Click here to see more of the artwork
Details
- Release date: 7 September 1998
- Label: Island
- Formats: CD (2 versions), cassette
- Recorded: March 1997 - January 1998 (Olympic Studios, London & The Town House, London)
- Chart position: 29 (UK)
Credits
- Sleeve design: Howard Wakefield and Paul Hetherington at the Apartment
- Art direction: John Currin and Peter Saville
- Photography: Horst Diekgerdes
Releases
|
Date |
Formats and catalogue numbers |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
7 September 1998 |
CD1 - CID719 CD2 - CIDX719 Cassette - CIS719 |
Original UK release. CD1:
CD2:
Cassette:
|
|
September 1998 |
12" vinyl (1) - 12IS719DJ 12" vinyl (2) - 12ISX719DJ 12" vinyl (3) - 12HARD1 12" vinyl (4) - 12HARD2 |
UK promos with tracks unavailable elsewhere. 12" (1): 12" (2):
12" (3): 12" (4): |
|
25 August 2023 |
Streaming and digital download |
Newly uploaded to streaming services as "Party Hard EP", with a scan of the CD2 artwork; the 11th of a series of Island Records-era EPs reissued to coincide with the 2023 tour. Tracklisting:
|
Notes
The single version of Party Hard is different to the album version. It is slightly faster and the vocals are higher up in the mix (no mention is made of this on the sleeve, though the 2023 digital EP labels it "Single Version").
We Are the Boyz appeared on the soundtrack to Velvet Goldmine.
The All Seeing I Remix is also known as I Hardly Part Mix.
Sleeve notes
Uncle Psychosis Sez IF YOU DIDN'T COME TO PARTY WHY DID YOU COME HERE?
Uncle Psychosis sez PARTY HARDER (IS THAT POSSIBLE?).
Commentary
The release of the digital EP in 2023 was followed (about a week later) by this commentary from Pulp's social media accounts, believed to have been written by Mark Webber:
When the party's over will you come home to me?
A pumping disco backbeat. A droning, buzz-saw guitar sound that was only slightly reined-in from the threshold of pain. And that strange, claustrophobic vocal sound. Jarvis had been struggling to find a melody for the song but then surprised everyone by coming up with this two-part harmony that channelled Scott Walker via David Bowie.
We had fun recording “We are The Boyz” - our fake punk song - with the former Sex Pistols producer Chris Thomas. (Mock rock? Seems pretty real to me.) It found its place on the soundtrack of Todd Haynes’ film “Velvet Goldmine”.
And “The Fear” is here in its full resplendent glory, complete with double duelling guitar solos. It's the original version of the song that was later edited down for the LP.
There were far too many remixes, of course, and they were also too long. Whoever assembled CD2 didn’t pay attention to the rules about running times ‘cos the CD was so long that its sales were ineligible for the singles chart. Remarkably inept.
The video for “Party Hard” was directed by Mike Mills & you can watch it on YouTube. The dancing girls are wearing t-shirts with pictures from the Dog Series matchboxes that Jarvis collected at the time.
PS - Sorry to be so late posting this. Everybody partied hard for Candida’s birthday & we’re just coming round.
Promotional video
Details here.
Charts and sales
UK Singles Chart
|
Week |
Date |
Position |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
19 September '98 |
29 |
|
2 |
26 September '98 |
57 |