I decided that the money I won recently in the credit union sweepstake (see here for a reminder) would be better spent buying up some old vinyl and CD. So I've been busy on the internet and in a couple of second-hand shops in Glasgow. One of yesterday's offerings from Joe Jackson was one such outcome of a rummage among the bargain bins, today's is from the more refined and altogether less dirty under your fingernails approach from using ebay.I wasn't much of a Jesus And Mary Chain fan to begin with. It was just a noise with an attitude that I'd heard and seen before and not all that long ago either. But my view changed a bit when I heard the joyous noise that was April Skies, but even then I dismissed them as having a small amount of talent and an awful lot of hype. It took until the purchase of a compilation album and repeated listens to a flop single from 1990 to make go back and try again. And I'm grateful that I did. I'm not sorry I missed out on all the chaos of the early gigs, for there is something a little bit satisfying picking up on a band years after everyone else and getting to listen to loads of their back catalogue in one big bite.
Same thing happened to me with R.E.M. as Document in 1987 (the band's fifth LP) was finally the one that I cottoned onto.
Anyway, I picked this up on ebay, simply as I wanted a vinyl version of the JAMC song that really got me converted:-
mp3 : The Jesus And Mary Chain - Head On
mp3 : The Jesus And Mary Chain - In The Black
The Pixies did a cover version of this single on their LP Trompe Le Monde. I'm sure most of you will agree its an inferior version:-
mp3 : The Pixies - Head On
More tales from the treasure hunt to come in the days ahead.
10 comments:
Better investment than golf shoes, anyway
Oh, I won a pair of golf shoes the other week after shooting a ridiculously low score in a competition.
Think Automatic is an underrated LP in the JAMC canon. Oh, quite like the Pixies' version though it's not realy a reinvention to these ears...
The Mary Chain kick ass!
Have to say I heard Psychocandy at the time of release and I was hooked. Always reminded me of The Beach Boys produced by a tripped out Phil Spector....no surprise really that they later recorded a version of Surfin' USA.
I know what you mean about REM though. I didn't get them until Document either but then I didn't get The Smiths until The Queen Is Dead so what do I know.
I agree with Villain here that I didn't get the first J&M Chain record, thought it was tuneless noise except for Just Like Honey. Then I heard Darklands and they instantly became one of my favorite bands.
Also couldn't agree more with Ed that Automatic is underrated and gets a bad rap by most critics. I can play it end to end anytime. In fact, I may do just that right now. Now if you'll excuse me...
My friends and I went to see the Mary Chain at their first gig in NYC supporting Psychocandy all a buzz and full of expectation. 35 minutes after they started the houselights went up and we all stood looking blankly at each other while something like Talking Heads Burning Down the House ushered the bewildered crowd out of the hall. I left them alone after that and didnt pick up anything until months after Darklands was released...but again the grabbed me on vinyl. I vowed to add them to my never see again list (this includes Cocteau Twins, Jim Thirwell, Alien Sex Fiend, and Throwing Muses among others). I too think Automatic is an excellent collection of songs...
I have to agree that anything after 'sidewalking' was great, before was just annoying feedback with no tunes
A day late but hey, great band, and I also think Automatic is under-rated, especially Coast To Coast. Thanks for the B Side.
I loved JAMC from first listen, I remember a housemate bringing it home and us all crowded around listening and collapsing on the sofa, just stunned. Collective sigh, amazed. But we were an odd little gang of broken toys and that noise was just fucking wonderful to us.
REM was a bit too pretty at first, but it grew on me and then I out grew it and then I looked back with nostalgia at the oldest bits which I used to think were pretty and now think aren't pretty at all but are just so 80s that I can't see them thru any other lens. And yeah, I can't stand Automatic, but I love Fables of the Reconstruction and Life's Rich Pageant to death!
I loved JAMC from the first album and managed to pick up that elusive first single many years later.
Enjoy all of the albums for different reasons, for instance Automatic was a birthday present from my favourite ex but Darklands is probably still my favourite because it is so hilarious.
Dunno how they kept straight faces during Nine Million Rainy Days.
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