As I write this article for REG, I make some fundamental assumptions. The first is that at least some of the readers are not completely fluent with the non-album releases by Roger Waters. The second is that all readers, are genuinely eager to hear any alternate or additional material that may be available by Roger. The third assumption is that some of the material I describe is still available in collector's circles. It would not be my intention to describe these things if totally unavailable or relegated only to the world of the bootlegger.
The KAOS album and related tour were profound. It is unfortunate that in looking back Roger now feels the material to be over produced. It perhaps was, but in this structure it was a consistent period piece for the late 80s. I for one could not get enough of this CD or the live concert material of the tour, and so was very happy to find additional or "lost works" from this period. So, the topic is: three lost tracks and one honorable mention (clearly related track) from the Radio KAOS era that did not make the final cut (sic), that is, the final track listing for the released album. After describing the tracks and my rationale for ascribing to them significance, I will propose the perfect (home recorded) tape contents that would capture all the KAOS era music and feeling available!
The first track that bears mention is a demo found on the CD and EP format single The "Tide Is Turning". It is titled "Get Back to Radio", and below the title it is described in parentheses as a Demo Recording. As with almost all of Roger's material, it is well known that the KAOS disk weaves together multiple themes in a fairly complex narrative manner. The story line in KAOS is probably more consistent and stronger than Roger's other solo work, though musically (as acknowledged in other articles appearing in these pages) "Amused to Death" is certainly more rich. One of the themes of "Radio KAOS" surrounds the influence of the media with a specific nostalgic twist towards pre-video radio. As we know, this is based on Roger's southern California period and the demise of an LA station (KMET) and format. The piece "Get Back to Radio" waxes even more nostalgically, recalling the radio as a focal point and medium communicating news and style of a day gone by ("Like an ember, glowing in the dark..." and so forth). Roger mentioned the track in a 1987 interview in Rock Express, when asked about his sources of inspiration and his ability to make contact with his unconscious thought patterns -
"I lie in the bath in the morning and think about ideas. I suspect that works for me because its the time of the day nearest when one is dreaming. When I started to write some new songs about 18 months ago, I wrote about how I felt at that moment. [this refers to the period of time of KAOS and the concept of the album - this author] Ironically, the song that triggered the whole concept, "Get Back to Radio", didnŐt end up on the album. But it contained a line that set the whole idea into place. 'Like a volcano, waiting to blow, a new generation waits by its radio. Stand up and be counted. Get back to radio.' It brought back the idea of 13 and 14 year olds lying in bed in the middle of the night listening to their radios. [There was a magical quality] growing up in England and listening to the signal of Radio Luxembourg fade in and drift out into the night. It was a mystical experience that conjured up all kinds of ideas and images. When I wrote that song I thought I'll keep that concept and tuck it away for later."
"Get Back to Radio" is not an amazingly strong track, but the nostalgia for radio combined with the knowledge of its inspiration source for the KAOS theme make it an indispensable work for the true Roger fan. It's demo origin is only betrayed by the presence of a couple of soft clicks and a less rich sound mix, but these are minor annoyances even at CD audio resolution and noise floor. The disk also includes Paul Carrack's live "Money" recorded during the KAOS tour, which some may find interesting, though I have truly had enough of this song by now (sorry you many worshipers of DSOTM).
The next lost track from KAOS is only available to my knowledge on a 45 RPM! (Yes, I mean vinyl.) It is the B side from the single, "Who Needs Information" (Columbia 38-07617 1987) and is "Molly's Song". It is listed on the disk as performed by Roger Waters and the Bleeding Heart Band, featuring Doreen Chanter. This is an amazing track. It is a live recording from the KAOS tour and even includes bits of dialog between Jim Ladd and Billy before the song starts. The song is beautiful, and accomplishes several positive additions to the story and music line. Molly, from the KAOS concept, is Benny's wife. Benny is in jail, and Molly is wondering "Benny, when are you coming home?" and so forth. Her queries are captured by a spy satellite that Billy "hacks" his way into. During the KAOS concert, this song was performed between "Who Needs Information" and "Me Or Him". Musically, it first introduced the theme of 'Good-bye, Little Spy in the Sky...' as Molly addresses the satellite (or perhaps Billy's view through the satellite). This theme is repeated briefly in the included "Four Minutes" track on the second side of the KAOS disk. "Molly's Song" is a strong song both from a narrative and musical perspective. I am only aware of this live recording on the 45, but assume at some time a studio version must have been recorded and later edited from the album. (The recording) is a must have, but most likely more difficult to locate than the other two pieces described.
The final "lost" track is "Going to Live in LA". It is found on the "Radio Waves" single, and is the easiest of the three to locate. It talks about Billy's life with his Great Uncle Dave in the seemingly odd and ironic world of southern California, in the financially obsessive 80s. The song pre-dates some of the KAOS concept - Billy is far away from home but seemingly a non-spastic in this song, as he is advised 'Billy donŐt drink the water, stay away from the boss' daughter' etc. including warnings of cocaine and so forth. Going to Live in LA opened the second half of the KAOS concert. It begins with the same shakuhachi sound (I am guessing this to be some type of reed instrument) found in "Me or Him". This is a strong song, with the slow, soft beginning building to musical crescendos of contrasting images of the LA environment illustrating both isolation and abundance (100 miles of sushi bars, and Warren Beatty locking himself in a safe at night just to stay alive). Its musically building style is reminiscent of "Every Stranger's Eyes", for example. This song is a must have as well.
These are the three tracks that form the lost works of KAOS. In the introduction I promised an honorable mention. Most readers are aware of Roger's 1986 soundtrack effort for "When the Wind Blows". The final track "Folded Flags" to me represents a prequel for the nuclear scare or Armageddon concept of KAOS, much as the "Get Beck to Radio" song is for the radio concept. In fact, after the "Four Minutes" sequence from the KAOS concert tour, Billy says 'There's more to life than lucky strikes and some unlucky ones, and folded flags and pipes and drums' right from the lyric for this early soundtrack song. (The song was used in the film during the ending credits - by the way, this is a great video to rent if you have not seen it; the innocence of animation juxtaposed against radiation poisoning is an unsettling construction to say the least.) So, if one was to make the perfect KAOS tape, in my opinion the song list would go -