limited edition in transparent purple vinyl.  It has an inner bag with new notes by Simon Wright, plus a 12" poster of a Roberta Bayley cover outtake pic.  A CD version will be announced when details are confirmed.

So, is it much different?  Vive Le Rock's Joe Whyte's review says: "the sound is clearer, sharper, more focused but it's fairly subtle too. If the songs are ingrained in your DNA, you'll feel the difference straight away.  Punchier and clearer with Nolan's drums and cymbals cutting through, Billy Rath's bass slinkier and ballsier than the original mixes.  The buccaneering guitar licks of Thunders guitar are right in your face, and Walter Lure's choppy, sinuous leads wind in and out."  

An example: 'It's Not Enough' - when choosing tracks for 'the Lost mixes' from the attempts at assorted studios, we found only two versions to choose from.  One had vocals mixed far too high; the other very low.  We went with the low vocals version - they almost fade away at one point.  Now, we can hear the correctly balanced mix.

Tracks: Born To Lose, Baby Talk, All By Myself, I Wanna Be Loved, It's Not Enough, Chinese Rocks, Get Off The Phone, Pirate Love, One Track Mind, I Love You, Goin' Steady, Let Go, Can't Keep My Eyes On You, Do You Love Me. 

Listen to "Born To Lose," "All By Myself" and "Chinese Rocks" following the release trailer.