fine young cannibals: underrated

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two men, a drum machine and a trumpet were underated as well

― Nik (Nik), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:09 (9 years ago) Permalink

The first album is truly underrated, but The Raw & the Cooked remains pretty damn tough to defend (although "Tell Me What" is still a heartbreaker).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:10 (9 years ago) Permalink

"Johnny Come Home" was one of the truly great singles of the 80s, no word of a lie. You can keep all the rest of the 'em though, thanks awfully.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:11 (9 years ago) Permalink

WAY ahead of its time. Electronic gurgles, Detroit hi-hats, and 303's on a pop album in 1989? It's true.

Nonsense. Everyone was at it. Paul Weller, Coldcut (and their productions for Yazz), ABC, Madonna etc. etc. Not saying the results were always great but pop artists were all trying to put house ideas into their music.

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:11 (9 years ago) Permalink

Who else hated that bass player's dance? Must be someone who knows what I'm talking about.

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:13 (9 years ago) Permalink

Back in '89 when I was an angsty young adult starting to become disenchanted with pop, tiring of the top 40 station my mom would play; whenever "Good Thing" came on, with its simple charms and rollicking walking piano line, it seemed like an oasis.

― Broheems (diamond), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:18 (9 years ago) Permalink

using the same director for the video of She Drives Me Wild as New Order's True Faith has almost ruined the later for me.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:20 (9 years ago) Permalink

I just remembered the terrible version of "Ever Fallen In Love With Someone" they did to go with the terrible version of "Suspicious Minds".

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:26 (9 years ago) Permalink

would it be inconsiderate to say this guy had the worst voice in the history of music? it's like his vocal style was him whimpering while trying to swallow his tongues and lips.

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:28 (9 years ago) Permalink

"tongues" ugh.

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:29 (9 years ago) Permalink

Who else hated that bass player's dance? Must be someone who knows what I'm talking about.

Both guitarist and bass player danced that way....but to be fair, they were doin' the same thing during their tenure in the Beat too.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:29 (9 years ago) Permalink

but to be fair, they were doin' the same thing during their tenure in the Beat too.

I am aware of that (I already mentioned it). That's what got me though..that the twat kept doing it even though it was a brand new era (at the time 1988-89 seemed a world away from 1982).

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:37 (9 years ago) Permalink

They are rated quite highly on amg

"Never has music's past, present, and future been more exceptionally combined"

― Magic City (ano ano), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:40 (9 years ago) Permalink

Never?

― Magic City (ano ano), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:40 (9 years ago) Permalink

I give props to Cox and Steele with working with Derrick May under the guise Two Men, A Drum Machine, And A Trumpet!!! for their one and only single "Tired Of Getting Pushed Around".

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:43 (9 years ago) Permalink

The video for "Tired Of Getting Pushed Around" was great! Blindingly white backdrop, slinky black women robotically dancing with synthtars, and some small messy haired mustached guy crying into the camera lip-synching to the "Tired Of Getting Pushed Around" sample.

Guitar-sample early beatbox galore!

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:44 (9 years ago) Permalink

(and for the record, I loved the nerdy way the bass player shuffled his feet around)

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:49 (9 years ago) Permalink

They only did the one then? It was really good though you're right. Am I right (I've not heard it since those days) that I recall it managed to seamlessly combine the drum box/raw house thing with a nod to the parallel rare groove scene (and in a way linking back to the Pigbag style ideas from earlier in the decade)?

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:50 (9 years ago) Permalink

I kinda liked the way those guys dance...especially in the context of FYC, as they were stuck behind Mr.Photogenic....they at least did something to prevent themselves from fading forgettably into the background.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:51 (9 years ago) Permalink

the nerdy way

heh..that's precisely why I hated it.

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:52 (9 years ago) Permalink

David hates Nerds!!!!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:52 (9 years ago) Permalink

Damn right

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:53 (9 years ago) Permalink

I really loved both of their albums when they came out, but it's been years since I've listened to them.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:54 (9 years ago) Permalink

"Too bad for you, David!"

