Primal Scream: C or D?

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I expect I've said this here before, but I love them and have (I think) all their records and lots of bootlegs too. And I adore Bobby G (albeit probably not as much as Kate does, and I've never met him). They've provided some of my favourite and least favourite live moments, sometimes minutes apart. I remember seeing them once with a pal, and Loaded was absolutely magnificent, one of the best performances of a single track I've seen, then another song had been going for some minutes before my friend and I turned to another at the same moment, as we had just registered that it was supposed to be Come Together, but was a dreadful mess.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 1 March 2003 22:33 (twenty-one years ago) link

Julio and Cozen, get a copy of 'High Times' now!

― dave q, Sunday, 2 March 2003 10:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

Julio and Cozen, get a copy of 'High Time' now!

― dave q, Sunday, 2 March 2003 10:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

High Time is indeed grebt. As are Primal Scream. Wonderfully inconsistent. XTRMNTR and Screamadelica are both classic, Vanishign Point and Echo Dek both very very good, while Evil Heat has a handful of brilliant moments amid the electronic guitar stodge. The rest, admittedly, is pretty bollocks, but there you go. The world would be a duller place without them.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Sunday, 2 March 2003 11:23 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'm on it.

― Cozen (Cozen), Sunday, 2 March 2003 11:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

(had to mention 'High Time' as a PSA because I can see somebody who's only heard 'Jams' or 'Back' think the MC5 are a bit 'ehhhhh'. 'HT' whole other level of enjoyment)

― dave q, Sunday, 2 March 2003 13:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

I think that BBBy should give up music, and spouting off rubbish in music paperz, and he should dedicate his life to Ms St Claire's happiness & pleasure.

Strangely enough, I actually agree.

La la la la la laaa, Bobby G, how I love him. Horton Who?

― kate, Sunday, 2 March 2003 13:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

OK dave. 'Jams' was some of the worst fucking shit i have ever bought but OK.

''XTRMNTR and Screamadelica are both classic''

don't know abt 'screamadelica but XTRMNTR insults me.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 2 March 2003 14:11 (twenty-one years ago) link

'Screamadelica' classic if you're in touch with your sentimental side, 'XTRMNTR' insulting, 'Evil Heat' is pure "OK, *sigh* joke's over, where's the hidden camera". Even reading the track listing causes an irresistable urge to curl up into the fetal position and crawl into a hole waiting for it to go away. Needless to say, it could be dangerous listening to it if you are driving or cycling through a busy street so be warned.

― dave q, Sunday, 2 March 2003 14:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

I never want to hear another note from them: they are not veen a band really, more like a fucking 'studio project' *vomit*.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 2 March 2003 14:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

primal scream are absolutely hilarious, its like your dads mates at a fancy dress party trying to play sigue sigue sputnik but ending up doing dumpys rusty nuts

― gareth (gareth), Sunday, 2 March 2003 18:10 (twenty-one years ago) link

Darragh Purcell orchestration of undervaluement = 45% of the alien memory. Proletariat 2000. orchestration => deviation/turn

― naked as sin (naked as sin), Sunday, 2 March 2003 19:03 (twenty-one years ago) link

they should go back to trying to be the Byrds. "Imperial" is still one of their best tracks.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Sunday, 2 March 2003 23:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

Classic. They're one of the best bad bands out there.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 2 March 2003 23:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

PS are far, far worse than anything you could possibly dream up.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Monday, 3 March 2003 13:11 (twenty-one years ago) link

Primal Scream is among the closest acts ever to mix the best of "dance" music with the best of highly melodic pop. When it works (as in "Screamadelica" and part of "Vanishing Point") they are really great. However, when they try to sound like Rolling Stones (the "Give Out But Don't Give Up" album) they leave me cold, and their previous two albums are more noise than music.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 3 March 2003 13:27 (twenty-one years ago) link

re: what dave q. said - yeah
re: primal scream - these guys are fromengland & who gives a shit

― duane, Monday, 3 March 2003 15:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

yeah you know, fromengland

― duane, Monday, 3 March 2003 15:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

i like the scream, i have to say. "screamadelica", "vanishing point" and "xtrmntr" are all good. of course bobby is a twat, and their political "agenda" is a joke, but the music is (mostly) intoxicating enough to make me forget this.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 3 March 2003 17:10 (twenty-one years ago) link

About 1/3 of _XTRMNTR_, some of _Vanishing Point_ = classic.
About 1/3 of _XTRMNTR_ = total, tiresome dud.

