Soundtrack - Absolute Beginners

Absolute Beginners is a Soundtrack album from the 1986 film Absolute Beginners, originally released in April 1986 via Virgin Records.

Absolute Beginners is a 1986 British musical film adapted from Colin MacInnes' book about life in late 1950s London, directed by Julien Temple. The film starred Eddie O' Connell, Patsy Kensit, James Fox, Edward Tudor-Pole, Anita Morris, and David Bowie, with featured appearances by Sade Adu, Ray Davies, and Steven Berkoff.

This double vinyl LP pressing of the soundtrack album has been remastered and expanded with 22 original songs recorded for Julian Temple's 1986 cult classic film Absolute Beginners.

The album features three songs by David Bowie that weren't included on any of his studio albums, along with exclusive tracks recorded for the film by Sade, The Style Council, Ray Davies and Jerry Dammers and more.

The soundtrack was much more warmly received than the film was at the time, while the reviews for the film were mixed, the album had good reviews from music critics at that time.

Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, whose many credits include No. 1 singles for Madness and Dexys Midnight Runners, produced the album and it also features arrangements by Gil Evans, widely recognised as one of the key orchestrators in jazz, acclaimed for his collaborations with Miles Davis.

The album features four tracks that are unavailable elsewhere; Sade’s 'Killer Blow', Ray Davies first solo single 'Quiet Life', Riot City', an eight-and-a-half minute Jazz instrumental that marked a first solo outing for Jerry Dammers and an extended version of The Style Council single 'Have You Ever Had It Blue?’. All four are unique to this album.

The sleeve notes for the album feature new interviews with Julien Temple, Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley, Edward Tudor Pole, Simon Emmerson, Mick Talbot and Nick Lowe.

This double album 2LP record set is a 2020 reissue on 180 gram heavyweight black vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve with printed inner sleeves and remastered audio, pressed in Europe via UMC.