Fest For The Hate Game

My next few posts may very well be No Idea Records themed. I went a long time not posting anything from this great label, and it's high time that I changed things up a little bit. So to start things off let's talk about a record that No Idea have just changed up a little bit... 

Hot Water Music - Fuel For The Hate Game - No Idea Records - 20th Press - Black 180gm (2XLP -  Fest Press - Celebrating 20 years of HWM!) 

This (to my knowledge) is the first time that Fuel has been pressed on black vinyl since the 2nd press all the way back in '97. However, that was on single LP as were all previous pressings before this one. This record was given the re-press treatment for The Fest '13 from a few months back. This is cool for a few reasons: 

I never get Fest exclusive stuff, as normally that stuff never comes over to the UK save a few copies for close friends of the label. Last year there was a 3x7'' set of The Draft 7''s that I never got my hands on. Somehow a few of these drifted over to the Different Kitchen store, and that's where I got mine from. 

Secondly, this record has been re-cut at 45rpm and split over two LP's. The result is incredible and it gives the record a whole new light. It sounds bigger, the songs have a little more space to breathe and the art is great. We'll get on to that in a quick minute though. 

Back Cover // B/D Side 

Let's talk a little about the cover. These were made up to house these records and definitely look like a tour or festival exclusive cover. 24''x12'' card folded along the bottom, hand numbered and hand screened. Fun trivia, there is a ridiculously small (maybe 3?) number where the red ink in the cover was screened the wrong way round. It looks super weird and makes the art all disjointed, but I definitely wouldn't have said no to a rarity like that. No complaints with this one though! 

The illustration on the back cover here is the original cover art, which is the unmistakable work of Scott Sinclair. This is my favourite art that he has done for HWM, and seeing it in this stark black and red just makes me appreciate it more!

Hand numbering 

478/500 

Who doesn't love a few Stress Face stamps on their record? One of the best logos from a label, and aside from a variation now and then, this dude has stayed largely the same over the years. 

Stamped sleeves and dust covers are definitely a bonus with this kind of record.

Insert

Black ink on white paper, A4 sheet. I imagine it came straight from the printer in the No Idea offices. Lyrics, thanks and credits is about all you get here, and about all you need. 

One cool thing to note though is how the pressing info updates on the insert to correlate with the new pressings. It looks like they are soon running out of room though!

So here's what we have: 

• New pressing cut on 2LP's and mastered at 45rpm and opposed to the 33rpm single LP masters of previous pressings 
• New hand screened and numbered art
• Stamped sleeves 
• New life breathed into one of the highest points in a fairly incredible back catalogue from Hot Water Music 
• A nifty little reminder that you missed out on one of the coolest music festivals out there

What more do you need right?