Porcupine Tree - "Even Less" (original first cassette demo)

This particular version is interesting because the Even Less "demo" has been passed around with the wrong audio for years on the internet. Basically, there are two main Even Less demos: the one supposedly on the 1997 demo cassette (often bootlegged as Ambulance Chasers or Stupid Dream Demos; 14 minutes) and the 16 minute one released on the limited Four Chords That Made a Million single (which reflected what they were playing live in 1997 and 1998).

The problem is that since the official 16 minute release was better quality (CD rip vs cassette), fans began substituting the audio from the bootleg with the 16 minute version, not realizing that they're actually slightly different. As a result, it is almost impossible to track down this original cassette version since it has been replaced in almost all copies of Ambulance Chasers you can find on the internet. This was the very first version of Even Less ever released.

The differences:

Four Chords That Made a Million CD Single – extended 16 minute demo, has additional samples in Part 2 (similar to I.E.M.’s “Deafman” and the multiple “Disappear” demos)

1997 Demo Cassette (this version) – 14:32 minute demo, same lyrics as the lyrics on the Four Chords That Made a Million CD Single version, but with shorter instrumental sections; additional movie sample; percussion begins sooner and adds an extra additional ambient overlap between part 1 and 2

This means there are 7 studio versions of Even Less:

1997

15:45 demo - 4ctmam single (released afterwards obviously)
14:32 demo - December 1997 cassette

1998

Work in progress band mix of Part 1
Work in progress band mix of Part 2 (these were separated on the tracklist unlike the 1997 early sequencing)

1999

Final Stupid Dream version
Part 2 - Stranger by the Minute single

2001

Full length final - released on Recordings compiling the 1999 versions together with the old 14 minute arrangement, with a different transition in the middle

You can read more about the transformation of Even Less and Stupid Dream over the years here: https://neuralrustsite.wordpress.com/...

Photography by Mark Newman