Jesus Jones C/D?

Ha, funny revive -- I don't quite know how it happened but a few years back Iain Baker, the band's keyboardist, sent me a Facebook request; I accepted, and he's been a real pleasure to get to know via his many comments and posts. Talks about being a total post-punk fiend in the early 80s, which given all the dance experimentation makes sense. Has no airs, shares stories in an 'as it comes up' fashion and definitely looks back on what's been a steady enough career since with easygoing familiarity and friendliness.

also, it's iain that's the 'bez dancing dude' in the video.
and as ned says, he is genuinely a good'un.

Aw, I’m sorry for slagging off his dancing if he is a genuinely nice bloke!

I’m sure he’s lovely. But he is not a good dancer. Sorry

Hey, DL, have you heard the albums Drop and In Gorbachev We Trust? Because The Shamen really didn't start as 'a dance act that broke into the alternative' - they started as a really psychedelic indie band, with vague ties to the Scottish end of C86 - and slowly became more and more dance oriented.

ah, no I had no idea about this. I guess this was also true for a lot of acts who were known for dance or alt-dance in the nineties: Primal Scream, Underworld etc

Branwell, just checked out Jesus Loves Amerika and you're so right about the vocal style. Funny how both bands had a slightly metal/industrial aspect to them which might have gone on to influence bands like Senser, Apollo 440 and Pitchshifter

I just put Liquidiser on for the first time in nearly 30 years, and the first song is called "Move Mountains" and I actually yelped 'oh no you didn't' out loud?

But didn't Liquidizer come out before Pro>gen?

Ha, Liquidiser came out in Oct 1989 and the first version of Pro>Gen came out in March 1990, so... I suppose I have to allow it. ::narrows eyes::

The vocal style and delivery is really noticeable, I'm glad you agree, DL. We were talking about the Meat Beat Manifesto influence (wherein comes the Industrial edge, I think) on the Shamen thread earlier.

I went and listened to Info Freako and it's not better than I remember, it's quite horrible but also have to say for 1989 not un-prescient in its depiction of 'information' addiction.

"info freako" was always a painful tinnitus inducing 3 mins, but i took it as part of the songs individual appeal.
actually, the whole 'liquidizer' album has an insane level of top end on it.
i always suspected it was down to the bands lack of experience/knowledge/drugs, or, it was an artistic choice.
no idea if the remastered editions revises this aspect.

I remember at the time Mike Edwards was mentioning Big Black as an influence (I'm guessing the title Liquidiser was a hat-tip to Atomiser?) so maybe some of the squealing sonic assault was due to a few too many listens to Kerosene etc?

so many folks spelling the debut as 'Liquidiser'
was it different in the US, as my UK copy is definitely 'Liquidizer' ?
and yeah, good call, as Big Black were another top end heavy noise band ... never made the connection before, but makes sense actually.

This is apparently the keyboard player Iain Baker who Ned mentions above wearing a Big Black t-shirt:

https://www.picuki.com/media/771861530817785988

Spellcheck innit. Not sure my phone will even allow me to type Liquidiser - nope, it changed it for me!

haha ..fair point.