- The Zoom press release suggests that the Cheslea Girl single was 'rush released', citing
'considerable demand.' However, the single was part of the plan all along, and Arista had been preparing its release since March.
- Arista always thought that Chelsea Girl
had the most chart potential of all the songs from Life In A Day.
For that reason, it was held back, so that those who'd made up their minds about the band's first single
would be surprised by the strength of the second.
- The single was issued as extra publicity for their first first solo UK tour in May 1979. It was
hoped it would repeat the chart success of the Life In A Day single
and album.
- Following on from the success of the first single, Arista considered a multi-format release, and proposed a 12".
John Leckie spent an afternoon at
Utopia Studios attempting to extended the title track, but abandoned the effort, certain
it couldn't be lengthened. Nothing exists in the archive.
- However, he did produce a 'new mix' of Life In A Day on the 4th April 1979. It is thought that
this was being considered as an extra track for the proposed 12" or as a potentail B-side. In the end, it wasn't used, and remains in the vaults.
- The band had two out-takes from the album sessions as potential B-sides. Despite having the unfinished backing tracks of
Rosemary's Baby and Children Of The Game, Simple Minds
decided to record a new song for the B-side.
- Four takes of this new song, Garden Of Hate, were recorded on the 14th April 1979 at
The Townhouse by Leckie. The single now had its B-side. Leckie
compiled the master tape for the single at The Townhouse on the 17th April 1979.
- Bruce Findlay commissioned local artist Mary Ruth Craig for the artwork.
She was more taken by the Garden Of Hate title, and painted three miserable
clowns surrounded by palms and barbed wire for the sleeve.
- Meanwhile, Jim Kerr spotted a picture of
Jean Shrimpton hanging in the office of Arista lawyer
Robert White. This was ultimately selected for the sleeve, with
Craig's artwork being relegated to the flip.
- Arista financed a
studio based video.
Using state-of-the-art split screen effects and animation, it must have cost a fortune.
- A number of promo 7" copies were pressed for press and
radio. These used the tracks straight from the master tape.
However, for the commerical release, the longer album version of title track was used instead.
- Unfortunately the single wasn't the success everyone expected and it didn't chart.
- Surprisingly, the single was issued in Australia. However the record executives in that country chose
the album track Destiny to back their
their ultra rare pressing.
- Bob Geldof stated that if the Boomtown Rats recorded Chelsea Girl,
it would have reached number one.
- Garden Of Hate remained unique to this release until
the X5 boxset of 2012, whilst the edit of Chelsea Girl
wasn't issued on CD until the Celebrate: The Greatest Hits
compilation of 2013.
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