Chris Rea - Deluxe Double-Disc CD Packages & Previously Unreleased Special Limited Edition Album.

By Paul Davies.

Five of Chris Rea’s most loved albums from the mid-80’s through to the early 90’s - ‘Shamrock Diaries’ (1985), ‘On the Beach’ (1986), ‘Dancing With Strangers’ (1987), ‘The Road to Hell’ (1989) & ‘Auberge’ (1991) are to be reissued as deluxe double CD sets. Pre-order individually or as a bundle on www.RhinoUK.lnk.to/ChrisRea.

‘One Fine Day’ has been given a special limited edition release that is available to pre-order now exclusively on www.RhinoUK.lnk.to/ChrisRea. A numbered run of 1000 units will be released as a single black heavyweight vinyl and CD package.

All released simultaneously on 18 October 2019.

Each set of reissues comes with the original album fully remastered alongside a second disc of live performances, b-sides and previously unreleased versions of tracks from the accompanying album.

There are also extensive new sleeve notes containing five exclusive new interviews with Rea unique to each release and telling the story behind each album. Each album's artwork remains true to the original.

These releases coincide with the rebooting of Rea’s social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube) that will see a series of video in which he speaks in-depth about the albums.

With a career spanning over 40 years and over 30 million album sales, Chris Rea’s distinctive husky-gravel vocal and incredible body of work has seen him become one of the most loved solo artists the UK have ever produced. A formidable songwriter, and still playing live to this day, he has released an incredible 24 studio albums, the most recent being ‘Road Songs for Lovers’ in 2017 which was met with huge critical and commercial acclaim.

‘One Fine Day’ was originally recorded in 1980 at Chipping Norton Studios and was produced by Rea himself. Never officially released as a single body of work, this limited run of 1000 brings together this collection of songs for the first time. Some of the tracks have never been released before whereas other re-recorded versions have appeared on various albums and as b-sides.

The front and rear cover paintings for the release were painted by Chris Rea some years ago and have been chosen by Rea as the official artwork.

‘Shamrock Diaries’, originally released in April 1985, is the earliest release of the five reissues. Rea’s seventh album, it was his first that saw him break into the UK Top 20 (15) and achieved Silver selling status in the UK alone. It was the kick-start to the incredibly prolific career he has become known and loved for to this day. The singles from this album were ‘Stainsby Girls’ and ‘Josephine’.

In the April of the following year ‘On the Beach’ was released and again broke into the UK Top 20 at number 11. The album started building Rea’s international reputation with top 10 chart positions across Europe. This album went on to Platinum sales status in the UK. The album title track was the only single taken from this album.

In September 1987, ‘Dancing With Strangers’ was released and it became Rea's first major success in the UK, peaking at Number two. It went on to achieve Platinum selling status in the UK and was once again a huge global success. Singles from this album were ‘Let’s Dance’, ‘Loving You Again’ ‘Joys of Christmas’ and ‘Que Sera’.

‘The Road To Hell’ was released in October 1989 and is Rea's most successful studio album. It topped the UK album charts for three weeks and was certified six-times Platinum in the UK. The albums lead single ’The Road To Hell (pt 2)’ is also Rea’s most successful song and has become synonymous with the singer. Again a hit across the world, it sold in its millions.

‘Auberge’ is the final album in this Penta of reissues. Released in February 1991, it once again topped the UK chart going on achieve double Platinum sales status. The title track also gave Rea one of his biggest chart hits, reaching number 16 in the UK. Other songs released as singles were ‘Heaven’, ‘Looking for the Summer’ and ‘Winter Song’.

One Fine Day

Vinyl Track List:

Side One

‘Do You Still Dream’ - The original recording of the song. Re-recorded for the 1982 ‘Chris Rea’ LP

‘Loving You’ - The original recording of the song. Re-recorded for the 1982 ‘Chris Rea’ LP

‘One Fine Day’ - Released as the b-side on ‘Soft Top, Hard Shoulder’ single in 1993

‘One Sweet And Tender Touch’ - The original recording of the song later issued on the 1988 single Que Sera. It was re-recorded for the 1982 ‘Chris Rea’ LP

Side Two

‘If I Ever Break Free’ - A previously unreleased song

‘Sierra Sierra’ - Originally issued as a B side on 12” version of Let It Loose in 1983

‘Members Only’ - A previously unreleased song

‘Let Me Be The One’ - First appeared as a B side on the1981 single 'Loving You’

‘One Night With You’ - A previously unreleased song

1CD Track List:

Same as vinyl

Shamrock Diaries

CD 1 Original album

Steel River (2019 Remaster)

Stainsby Girls (2019 Remaster)

Chisel Hill (2019 Remaster)

Josephine (2019 Remaster)

One Golden Rule (2019 Remaster)

All Summer Long (2019 Remaster)

Stone (2019 Remaster)

Shamrock Diaries (2019 Remaster)

Love Turns To Lies (2019 Remaster)

Hired Gun (2019 Remaster)

CD 2 Shamrock Diaries Associated Recordings

Dancing Shoes (2019 Remaster)

Stainsby Girls (Sax mix) [2019 Remaster]

Sunrise (2019 Remaster)

And When She Smiles (2019 Remaster)

Shamrock Diaries (2019 Remaster)

September Blue (2019 Remaster)

Josephine (2019 Remaster)

Everytime It Rains (2019 Remaster)

Steel River (2019 Remaster)

Stainsby Girls (2019 Remaster)

Shamrock Diaries (Live at Montreux '86) [2019 Remaster]

