Generally when bands re-record an album from their back catalog, it seems that it is either to screw former members out of royalties (Kiss) or reclaim control of the songs from the record company (Suzanne Vega, Squeeze). I'm not sure what side of the fence the re-recording of Fear's 1982 full-length debut, The Record, falls on but it just doesn't sound like a good idea. Lee Ving is the only holdover from the The Record lineup so this sort of feels like a sham (or a scam). Can anyone image John or Harley trying to re-record Age of Quarrel with a pick-up lineup?

Anyway...The Fear Record (as the new disc is called) contains a re-ordered version of the original disc's fourteen tracks. There was a version of "I Don't Care About You" from the new disc on Soundcloud which doesn't seem to be available anymore. After listening to this track - my thought was that it didn't add anything to the original recording (it isn't like updated production techniques are going to bring out hidden nuances in Fear's music) and the song seemed to be missing a little bit of the edge that the original disc had.

Check out Fear performing "I Don't Care About You" on Saturday Night Live, from Halloween 1981.


Fear - I Don't Care About You Live On SNL 10.31.81 by stogref

Links:
Fear
The End Records