A Head Full of Wishes is a site for Galaxie 500, Luna, Damon & Naomi, Dean & Britta and Dean Wareham. With news, articles and lists of releases and past and future shows.
My record collection
[351] Galaxie 500 - Copenhagen (CD)
This is the CD of Galaxie 500’s Copenhagen that I bought on first release in 1997. It was released by Rykodisc but is no longer in one of their trademark green jewel cases since they fall apart.
I remember we discussed the release of Copenhagen at length on the Galaxie 500 Mailing List but sadly none of that discussion is in my archive. although I did find a post from later where a list member wasn’t happy with Dean’s vocal performance. I think this was just Dean’s Galaxie voice - although this was recorded at the end of what was probably a pretty exhausting European tour so I can understand the strain. But I love it and to be honest that’s what a live album ought to be (and many aren’t) - an authentic record of a live performance, with all the quirks that entails.
I suspect the issue was more likely that Dean’s Luna voice was different from his Galaxie voice and, almost certainly less of a vocal strain. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dean wasn’t a little bit relieved to be able to adjust his voice after Galaxie 500. So the list member just wasn’t used to Dean sounding like he does on Copenhagen.
Before the release of Copenhagen we’d had to make do with bootlegs of live performances, some admittedly quite good, but normally on much-duped media, so when Copenhagen arrived it was such a treat. It is however funny to think that the album was released just six years after the band broke up - at the time it seemed an age but 30 years on it feels like a heartbeat.
The disc came with a booklet with Byron Coley’s sleeve notes and a picture of each member on stage from three different shows. It also came with one of thise wraparound promo things across the top of the disc (like an obi but not an obi) that I folded up and kept in the jewel case. On the outside it had a quote from the Melody Maker…
Galaxie 500 are anything BUT boring live. The critic who says this or thinks differently should be taken outside and shot... Galaxie 500 transcend transcendence.
Inside the wrapper plugged the box set and the three individual albums.
I never get tired of listening to Copenhagen - it is an outstanding record.
- Catalogue Number: 10/025
- Artist: Galaxie 500
- Title: Copenhagen
- Format: CD
- Buy ‘Copenhagen’ on Bandcamp
Previously in my record collection: