Pere Ubu
Raygun Suitcase

Released July 31 1995.
Produced by David Thomas.

Out of print.
Released in the Drive, He Said vinyl box:
Fire Records FIRELP469, May 26 2017.

Release Notes

As songwriting began, Scott Krauss announced that he no longer wanted to be drummer but the keyboard player instead. David replied that the band didn't need a keyboard player. Scott quit the band. David sent word through channels that he would keep the position open for as long as the recording process allowed. Panic ensued in the rest of the band. David replied, "I am taking over production, trust me." The album was recorded to a click track. On the last weekend at Suma, Scott Benedict came in and recorded the drum parts one ater another in an astonishing demonstation of musicianship. He retired the next week to be a landscape gardener. Benedict's replacement in Michele's band, The Vvians, replaced him in Pere Ubu. That was Steve Mehlman.

Production Notes

2018 Fire Records Release

Remastered and edited by Paul Hamann and David Thomas in 2017.

Director's Cut (2005)

Cooking Vinyl USA celebrated Pere Ubu's 30th year anniversary with the release of The Director's Cut version of Raygun Suitcase. Released in 1995 Raygun Suitcase received rave reviews, including CD Review "Editor's Choice for 1995" and ArtForum's "Best of The 90s."

"The point of doing a Director's Cut is to benefit from that older and wiser thing," David Thomas explains. "I reviewed all alternate mixes from the session, sometimes discovering that an earlier mix turned out to be superior to the chosen mix. As well, 10 years later, we have access to improved mastering technology. Consequently, there is a greater clarity and cohesion to the Director's Cut. We are not going to make both versions available. The Director's Cut is the way it's supposed to be. Period."

The Director's Cut was re-mastered at Suma by David Thomas and Paul Hamann in early 2005. Alternate mixes of: "Surfer Girl," "Three Things," "Down By The River II," "Memphis," "Vacuum In My Head," and "Red Sky" were substituted. The "lost" version of "Electricity," recovered from a session desk-mix tape, was also substituted. The demo versions of "Memphis" and "Down By The River II" were added as bonus tracks. The packaging was redesigned by John Thompson in the jewel case format with an 8 page color booklet featuring the "Media Priests of the Big Lie" story. A "Director's Cut" logo appears on the front cover. The UK/ROW release of The Director's Cut followed in March 2010.

Pere Ubu (v.7.2):

David Thomas

vocals, melodeon, musette, auto-cans, ray gun

Jim Jones

guitar, keyboard bass, backing vocals, keyboards, spike, sleigh bells

Robert Wheeler

EML synthesizers, Ensoniq EPS, theremin

Michele Temple

bass, slide bass, guitar, lute

Scott Benedict

drums

Scott Krauss

drums on Memphis, Beach Boys, Down By The River, and Montana

Garo Yellin

electric cello on Memphis, Beach Boys, Down By The River, and Montana

Paul Hamann

bass on My Friend Is A Stooge, and swirl bells on Vacuum In My Head

Beach Boys, Memphis, Montana and Down By The River II written by Jones - Krauss - Temple - Thomas - Yellin. Don't Worry, Folly of Youth, Horse, Ray Gun Suitcase, Red Sky, Three Things, Turquoise Fins, Vacuum In My Head and Electricity written by Jones - Temple - Thomas - Wheeler. My Friend Is A Stooge For The Media Priests written by Hamann - Jones - Temple - Thomas. Surfer Girl written by Wilson. All songs ©1995 Ubu Projex, except Surfer Girl which is © EMI Music Publishing.

Release History

• Cooking Vinyl COOK CD089 (UK) Jul 31 1995 cd in jewel case.
• Tim/Kerr TK95CD100 (US) Aug 14 1995 cd in digipak.
• Sonic Records Sonic 104 (Poland) cd mc.
• RTI Records CKV 1258 2 (Italy) cd.
• Cooking Vinyl COOK CD089 (UK) Mar 2010 cd. Director's Cut.
• Cooking Vinyl USA CKV-CD-89 (US) Sep 6 2005 cd. Director's Cut.