Reissue Revisionism

[Phil C]

So, last year the Manics re-issued Send Away The Tigers but changed the track-listing, putting 'Welcome To The Dead Zone' on in place of 'Underdogs'. While I know some people feel that any retrospective changes are a mistake, I personally welcomed the change because 'Dead Zone' was a song that deserved its place on the album, and 'Underdogs' was...well...'Underdogs'. So, I don't think it was a controversial a move as it could have been. Had it been put on in place of, say, 'Imperial Bodybags' I would have had a very different reaction.

Later this year we're expecting a 'This Is My Truth' re-issue. Now, both the band the majority of fans have been saying for 20 years that 'Prologue To History' should have been included on that album - and I would agree. But I feel a little more uneasy about changes to 'Truth' than to 'Tigers'. I think it's because 'Truth', while musically diverse, has a largely coherent tone, and 'Prologue' doesn't fit it. On the other hand, however much I love 'Truth' as it was released (and I do), I think it had such a strong set of b-sides that almost any one of them could have a case for inclusion.

So, where should revisionism stop? Should 'Prologue' be added to 'Truth', and if so, in place of what? Or should it just be added as a 14th track, and if so, where? Should other changes be considered?