― Lewis (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:55 (9 years ago) Permalink

Nonsense. Everyone was at it. Paul Weller, Coldcut (and their productions for Yazz), ABC, Madonna etc. etc
Huh? None of them were working with Derrick May. Have you heard the track I mentioned? Name another multi-million selling album of the 80's that had a techno track on it.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:57 (9 years ago) Permalink

That bass player didn't know he was a nerd though. He sort of looked really pleased with himself..like he thought he was a fancy little mover in his own way. I don't recall him ever smiling either.

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:58 (9 years ago) Permalink

fyc rule!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:59 (9 years ago) Permalink

Well, he was playing bass for a reasonably successful band at the time. That's a pretty decent reason to be smug, I'd say.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:59 (9 years ago) Permalink

Huh? None of them were working with Derrick May.

OK I misunderstood you. I thought you were talking about the adoption of acid house styles (909 beats and acid synths) in pop. I didn't realise you meant something so specific. But the million selling thing has nothing to do with it (or at least nothing to do with your original claim..that they were ahead of their time).

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 21:03 (9 years ago) Permalink

I see what you're saying, David, but still ... FYC essentially sold millions of copies of a techno song (on their hit album) years before anyone tried to hype that music to the general public (heh, pun intended just a little). And it still sounds damn good even today (as does a lot of classic-sounding Detroit techno no matter what year it was made).
But I certainly wouldn't call them pioneers, so yes, they're not ahead of their time in that sense.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 22:35 (9 years ago) Permalink

I have the seven-inch of 'She Drives Me Crazy'. I only play it using a hole I drilled through it about an inch or two from the centre, so it speeds up and slows down. The riff at the start sounds hilarious.

― Sasha (sgh), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 22:50 (9 years ago) Permalink

So what the hell is Roland Gift up to these days?

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 22:52 (9 years ago) Permalink

i am kind of amazed this has gotten to 50 posts

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 22:55 (9 years ago) Permalink

Raw & The Cooked is the first CD I ever got (mainly because the video for "She Drives Me Crazy" was really weird). I love the Buzzcocks cover even more than I did then because I know who the Buzzcocks are now, and "I'm Not The Man I Used To Be" is just gorgeous. I definitely think there's some filler, but its a solid album.

I don't think the album is underrated though. All the music guides I have give it high marks. The '92 RS album guide gives it four and a half stars and the MusicHound guide might have even given it five.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 22:57 (9 years ago) Permalink

now, Cosmic Thing is underrated.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 22:59 (9 years ago) Permalink

My first exposure to the band was that song "Johnny Come Home" and their more dancey cover of Buzzcock's "Ever Fallen In Love" from the Something Wild soundtrack... "She Drives Me Crazy" never really, ur, drove me crazy, because it was pretty derivative of most 80s pop dance productions at the time and seemed less original than the Cannibals I was introduced to.

I won't deny the song's catchiness. I like the song far more than "Good Thing" which makes me get all Alex In NYC all over the place... on the other hand, the acid house track on The Raw And The Cooked slays "She Drives Me Crazy".

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 23:01 (9 years ago) Permalink

I'll admit "Good Thing" has not aged well for me. "Don't Look Back" sounds great though.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 23:04 (9 years ago) Permalink

I've gotten more than one google hit on my site from people looking for info about Puff Daddy's presence in the "Man I Used To Be" video.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 23:05 (9 years ago) Permalink

I like the song far more than "Good Thing" which makes me get all Alex In NYC all over the place

I'm afraid to ask what that's supposed to mean.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 23:45 (9 years ago) Permalink

One of those bands that I never minded hearing the singles or seeing the videos for but who I could never get interested enough to buy the albums for. And somehow that seems just.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 00:42 (9 years ago) Permalink

"Johnny Come Home" was a great single, and then it all quickly went pear-shaped

― Donna Brown (Donna Brown), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 02:51 (9 years ago) Permalink

Two brilliant albums. The only thing they could do was breakup after that, and I commend them for doing so.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 03:57 (9 years ago) Permalink

But The Raw and the Remixed!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 04:01 (9 years ago) Permalink

I'm afraid to ask what that's supposed to mean.

