Description:

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Mesopotamia is the result of what was intended as the third full length album from The B-52's. Made in 1982 and produced by David Byrne of Talking Heads, the recording sessions were aborted prematurely and six songs were released as an EP. Due to a record company error the initial copies of the Island Records version of the EP released in the UK and other non-US territories contained some extended versions and different takes of the songs.

In 1991, Mesopotamia was remixed and, combined with the Party Mix! album, was released on CD. Confusingly, the original Warner Bros. Records version of the album is the version available on Island Records CD re-release.

Mesopotamia is considered a departure in style for The B-52's. On their two previous albums the band basically recorded songs as they would sound live on stage. Mesopotamia, however, was recorded with vocal overdubs, horns, layered percussion, a greater number of live instruments and an altogether richer sound. Prior to the release of Mesopotamia, The B-52's were known for their fun and wacky songs and simple, infectious guitar riffs. The tracks on Mesopotamia are arranged in more of an "extended groove" style (a style associated with producer David Byrne and his band Talking Heads) and don't really have pronounced guitar riffs. Live versions of the songs were performed by the then five members of the band with two extra musicians on trumpet and saxophone.

The album spawned three single releases. Two 7-inch singles released were "Deep Sleep"/"Nip it in the Bud" and "Cake"/"Loveland". "Mesopotamia" was released as a promo single with "Throw That Beat in the Garbage Can" on the B-side.

During the band's Mesopotamia "era" of 1982, Pierson and Wilson's trademark wigs began to get more unconventional. While Pierson had for the previous years favoured a number of similar auburn beehive shaped wigs (one of which she can be seen wearing on the cover of Wild Planet), the Mesopotamia tour shows saw her in wigs generally brown in colour and somewhat Eastern or exotic in style. Perhaps reflecting the Middle-Eastern album title, Pierson also styled herself in "genie" like outfits. When the band appeared on the soap opera Guiding Light in 1982, Pierson wore a beehive slightly warped in shape for the performance. On tour in 1982, Wilson opted for longer false tresses often blue, pink or even metallic gold in colour. She also debuted one of her favourite wigs, which she calls the "birdcage". A towering cylinder of chicken wire-like black hair atop a pixie style crop, Wilson wore the "birdcage" on Guiding Light.

The representations of the band members on the album's cover were based on paintings by band member Cindy Wilson.

The B-52's
Ricky Wilson - Guitars, bass, keyboards, organ.
Keith Strickland - Drums, bass, keyboards, marimba, guitar, organ, piano.
Kate Pierson - Vocal, bass, keyboards, organ, bird calls.
Fred Schneider - Vocal.
Cindy Wilson - Vocal.

Guest Players
David Byrne - Fretless bass, guitar, percussion, synthesizers.
Steve Scales - Percussion.
Yogi Horton - Drums.
Charles Rocket - Accordion.
Ralph Carney - Saxophones.
David Buck - Trumpet.
Roberto Arron - Saxophone.
During the "Meso-America" tour to support Mesopotamia, live versions of the songs were performed by Cindy Wilson on guitar, bongos and vocals; Fred Schneider on percussion and vocals; Kate Pierson on keyboards, bass guitar and vocals; Ricky Wilson on Guitars; and Keith Strickland on drums. Saxophones on tour were played by Ralph Carney and trumpet and duck calls by David Buck.

Outtakes
Originally, Mesopotamia was conceived as a full album. However for an unknown reason the sessions were aborted prematurely and the bulk of the album was released as an EP. This is speculated to be David Byrne falling out with the band, and the album could only be produced by him for the style the band wanted. There are four known outtakes:

"Queen of Las Vegas"- This original was released on Nude on the Moon and features a strong vocal delivery from Pierson and Wilson with Yogi Horton on drums. The song was modified and re-recorded in 1983 for the Whammy! album.
"Big Bird" - re-recorded for Whammy!, this original has not been released. However "Big Bird" was included in the band's live set on the Mesopotamia tour and was largely the same as the version made available on the Whammy! album.
"Adios Desconocida" - A ballad with lead vocal by Schneider in an uncharacteristically soft and romantic tone, this song was never remade by the band.
"Butterbean" - re-recorded for Whammy!, this original has not been released.

B-52's, The - Mesopotamia

Label: Island Records  
Catalog#: 254 217  
Format: CD
Country: Europe
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic, Pop  
Style: Synth-pop  
Credits: Accordion - Charles Rocket
Drums - Yogi Horton
Engineer - Butch Jones
Guitar, Keyboards, Bass, Organ - Ricky Wilson (3)
Keyboards, Bass, Drums, Organ, Piano, Marimba, Guitar - Keith Strickland
Mastered By - Greg Calbi
Percussion - Steve Scales
Producer, Bass [Fretless], Synthesizer, Guitar, Percussion - David Byrne
Saxophone - Ralph Carney , Roberto Arron
Trumpet - David Buck
Vocals - Cindy Wilson , Fred Schneider
Vocals, Keyboards, Bass, Organ - Kate Pierson


Tracklisting:

1   Loveland (5:02)
2   Deep Sleep (3:30)
3   Mesopotamia (3:51)
4   Cake (5:50)
5   Throw That Beat In The Garbage Can (4:32)
6   Nip It In The Bud (3:32)


+ Cake (extended)
+ Loveland (extended)
+ Throw That Beat In The Garbage Can (extended)

One of their best.....

Thanks for seeding !