10,000 Maniacs
In My Tribe Demos

The Complete “In My Tribe” demos
circa 1987

* 2015 re-seed *

Torrent: 192994
Title: 10,000 Maniacs COMPLETE “In My Tribe Demos” 1987 – SB/FLAC
Size: 437.31 MB
Category: Alternate
Uploaded by: judgesmails

Source: SB > ? > silver CD “In My Tribe Demos” (Blast Records) purchased by me in 1996 > FLAC

Sound quality: A-

Track list:

1. Hey Jack Kerouac
2. What’s the Matter Here?
3. A Campfire Song (no Stipe vocal)
4. Poison in the Well
5. City of Angels
6. My Sister Rose
7. Like the Weather
8. Cherry Tree
9. The Painted Desert
10. Don’t Talk
11. The Biggest Charm (unreleased)
12. Verdi Cries
13. Verdi Cries (alternate take)
14. Hey Jack Kerouac (alternate take)
15. Gun Shy
16. My Sister Rose (alternate take)
17. The Painted Desert (alternate take)
18. Don’t Talk (alternate take)
19. Cherry Tree (alternate take)

This material is taken from the silver CD “In My Tribe Demos”, pressed by Blast Records
in the mid-1990s.

My favorite song by far is the unreleased original “The Biggest Charm”, which is more of
a traditional rock song that would sound at home on “Secrets of the I Ching” or “The
Wishing Chair”. It clearly didn’t fit the “In My Tribe” vibe, and I assume that it was
discarded for that reason. (It would have made a great b-side, though).

Interesting to note that “Poison in the Well” is still under consideration at this point,
although we know it ultimately remained unreleased until “Blind Man’s Zoo” in 1989.

I’ve read that producer Peter Asher forced the band to use a drum machine on some
songs, and on this set “What’s the Matter Here?” sure sounds drum machine-y to me. On the
second set of “In My Tribe” demos (to be uploaded momentarily), the “what’s the Matter” drums
sound different / live. Feel free to disagree – that’s just my opinion.

For the record, I generally can’t tell the difference between each song and their
“alternate takes”. Don’t expect radical differences from one version to the next, because
they are virtually identical to each other. That being said, the alternate take of “The
Painted Desert” includes vocals right to the end of the song, but on the non-alternate take
(track #9) Natalie doesn’t sing the last couple of words, “…be there.” so, at least in
that one case, there is a difference between the two (albeit a very slight difference).

“In My Tribe” demos (2nd set)
circa 1987 – certainly compiled later than the 1st set (uploaded separately)

Source: SB > ? > CD received in trade > FLAC

Sound quality: A-

Track list:

1. Peace Train
2. Gun Shy
3. A Campfire Song (with early Stipe vocal)
4. Hey Jack Kerouac
5. My Sister Rose
6. The Painted Desert
7. Cherry Tree
8. Walden (piano instrumental)
9. Don’t Talk
10. What’s the Matter Here?
11. The Biggest Charm
12. Verdi Cries
13. City of Angels
14. Like the Weather

This is the second set of “In My Tribe” demos, which had clearly been recorded and/or
compiled chronologially later than the first set (uploaded separately).

“Peace Train” makes its first appearance, but it doesn’t sound very much like the
finished version. It’s an interesting curiosity, but I can’t say that it’s particularly
enjoyable.

As mentioned in my previous upload (the first set of “IMT” demos), I’ve read that producer
Peter Asher forced the band to use a drum machine on some songs. Although some of the songs
in the first set (particularly “What’s the Matter Here?”) seemed to use a drum machine,
most of the percussion in this set sounds like Jerry’s live drums.

In the 1st set of “IMT” demos, “A Campfire Song” did not yet have Michael Stipe’s vocal
contribution. However, this version does include his singing, though I’m not certain
that it’s the final Stipe vocal that we actually hear on the final album version.

Interestingly, “Poison in the Well” isn’t included in this set of demos, but it looks like
“The Biggest Charm” was still under consideration. That song was obviously dropped prior
to the album’s completion, never to be officially released.

“Walden” is a pretty piano piece, but nothing of great significance.

There is a jump/skip in the middle of “Gun Shy”. Sorry – it’s on my copy, too.