Don't be afraid. it was meant as a compliment. More specifically, a directed vortex of well-phrased verbal rage.

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 04:33 (9 years ago) Permalink

i can't listen to "she drives me crazy" without wanting to rip my ears off.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 06:35 (9 years ago) Permalink

try drilling a hole in it about an inch or two from the centre

― that's MR. sanchez to you (mokey), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 14:07 (9 years ago) Permalink

Actually, a strategic hole at about 3.25" will probably do the trick for most people.

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 14:12 (9 years ago) Permalink

I agree with Strongo: underrated. "I'm Not The Man I Used To Be" is particularly good wimp-soul. I have a sneaking fondness for "Blue" too and its ham-fisted political metaphor, it seemed kind of subtle to me when I was 12.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 14:13 (9 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

i still have their records on cassette!

they had one of the best motown pastiches ever. the rhythm section--i.e. the same rhythm section as the (english) beat--was fucking great. the vocalist gets points for not sounding like anyone else, ever.

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Saturday, 7 May 2005 01:15 (8 years ago) Permalink

That first record still feels like thick, humid summer nights where you can taste the ocean in the air and hormones runneth amuck.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 7 May 2005 02:27 (8 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 50 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

but then i didn't start college radio until well after "alternative" had been almost completely gutted as a signifier. (i.e., mid-late 1990s)

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:37 (8 years ago) Permalink

yup, vito bratta! gene pitney apparently grew up in the same neighborhood, albeit like 30 years before.

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:41 (8 years ago) Permalink

i sort of feel like "alternative" was a slightly corporatized euphemism for what had previously been considered "college rock" or "underground" or whathaveyou.

DING DING DING DING DING!

Yeah, it was a very much mid to late 80s corporate term... it unfortunately got de-flatlined for a bit when Nirvana became popular but went back to the grave just as quickly... the nails in the coffin were Steve of 90210's positive comment about the Flaming Lips' "She Don't Use Jelly" on that episode.

― donut debonair (donut), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

If the Billboard "Modern Rock Chart" pre-Nirvana is supposed to be believed, stuff like FYC, Peter Gabriel, Crowded House, Richard Thompson, and Michael Penn was what college students were listening to. Maybe they were.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Sunday, 8 May 2005 20:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

That's sort of what I remember 'older people' listening to when I was a kid at that time. Midnight Oil! Timbuk 3! Johnny Clegg!

― Sundar (sundar), Sunday, 8 May 2005 20:41 (8 years ago) Permalink

What college students listen to and what underground radio stations play are two VERY differnt things.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Sunday, 8 May 2005 21:45 (8 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

revive!

"don't let it get you down" is such a jam! i second barry bruner's advice upthread. shoulda been a single.

― andrew m., Monday, 31 December 2007 20:05 (5 years ago) Permalink

I still love the first album. timeless classic.

― nicky lo-fi, Monday, 31 December 2007 20:20 (5 years ago) Permalink

any views on the 'raw and the remix' versions?

― Bob Six, Monday, 31 December 2007 20:57 (5 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

I love this thread.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 12 February 2008 01:54 (5 years ago) Permalink

Timely revive...good Dolly Parton cover version here.

― dabug, Tuesday, 12 February 2008 02:10 (5 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

Revive again.

I heard "Good Thing" on my way to Citarella yesterday, and it made the clouds part. Great stuff.

― Alex in NYC, Sunday, 23 March 2008 22:37 (5 years ago) Permalink

did they do anything better than that?

― El Tomboto, Sunday, 23 March 2008 22:42 (5 years ago) Permalink

I like "the Flame" as well. And "Tell Me What". And "Johnny Come Home" is flawless.

