The Raveonettes - Rave On (WTS Popkid No.7)

 

The Raveonettes sound ingredients: '50s rock'n'roll, Jesus and Mary Chain's noise pop, Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, The Everly Brothers' harmonies, Buddy Holly's ghost and Velvet Underground's dark, a little bit of C86 jangle just for spice and the '90s love for electronica of Primal Scream. Now, mix all these elements together with cult noir movies and '70s VHS wild b-movie erotica. This Danish duo certainly look like they could have come straight out of the Andy Warhol Factory, don't they? Have you ever pondered what the outcome might have been if Sonic Youth had been a Cramps tribute band or if The Ronettes had been the singers for Suicide? I suppose you can already see where this is going...

Following the huge success of 'Love in a Trashcan', The Raveonettes could have repeated the formula that brought them fame and fortune without losing their charm. However, they chose to delve even deeper into their darkness, continuing to produce small masterpieces to this day. Rather than stealing glances backwards, they pick up where they left off. Even when tragedy struck. (Sune Rose Wagner was in a long-term relationship with the late American fashion designer, Katie Gallagher. Gallagher was found dead in her Manhattan apartment in July 2022, just one day before Wagner's 50th birthday. Since then, Wagner has spoken publicly about the trauma of her loss.) As Samuel Beckett said, "I can't go on, I'll go on".

Like usual, here's an unofficial compilation of what I think are their best compositions and recordings, which, as far as I know doesn't exist in any form, especially with these songs.

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."

***********************************DIG!************************************

 

 

 

The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Cutmedeadnailmedownandkickmyhead" (LP, No Label JMC 10 - 1985)

For the Mary Chain diehards, probably THE BEST ever bootleg on vinyl! And quite rare as I checked on the net. I found many requests, many questions but very little information about it. Allegedly a 'Live at Westminster Abbey' recording but as I far as I know actually from a mini Creation Records tour of 1984. Anyway, I'm a big Mary Chain fan but not as huge to know such details, so if there's something wrong here, please advice. No track-list printed on the beautiful psych-punk sleeves or the labels, but it's almost sure that contains recordings from two (still unknown) different venues. Overall, a brilliant sounding boot (with an even better rip courtesy of Jean Philippe as usual!), from the classic line up (I assume) of Reid/Reid/Hart and Gillespie with great guitar mix and well chosen covers ("Barracuda", "Ambition", "Vegetable Man") alongside classic now toons. Early Chain at its most chaotic and fuzziest! Dig now, thank us later!

-Early Chain with McGee-

The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Upside Down/Vegetable Man" (7" Single, Creation - 1984)

Fuck shoegaze this is pure rock & roll! And when I say rock & roll, I mean ROCK &
ROLL! As pure, dirty, sexy and violent as it meant to be originally. I know there's this old cliche about Mary Chain's sound, you know Beach Boys meet Velvets or the Ronettes fronting the Suicide or Neubauten nailing the Shangri-Las, but this is totally true. William Reid's chaotic, manic industrial noises are probably the closest thing ever to Ron Asheton, period. I really don't get all this art-fag nonsense about them... If the Cramps were from the Highlands they will sound and look just like the Reid brothers.
This single kick-started Creation's dignity and re-established Britain's proud on producing genuine rock & roll acts/records. And it's no exaggeration saying this single's one of the most important ever in rock & roll.
Don't know how many re-prints officially came out, the first one was surely dressed in black with red fonts but there's more as you can see in here changing main image's black color with pink, red and yellow. This copy as far as I know though, has to be the formal second UK pressing but I'm quite lost and no expert in this... Who cares anyway?  A guy called Neil Taylor who used to write for the NME said to Primal Scream leader, and Mary Chain's drummer during 'Psychocandy' era Bobby Gillespie, that they were the best band since the Pistols... And still remains I should add... 'Upside Down' stands still as a landmark JAMC song and Syd Barrett's 'Vegetable Man' is incredible as well. Dig!