1. I'm sure that in the build up to the release of Mini-Mart, I saw some details of a song about Pound Shops. Did I dream this, am I just confused or was it dropped from the album?

2. When did IT7C officially drop the ASSFTS? According to Discogs, the Japanese edition of the album had the abbreviated moniker and that was released just a couple of months after the UK release.

Your second question is an interesting one.

I'm not sure that "Ignite the Seven Cannons and Set Sail for the Sun" was ever the official title for the album.

It's a phrase that appears on the label of just one side of the original vinyl record, and not on the record's cover.

However, the shorter "Ignite the Seven Cannons" appears on the labels of both sides of the record, and on the cover.

(Check the images at Discogs and elsewhere.)

What title is listed on the spine of the album? It's years since I owned the vinyl.

Pondering this, I found at eBay this advert for the album cut from one of the music papers.

So perhaps the longer title was never actually used and is just a poetic phrase placed on the record by Lawrence, as he has done elsewhere.

I agree with you Robert.
The "long" tittle is just a poetic phrase.

The first question, I can't recall reading something about this issue, although the LP cover is quite sugestive of a Poundland store.