Friday, December 15, 2006

JESUS AND MARY CHAIN - Essential Psychobabble


SPIN MAGAZINE really came down hard on these guys. When the Jesus and Mary Chain became big news they were slammed for being another noise band. They weren't taken very seriously. But the funny thing is that you can actually understand J and M lyrics and its not just feedback.

This band sort of vanished from view but their sound has left a legacy for new bands. Well..... not lately... but... they did briefly. The Pixies adored these guys as well they should. Black Francis even covered one of their tunes on the very last release, "Head On".

Compared to the grungey noise bands that came out later these guys were actually musical. Some death metal bands sound like they let a live bear in the studios and attack the microphone. BIG DIFFERENCE !!! Jesus and Mary Chain made a lot of noise too but they did it with a lot of precision and style.

Depeche Mode put a lot of mechanical sounds in their music too. It sounded like a lot of steam engines and metal shop experiements gone array. JMC followed the same path and this was done when it all seemed interesting.


This music had a lot of moxy. Hair bands were trying to stay afloat with, "Shes My Cherry Pie" but I don't think too many people were listening. Meanwhile, JMC were really pushing the boundaries in the areas of what was allowable. By doing so they were not only getting a lot of attention but opening the gate to a lot of new bands that had originality. Sire records helped make alternative music a real thing. Heavy Metal hair bands took serious body blows thanks to the JMC. Hair bands basically became extinct.

Another good thing about the JMC was that they were complete in every way.
They were unpretentious too in a way. They didn't have the strong ego stance of Echo and the Bunnymen. I feel that they were in many ways more approachable.
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cantu fascube 2006

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