Various – Now That's What I Call Music 7

Has anyone noticed when you put the CD in WMP reads the titles as: Now That's What I Call Music! 007 [Disc 1] 11-Aug-86 and Now That's What I Call Music! 007 [Disc 2] 11-Aug-86 which I assume was the original release date for the album back in 1986? The other Now reissues do not do this (not checked Now 8 yet!).

Lovebug Starski don't seem right either - the ending is longer with more vocals.

"Paranoimia" seemed to fade out before Max says "Will I still be perfect tomorrow?" - was this the case on the original LP & tape?

Have my CD set on now - Level 42 "Lessons In Love" sounds like it's been mastered with the recording levels set too high.

I wonder if the lack of promotion for this release marks the end of this re-issue series? They are probably fed up of all the complaints!

As I've suggested to the NOW team on Facebook & Twitter, why can't they master the tracks from mint copies of the LP, using a hi end record player? Many artists have done this.

The Now That's What I Call Music social media outlets - Facebook & Twitter anyway, have given this release no promotion what so ever- they must be embarrassed with the missing tracks & wrong mixes used.

The Now That's What I Call Music 7 CD was released today. I have done a comparison with it and my original LP. Here are the differences - some more obvious than others. If you notice anything else, please feel free to add.

Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer (Album version used instead of early fade single mix which was on Now 7 LP)
Pet Shop Boys - Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money) (4:37 Full-length original 7" used instead of Alternative 7" AKA Matrix mix that was unique to the Now 7 LP. I was expecting the regular & common 1986 7" version but this is the one that turned up on Please: Further Listening)
David Bowie - Absolute Beginners (Omitted from CD)
Simple Minds - All The Things She Said (7" promo edit used instead of album version which was on Now 7 LP)
Big Country - Look Away (Sounds more like album version instead of Robin Millar production which was on Now 7 LP - slightly different ending)
Simply Red - Holding Back The Years (Album version used instead of 7" mix which was on Now 7 LP)
Billy Ocean - When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going (Edit version of 3:00 instead of noticeably longer 7" mix which was on Now 7 LP)
Nu Shooz - I Can't Wait (Album version used instead of 7" mix which was on Now 7 LP - nearly 2 minutes longer)
The Real Roxanne with Hitman Howie Tee - (Bang Zoom) Let's Go Go (Omitted from CD)
Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald - On My Own (Omitted from CD)

(I do not claim the work for this information, just sharing it) :

it doesn’t have the promo mix of ‘Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money)’ 3:20, it’s the (Full Length Original Seven-Inch) 4:37.

Also it has the album mix 5:10 of ‘Sledgehammer’ not the single fade 4:53.

Simple Minds – All The Things She Said is the edit 4:00, instead of the album mix 4:15, which was on the original Now LP.

Simply Red – Holding Back The Years is the full album mix 4:28, not the Edit 4:04 that was on the original Now 7.

The biggest oddity is the Billy Ocean – When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going is a weird 3:00 edit, not the 7” Mix 4:07.

Nu Shooz – I Can’t Wait is not the Single Mix 3:37 but the full length album Mix 5:25.

I am however pleased to confirm there is a QUEEN BONUS TRACK addition to the front of the booklet. As per the hype sticker on the original release of the vinyl & cassette.

It would appear that Opportunities by the Pet Shop Boys may be the version originally issued on the LP/Cassette from 1986 as it is quite different from the generally accepted single release however I cannot check this as I only have the cassette from 1986 and no longer have a cassette player!