Most of the rest doesn't move me to one extreme or the other.

― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Monday, 3 March 2003 18:26 (twenty-one years ago) link

three years pass...

Bobby doing a Julian Cope impersonation 20 years too late?

http://www.nme.com/images/84_NMEcover_L150406.jpg

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 11:48 (eighteen years ago) link

NME naff headlines: "Louder the Liam, Darker the Doherty"

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 11:49 (eighteen years ago) link

OMG @ that nme cover. So, so sad. So desperate. I read the page-long live review on the Observer yesterday, WTF @ that. Has there been a brit band from the last 20 yrs who have had such a free ride from the music press?

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 11:56 (eighteen years ago) link

off-thread topic but the 'turn to page 32' thing re Gnarls Barkley album is more interesting. catering for ultra ADD if ever i saw it.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 11:58 (eighteen years ago) link

Every time I see a current NME cover, I wanna curl up and cry

― Le Baaderonixx de Benedict Canyon (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 12:00 (eighteen years ago) link

Mr Bobby Gillespie Record Collection Rock get your f-ing haircut your long haired mopped twonk

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 12:00 (eighteen years ago) link

Primal Scream: We Still Don't Give a F***

And neither do we, so f*** off ya talentless c***

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 12:03 (eighteen years ago) link

NME gave the Scream dogs abuse for the Give Out But Don't Give Up
album. Infact they really hated rocks in particular when they reviewed the single.

That album may not be perfect but I don't think it's as bad as NME & Co claimed at the time.

The new album is a return to stonesy stuff isn't it? hmmm. I'm not sure thats a great idea though, they've spent years trying to get rid of that image. Still lets wait and see what it sounds like before judging. After all Evil Heat was just a rehash of xtrmntr(their best album IMO)

At least the Scream aren't just content releasing clones of Screamadelica which I'm sure the press would've preferred.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 12:04 (eighteen years ago) link

Bobby: "I love Can ever since I was a teenage punk rocker"

'nuff said?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 12:06 (eighteen years ago) link

what do "17 year olds in doncaster" think of that long haired leather jacket wearing bloke?

that don't remember screamadelica.

they were only 11 when xtrmntr was released.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 12:09 (eighteen years ago) link

Primal Scream were scheduled to play Top of the Pops in November 1994, despite the fact their most recent single, I'm Gonna Cry Myself Blind, had not got into the charts.

Their management had arranged for Luton Airport to remain open longer than usual so the band could fly in after playing in Dublin. Apparently Luton wasn't "rock 'n' roll" enough, and the band refused to make the trip. They were banned from appearing on the show for the next three years.

Say no more. Oh wait...

"He’s just Michael Hutchence with a better record collection and a worse voice, you know, hehe."
Edwyn Collins speaking of Bobby Gillespie

― Lotta Continua (Damian), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 12:18 (eighteen years ago) link

so classic. the ridiculous posing is just part of the charm!

pash, did you ever write the bobby/alex from blur slash? that sounds totally horrifying.

― haitch (haitch), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 13:01 (eighteen years ago) link

XTRMNTR all style and reference points... but all the same an enjoyable noise and bits of it are original (MBV arkestra- ironically a remix and Insect Royalty)... Vanishing point ok, inconsistent and unsatisfying tho, as is Evil Heat, which apart from its opening song (brilliant broiling electronics and guitar samples) is duff and flat. less said about the wannabe stones stuff the better. I can only suggest that they are caning the narcotics again to even think of engaging in such musicological necrophilia. It actually makes perfect sense for such a po mo band to sound best when produced by many different hands... fitting...

HOWEVER: that OMM live review made me want to put my fist thru the monitor screen in front of me- christ! so many lazy rock'n'roll cliches... someone got paid to write that heap of sphincter-fellating old todge?

