John Lydon:
Sun

 
UK CD single
 
VIRGIN
VUSCD122
 
Tracks: SUN (Leftfield remix) / SUN (Lydon remix) / PSYCHOPATH (Leftfield dub remix) / PSYCHOPATH (Leftfield remix #3)
 
Running Time: 20.25 mins
 
 
review by Scott M
first published F&F 3, August 1997
©1997 Fodderstompf.com / F&F Publishing
 

SunThis CD single features the Leftfield remix of 'Sun' as the lead track along with new mixes of 'Sun' and 'Psychopath'.

The "Lydon remix" of 'Sun' has been mixed by both John and Martin and is completely different to either the original or Leftfield mixes. No accordion, just keyboards and weird background noises with a totally different vocal take and lyrics "let me dance in a trance, do the idiot dance", "there's a hole in my heart where the sand pours through, heal me like glue". Its virtually a different song, but its well weird, maybe it was a demo, I think prefer the other versions!

The dub mix of 'Psychopath' sounds nothing like the original, it's very dancey, and there's hardly any vocals. With all the keyboards and drum loops it sounds more like Leftfield than Lydon, quite good though.
'Psychopath' #3 remix is a bit more like the original than either the album or dub remixes but a lot more up beat. It includes the full vocals along with some great additional keyboards and drums and I'd say is the best of all four versions of 'Psychopath'.

As with all CD singles there's not much packaging to speak of and the front cover only uses the red/orange coloured print of Lydon from 'Psycho's Path'. I'd actually hoped for some new tracks or even 'Route 66' on the single, but the additional mixes are still worth hearing.

The 12" version (VUST122) includes the same Leftfield mixes of 'Sun' and 'Psychopath', but doesn't include the Lydon mix of 'Sun', instead you supposedly get the Moby remix of Grave Ride but infact get the original Lydon album version (no doubt more of a fuck up than a mis-press, good old Virgin), so the CD is a far better buy than the 12".