The Best of the Art of Noise is the name of a series of compilation albums with songs by the British synthpop and industrial band The Art of Noise. The first version was released on the China Records label in November 1988.
The Best of the Art of Noise was released with at least ten different track listing variations from 1988 to 1997. The first version was on LP format and contained 7" single mixes, while the corresponding compact disc release that year contained the extended or 12" single remixes of all of the tracks. However, LP releases in territories such as Korea and Argentina featured a combination of both tracks listings. A Japanese CD version from 1991 was identical to the standard CD but contained two more mixes of "Kiss" as bonus tracks.
In 1992, China Records reissued The Best of and added "Yebo," "Instruments of Darkness" and "Robinson Crusoe," while omitting the three tracks that were licensed from ZTT Records and included on the 1988 release: "Beatbox," "Moments in Love" and "Close (To the Edit)." Once again, a number of different variations were issued. The United Kingdom and Holland issued a double disc limited edition version with both the standard disc of 7" mixes and a second disc of extended and 12" remixes.
The compilation has also been issued with two different color variations on the cover. All editions prior to 1992 were issued with a blue cover, while most editions afterward had a pink cover. The German and Australian editions as well as the UK/Holland limited edition two disc set all retained the blue cover.
Famous quotes containing the words the, art and/or noise:
“This could be the day.
I could slip anchor and wander
to the end of the jetty
uncoil into the waters
a vessel of light moonglade
ride the freshets to sundown”
—Audre Lorde (1934–1992)
“Magic is akin to science in that it always has a definite aim intimately associated with human instincts, needs, and pursuits. The magic art is directed towards the attainment of practical aims. Like other arts and crafts, it is also governed by a theory, by a system of principles which dictate the manner in which the act has to be performed in order to be effective.”
—Bronislaw Malinowski (1984–1942)
“You may say a cat uses good grammar. Well, a cat does—but you let a cat get excited once; you let a cat get to pulling fur with another cat on a shed, nights, and you’ll hear grammar that will give you the lockjaw. Ignorant people think it’s the noise which fighting cats make that is so aggravating, but it ain’t so; it’s the sickening grammar they use.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)