― gekoppel (Gekoppel), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 16:22 (eighteen years ago) link

Martian, I was 12 when Screamadelica came out in 1991, and I'm considerably older than 17 now.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 11 April 2006 16:28 (eighteen years ago) link

screamadelica /= xtrmntr

― kit brash (kit brash), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 04:21 (eighteen years ago) link

just idle curiosity, but is 'screamadelica' a very good seduction CD to use on somebody who doesn't know very much about music? need to know by this weekend. (ideally you'd want to 'finish' right at the end of "loaded")

― dave q (listerine), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 07:45 (eighteen years ago) link

god no

― electric sound of jim (and why not) (electricsound), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 07:48 (eighteen years ago) link

I heard about Crazy Bob Gillespie doing Give Out But Don't Give Up, Part Deux but I thought it was an April Fool's joke...

I wish it was.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 07:55 (eighteen years ago) link

"Trick of the Tail" would probably be a better choice, Q.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 08:19 (eighteen years ago) link

the new single sounds like bad zztop with extra added mandolin it is truly gruesome, toe curlingly milk curdlingly bad. i almost managed to convince myself stonesy balladry might be the last dignified bolt hole for the pscream but evidently not. plus gillespie seems intent on preening like a tit more than ever just at the point at which he ceases to pull it off altogether

― cw (cww), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 08:46 (eighteen years ago) link

I normally loathe that whey-faced poltroon, but seriously a description like 'bad ZZ Top with mandolins' makes it sound AWESOME! Can it possibly live up to this sort of hype I wonder? I'll warn you now though, I still feel grudgeful about spending 50p to get goddamn XCRMNTR out of the town library.

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 09:02 (eighteen years ago) link

oh man i'm sorry if i've inadvertently raised expectations please quell them immediately. the mandolin only kicks in as if in 3/4 of the way through with a shit eating shrug of desperation

― cw (cww), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 09:29 (eighteen years ago) link

the new single sounds like bad zztop with extra added mandolin it is truly gruesome, toe curlingly milk curdlingly bad

bollocks. the new single sounds like xtrmnr-era prml scrm going rock, with a mandolin, and as such is absolutely fucking wonderful. irritatingly, it disappeared from the iTunes music store (UK) just as i was trying to buy it, and now won't come back. fuckers.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Monday, 17 April 2006 21:14 (eighteen years ago) link

"Screamadelica" and "Vanishing Point" were both classic albums.

The rest are largely dud, particularly "Give Out But Don't Give Up"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 17 April 2006 21:17 (eighteen years ago) link

Apologies for the baseball analogy, but the Scream are like a batter who swings for the bleachers every time. Yeah, there are strike-outs but when they connect...

― someone let this mitya out! (mitya), Monday, 17 April 2006 22:06 (eighteen years ago) link

I am totally excited about a sub-ZZ top song with a mandolin.

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 17 April 2006 22:16 (eighteen years ago) link

you should be, shakey mo! i've managed to find a shitty recorded-underwater rip of it, and even that fucking rules.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Monday, 17 April 2006 22:17 (eighteen years ago) link

its funny how all the British folx seem to hate them for their overexposure (and its attendant revelations about lame personal behavior/viewpoints of the bandmembers). Since we don't get that in America, the band is BEYOND obscure, a cult thing all the way - I could care less about their tabloid shenanigans, I just love the music.... (how much? I just ordered a vinyl copy of the Dixie Narco ep. that's how much)

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 17 April 2006 22:21 (eighteen years ago) link

Shakey OTMFM.

Where can I hear this new single??? Did the BBC play it? Is it on their official website?

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Monday, 17 April 2006 22:26 (eighteen years ago) link

a vinyl copy of the Dixie Narco ep

i remember buying that in HMV in blackpool the day it came out. there's a truly beautiful pedal-steel song on it. god damn, now you've made me want to hunt through 1,000-odd records to find it. must ... go ... to ... bed ...

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Monday, 17 April 2006 22:27 (eighteen years ago) link

Skipping 91 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Sadly I think that might be a reference to Gerry Rafferty.

― Not waving but droning (Tom D.), Sunday, 21 April 2024 20:17 (two days ago) link

Backup option: John Martyn.

― the scouse that roared (Matt #2), Sunday, 21 April 2024 21:14 (two days ago) link

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/feb/17/gerry-rafferty-in-hiding

― Not waving but droning (Tom D.), Sunday, 21 April 2024 22:34 (two days ago) link

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