― Alex in NYC, Sunday, 23 March 2008 22:47 (5 years ago) Permalink

WEIRD. I've been listening to "Blue," "Johnny Come Home," and the glorious "Don't Look Back" all week, "Don't Look Back" is a 12-string cousin to the Beat's "Best Friend."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 23 March 2008 23:33 (5 years ago) Permalink

'blue' is amazing

― electricsound, Sunday, 23 March 2008 23:51 (5 years ago) Permalink

The Raw & The Cooked was being advertised, on pink & grey posters, on bus stops in February 1989. It is for the memory of those days, and the prominence they had then in British life, that I have what fondness I have for the band. And 'She Drives Me Crazy', surely a #1 45 back then, will do as the musical emblem.

― the pinefox, Sunday, 23 March 2008 23:54 (5 years ago) Permalink

As I said upthread, it's still remarkable that they scored two #1 hits and adlbum stateside.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 23 March 2008 23:58 (5 years ago) Permalink

They are rated quite highly on amg

Now I can groove to FYC when the mood strikes and all, d then there's this: Then, and I actually really respect Jo-Ann Greene as a critic, but there are bold, unqualified proclamations, anof course, there's "She Drives Me Crazy," which features the most unique, and instantly identifiable, beat/riff combination of the decade.

― Pillbox, Monday, 24 March 2008 00:54 (5 years ago) Permalink

Whoa - that post got all sorts of fucked up. I'll try again

They are quite highly rated on amg

Now I can groove to FYC when the mood strikes and all, and I actually really respect Jo-Ann Greene as a critic, but there are bold, unqualified proclamations, and then there's this: Then, of course, there's "She Drives Me Crazy," which features the most unique, and instantly identifiable, beat/riff combination of the decade.

― Pillbox, Monday, 24 March 2008 00:58 (5 years ago) Permalink

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfdIAbHzxmg

lol awesome dancing

― gff, Monday, 24 March 2008 01:06 (5 years ago) Permalink

10 months pass...

god, "Don't Look Back"

― The Screaming Lobster of Challops (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 00:58 (4 years ago) Permalink

10 months pass...

"I'm Not The Man I Used To Be" is absolutely killer.

― Euler, Monday, 21 December 2009 17:40 (3 years ago) Permalink

Can't argue with that.

― when i was your age i was thinking about how to kill people (Noodle Vague), Monday, 21 December 2009 18:19 (3 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

good thread, good band

― Cunga, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 23:13 (2 years ago) Permalink

one of the first tapes i ever owned

― cop a cute abdomen (gbx), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 23:24 (2 years ago) Permalink

checked.
i do have the finest on my hard disc (so i can drop various tracks onto my wifes mp3 player as she loves'em). so, thats today sorted.
i actually got the 2 cd edition of the finest that came with an extra disc of time stampled remixes.
one track i seem to recall featuring the cookie crew !?!
classics : the flame, good thing, blue, don't look back, i'm not the man i used to be, funny how love is (the echo'd trumpet opening is very sweet), etc.

― mark e, Thursday, 5 May 2011 07:19 (2 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

It's a tragedy that this song has more or less fallen into obscurity when it should've been, like, the biggest single of that year and on the radio for years to come:

Also:

i wonder if i will always be obsessed with pop music from 1987-1992

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, April 6, 2004 2:53 PM (8 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Cosigning as hard as I can. The only era that's any competition for '70s AM gold in my heart.

― You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Monday, 7 May 2012 05:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

I remember making my dad listen to The Raw and The Cooked when we were driving somewhere and that's when he explained to me what falsetto was. Good album, but also educational.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 7 May 2012 05:41 (1 year ago) Permalink

And the videos were super instructive on the Kubrick stare. Educational band all 'round.

― You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Monday, 7 May 2012 13:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

god, "Don't Look Back"

― The Screaming Lobster of Challops (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, February 10, 2009

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 7 May 2012 13:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

It peaked at #11 in the States but it's better than "Good Thing." Not many bands stapling 12-string Beat guitar and sequencers in 1989's top 40.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 7 May 2012 13:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

So I just went ahead and made this happen:

Forgotten late-'80s/early-'90s pop singles

― You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Monday, 7 May 2012 13:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

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