A CERTAIN RATIO announce details of the latest release in their reissue campaign, Live in America -10-tracks that capture the exuberance of their 1985 tour of America – out on vinyl, CD and a limited-edition cassette on 8 August 2025 via Mute.
Originally available as a self-released cassette the band sold on tour the following year, the album compiles performances from ACR’s summer 1985 tour of North America with then (and current!) labelmates New Order when both artists were on Factory Records.
Listen to the band perform one of their most loved and best-known singles, ‘Shack Up’
The line-up documented on the album consists of Andrew Connell – Keyboards, Donald Johnson – Drums and Vocals, Jez Kerr – Bass and Vocals, Martin Moscrop – Guitar and Trumpet and Anthony Quigley – Sax. That same line up went on to release Force the following year, shortly before Connell left to concentrate on Swing Out Sister.
The band’s sheer joy in their performance is evidenced across the release, charting what sounded like an intense tour across North America only a few years into their career. They explain, “The tour was fun and we were very well looked after by New Order and especially Rob Gretton, New Order’s manager. Rob always made sure that we were well fed and watered and would fulfil any request we had. Sometimes the promoters wouldn’t want us to eat in the same swanky restaurants as New Order due to costs and because we were the ‘warm up’ act. When this happened Rob would just tell them that he would pay for ACR. He watched our performances every night and gave us his opinion on how he thought it went. He was one of our biggest fans and we miss him dearly.”
Live in America was recorded at: Felt Forum, NYC; Opera House, Boston; Agora Theatre, Akron OH; Bismarck Theater, Chicago, and Warner Theatre, Washington DC.
LIVE IN AMERICA TRACKLISTING (cat # ACRLP3)
- Sounds Like Something Dirty
- The Fox
- Shack Up
- Life’s a Scream
- Wild Party
- Flight
- And Then Again
- Touch
- Knife Slits Water
- Si Firmir O Grido
