Spacemen 3 - Rollercoaster, The Singles & EPs (White Trash Soul Real R'n'R No.7)

 

Spacemen 3 were the definitive psychedelic band of the '80s (at least), led by two charismatic personalities and influenced by the heavy drones of The Stooges, Velvet Underground and Suicide. Formed in Rugby, they fused the proto-punk of the Detroit scene with garage, psychedelia, blues and gospel to lethal effect. Or to put it another way, their music was druggy and addictive. Like the MC5, they were interested in revolution and (hypnotic) guitar noise at a time when jangle pop dominated the indie scene. Spacemen 3 were, and still are, the unconditional forefathers of the shoegaze scene of years to come. 

None of their compilations of singles and EPs are quite this. They're a blend of singles with different mixes or demos. As far as I know, they never had a proper release, so I decided to do it myself again. Here, you'll find all of their singles, EPs and mini LP ("Walking With Jesus", "Transparent Radiation", "Revolution", "Take Me To The Other Side" and "Big City") in any version released before the band broke up, as well as their cover of Mudhoney's "When Tomorrow Hits" from their rare split. 

As Will Carruthers, the band's bassist (also on Spectrum, Spiritualized and Brian Jonestown Massacre) and author of the excellent memoir Playing the Bass with Three Left Hands, wrote: "To this day, I’m still not sure if it was art."