The Idol Generation - rare Castle CD

The Idol Generation is kind of a strange compilation.  It comes close to serving as a collection of Generation X’s singles but is a few tracks shy of completion.  Oddly, a couple random tracks taken from the LP’s Generation X and Kiss Me Deadly have been included. I imagine Castle Communications’ original intention for issuing The Idol Generation back in 1993 was to put as many of Generation X’s  discontinued singles back in print, and on CD for the first time. 

During their brief career, Generation X released seven singles.  Five of the a-sides are present on this disc but the omission of ‘Wild Youth’ and, more questionably, ‘Dancing With Myself’, obviously disqualify The Idol Generation from being any sort of quote-unquote greatest hits package.

With the exception of ‘Loopy Dub’ and ‘Ugly Dub’ (from the ‘Dancing With Myself’ EP), ‘Wild Dub’ (from the ‘Wild Youth’ single), and the original version ‘Day by Day’ (from the single ‘Your Generation’), all of the b-side material is present.  So it is not quite a collection of the bands’ singles either.

While The Idol Generation is currently out of print, it remains to be the only CD issued to include the single versions ‘Rock On’ and ‘No No No’.  EMI Records could have rectified that when they remastered Generation X's catalogue in 2000, but they decided to fuck up like they always do.  

The Idol Generation Castle CD

1. Untouchables (taken from the LP Kiss Me Deadly)

2. Rock On (taken from the EP Dancing With Myself / Untouchables / Rock On / King Rocker)

3. Friday's Angels (taken from the LP Valley of the Dolls also released as an a-side)

4. King Rocker (taken from the LP Valley of the Dolls also released as an a-side)

5. Valley of the Dolls (taken from the LP Valley of the Dolls also released as an a-side)

6. Ready Steady Go (taken from the LP Generation X also released as an a-side)

7. Your Generation (single a-side)

8. Happy People (taken from the LP Kiss Me Deadly)

9. Ugly Rash (b-side of the single Dancing with Myself)

10. Trying For Kicks (b-side taken from the single Friday's Angels / Trying For Kicks / This Heat)

11. This Heat (b-side taken from the single Friday's Angels / Trying For Kicks / This Heat)

12. Gimme Some Truth (John Peel BBC Session recorded July 12, 1977; available on Radio 1 Sessions/also issued as the b-side of the ‘King Rocker’ single)

13. No No No (b-side taken from the single Ready Steady Go / No No No)

14. Shaking All Over (David Jensen BBC Session recorded June 12, 1978; available on Radio 1 Sessions/also issued as the b-side of the ‘Valley of the Dolls’ single)

15. Day By Day (taken from the LP Generation X)

16. One Hundred Punks (taken from the LP Generation X)

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