While rummaging through the vinyl, it was a real treat to unearth the original seven-inch version of ‘Uncertain Smile’ from 1982 (I will get round to stuff that wasn’t released in 1982, honest). I’d forgotten that it is very different to the album version I’ve grown used to over the years.

I was always impressed that the seven-minute album version featured that guy who presented The Tube on piano. He was pretty good. My love for rumbling boogie woogie piano remains to this day thanks to Jools Holland’s appearance on this track. It was also him featuring on this track that made me realise he was the piano player in Squueze. I know, I know.

I don’t know why I’m telling you all this, about how great the piano is on the album version, while serving up the seven inch version that has no Jools Holland on it at all. Still, it’s my site, which means I can talk about whatever I like. Funny old business.

Download lowdown…
- There’s plenty of The The available on download, which is odd because they were on the same label as Altered Images. amazon.com’s download store is good if you’re in the US, iTunes if you’re anywhere else. I’ve got my eye on the 12-inch remix version, which clocks in at nearly 10 minutes.
- If you can find the two-disc version of ’45 RPM, The Singles Of The The’, the second disc is crammed full of remixes and is an absolute treat.
- If you just fancy listening to stuff, sign yourself up to blip.fm. You can hear the album version on there.

That’s one heck of a picture. Looking at now, you can see why I wasn’t alone in having the most enormous schoolboy crush on Claire Grogan in 1982. Or maybe you can’t. She has always seemed like one of the most beautiful women ever, the fact she’s from Glasgow only helps. This picture isn’t actually from 1982, they were much more punky early doors, less puffa skirt and pink and blue, but still as cute as buttons.

Anyway, to the music. Altered Images served up the most sublime remixes. To this day the Martin Rushent Altered Images remixes are right up there. There’s more where this came from, and no doubt much of it will appear here sooner or later, but I never tire of this remix in particular. If proof were needed I have been listening to it with some regularity since 1982, which is over a quarter of a century. That’s quite a long time.

It’s funny, who would have thought you could look back over the last 25 years and pinpoint a band like Altered Images as being significant. Ask people of a certain age and they are a big part of their musical and, erm, sexual education – the edges do blur when you’re 14. They remain one of my favourite ever bands.

Wonder where the child who counts the track in has got to, a Rushent offspring no doubt, who will be racing headlong towards being 30 by now. If anyone knows, I’d love to hear the story.

Download lowdown…
- iTunes has some AI, but too few remixes. There’s ‘Love To Stay’ – twice – from their grown-up ‘Bite’ album, a dance mix of ‘Bring Me Closer’, and an extended version of ‘Don’t Talk To Me About Love’, but none are a patch on the early remixes.
- A quick glance at 7digital.com confirms there’s little Altered Images in the public domain, save the ‘Reflected Images’ best of… which amazingly doesn’t include the good stuff remix-wise.
- Spotted Altered Images downloads somewhere? Mail us at mitts[at]rippingvinyl.co.uk