One Golden Rule (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, May '86) [2019 Remaster]

Midnight Blue (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, May '86) [2019 Remaster]

On The Beach

CD 1 Original album

On The Beach (2019 Remaster)

Little Blonde Plaits (2019 Remaster)

Giverny (2019 Remaster)

Lucky Day (2019 Remaster)

Just Passing Through (2019 Remaster)

It’s All Gone (2019 Remaster)

Hello Friend (2019 Remaster)

Two Roads (2019 Remaster)

Light Of Hope (2019 Remaster)

Auf Immer Und Ewig (2019 Remaster)

CD 2 On The Beach Additional Recordings

Look Out For Me (2019 Remaster)

Let's Dance (2019 Remaster)

Hello Friend (Re-record) [2019 Remaster]

On The Beach (Special Remix) [2019 Remaster]

If Anybody Asks You (2019 Remaster)

Freeway (2019 Remaster)

Bless Them All (2019 Remaster)

Crack That Mould (2019 Remaster)

On the Beach (Special Extended Remix) [2019 Remaster]

It's All Gone (Live at Montreux, 1986) [2019 Remaster]

Steel River (Live at Montreux) [2019 Remaster]

It’s All Gone (From “New Light Through Old Windows”) [2019 Remaster]

Driving Home For Christmas (2019 Remaster)

Dancing With Strangers

CD 1 Original album

Joys Of Christmas (2019 Remaster)

I Can’t Dance To That (2019 Remaster)

Windy Town (2019 Remaster)

Gonna Buy A Hat (2019 Remaster)

Curse Of The Traveller (2019 Remaster)

Let’s Dance (2019 Remaster)

Que Sera (2019 Remaster)

Josie’s Tune (2019 Remaster)

Loving You Again (2019 Remaster)

That Girl Of Mine (2019 Remaster)

September Blue (2019 Remaster)

CD 2 Dancing With Strangers Associated Recordings

Yes I Do (2019 Remaster)

Que Sera (Single Version) [Re-Recorded '88] [2019 Remaster]

Se Sequi (2019 Remaster)

I'm Taking The Day Out (2019 Remaster)

I Can Hear Your Heartbeat (Extended Mix) [2019 Remaster]

Loving You Again (Live Version) [2019 Remaster]

Danielle's Breakfast (2019 Remaster)

On The Beach (Summer '88) [2019 Remaster]

Rudolphs Rotor Arm

Smile (2019 Remaster)

I Don't Care Anymore (2019 Remaster)

Que Sera (Down Under Mix) [2019 Remaster]

Donahue's Broken Wheel (2019 Remaster)

Let's Dance (Remix) [2019 Remaster]

Josephine (2019 Remaster)

Footsteps In The Snow (2019 Remaster)

Driving Home For Christmas (2019 Remaster)

The Road To Hell

CD 1 Original Album

The Road to Hell, Part I (2019 Remaster)

The Road to Hell, Part II (2019 Remaster)

You Must Be Evil (2019 Remaster)

Texas (2019 Remaster)

Looking For A Rainbow (2019 Remaster)

Your Warm And Tender Love (2019 Remaster)

Daytona (2019 Remaster)

That’s What They Always Say (2019 Remaster)

I Just Wanna Be With You (2019 Remaster)

Tell Me There’s A Heaven (2019 Remaster)

CD 2 The Road To Hell Associated Recordings

He Should Know Better (2019 Remaster)

That’s What They Always Say (Rainbow mix) [2019 Remaster]

1975 (2019 Remaster)

The Road To Hell The Road to Hell (Parts I & II) [Live at Wembley Arena, March 1990] [2019 Remaster]

Working on It (Live at Wembley Arena, March 1990) [2019 Remaster]

Let's Dance (Live at Wembley Arena, March 1990) [2019 Remaster]

Daytona (Live at the NEC, Birmingham, November 1991) [2019 Remaster]

Working on It (Michael Brauer Extended Mix) [2019 Remaster]

Josephine (2019 Remaster)

Let’s Dance (2019 Remaster)

You Must Be Evil (Live at Stuttgart, 1991) [2019 Remaster]

I Can Hear Your Heartbeat (2019 Remaster)

Working On It (2019 Remaster)

Auberge

CD1 Original Album

Auberge (2019 Remaster)

Gone Fishing (2019 Remaster)

You’re Not A Number (2019 Remaster)

Heaven (2019 Remaster)

Set Me Free (2019 Remaster)

Red Shoes (2019 Remaster)

Sing A Song Of Love to Me (2019 Remaster)

Every Second Counts (2019 Remaster)

Looking For The summer (2019 Remaster)

And You My Love (2019 Remaster)

The Mention Of Your Name (2019 Remaster)

CD 2 Auberge Associated Recordings

Winter Song (2019 Remaster)

Footprints In The Snow (2019 Remaster)

Looking For Summer (12" Remix) [2019 Remaster]

Teach Me To Dance (2019 Remaster)

True To You (2019 Remaster)

Josephine (2019 Remaster)

Six Up (B Side) [2019 Remaster]

Working On It (Live at NEC Birmingham 1991) [2019 Remaster]

The Road To Hell (Live at NEC Birmingham 1991) [2019 Remaster]

Theme From The Pantile Journal (2019 Remaster)

Footprints In The Snow (Live at Paris, 1991) [2019 Remaster]

On The Beach (Live in Paris 1991) [2019 Remaster]

Just Passing Through (Live in Paris 1991) [2019 Remaster]

Hudson's Dream (2019 Remaster)

Auberge (Single Version) [2019 Remaster]