Primal Scream : Give Out But don't Give Up

While rummaging through some boxes looking for an elusive Associates single I came across this album: Primal Scream's 'Give Out But Don't Give Up'. I'd forgotten that I actually had this -though I do possess a fair amount of Scream discs. I'd forgotten as it's certainly the Scream album that I like least. Maybe I should slot it alongside 'Sonic Flower Groove' in that category as well. I recall getting this almost for the artwork alone. A double album which comes in a gatefold sleeve and includes a print of the front cover art. Front cover which is a cropped image of William Eggleston's 'Troubled Waters' photograph of a neon sign confederate flag. Troubled Waters indeed if you go by recent events in the USA where segregation and race hatred still cause a lot of civil unrest like the recent Charlottesville White Supremacist Rally as well as the ensuing furore caused by it.

Anyhow, this was Primal Scream's fourth album and the follow-up to the hugely successful 'Screamadelica.' To say it was a letdown for a lot of the band's followers would be an understatement. It's a complete departure from the 'Screamadelica' sound and is nothing like the previous album; more a classic rock and blues, turgid Rolling Stones rip-off than anything else. No doubt the Scream album I've the least played. In fact, my copy is stil in pristine condition. Might make owning it worthwhile by getting the Eggleston print under glass and finding a place to hang it.

All in all, unlike the music, the packaging and the artwork are really great. Wonderful band photography by Grant Fleming as well. Back cover features a photograph of funk musician Eddie Hazel who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic.

In any case, after this flop; and much to my relief, the Scream returned to form with the follow-up dub, ambient, dance, krautrock inspired 'Vanishing Point' album plus it's Adrian Sherwood (On U-sound) produced 'Echo Dek' remix side project. Both albums near the top of my fave Scream discs and certainly more worth having than 'Give Out But Don't Give Up.'

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Be Part of the Amazing Teenage Superstars!

From the makers of 'Big Gold Dream' comes the story of the The Fall of Postcard and the Rise of 53rd & 3rd Records, 'Teenage Superstars'.

 
"Big Gold Dream: Scottish Post Punk and Infiltrating the Mainstream. Teenage Superstars picks up where we left off with Big Gold Dream - the demise of Postcard Mk. 1, along with Fast Product shutting up shop."

After the brilliant BGD this time Grant McPhee and his team will be telling the story of the second wave of great Scottish, indie bands that appeared from the early to late 80s. Bands like The Pastels, Shop Assistants, The Vaselines, Simple Minds (oops!), The Jesus And Mary Chain, Primal Scream, Teenage Fanclub, etc. etc.

For the time being the film is still in the post-production stage. So far the lads have made a great effort in managing to complete the film and licence the music for it but, to complete their post production process, they need some financial support. They need your assistance to pay for things like archive clearances (footage of Nirvana costs a lot more than a sausage roll from Greggs!), and the likes of insurance, and marketing.

So, go ahead, Punk! Send in a couple of £s, $s, €s, and Make Their Day !

If you want to help crowd fund the film you can make a donation here.

Here what Bill Drummond (KLF) has to say about the film here.

Teenage Superstars - Trailer

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Teenage Superstars : Sound of Young Scotland 2

Teenage Superstars:
The Sound of Young Scotland 2

The first preview of the second feature film in the 'Sound of Young Scotland' story

Grant McPhee and the producers of the recent 'Big Gold Dream' follow it up with another documentary/film on the thriving music scene in Scotland.

This time the focus is on the many great bands that appeared in the wake of the demise of Postcard Records and the rise of 53rd & 3rd and Creation record labels.

Catch the link for the trailer below for some insight of the upcoming film.

Teenage Superstars

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The Jesus And Mary Chain - Family Tree

A rather interesting document from the New Musical Express, 15  September 1990. Pages 20-21 of that week's issue featured a Jesus ★ And ★ Mary ★ Chain family tree compiled by Paul Barber. Fascinating stuff where you'll find a complete rundown of all the Mary Chain line-ups (as well as those of Bobby Gillespie's Primal Scream) from the band's inception to the 'Automatic' tour of '89.

(Click right, view image for large version)

Source & Image ©Fremsley

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Primal Scream 'If They Move, Kill 'Em' EP & Matching Condom

Primal Scream 'If They Move, Kill 'Em' EP & Matching Condom

On the right is the packaging for a condom that I picked up, a while back, in a nearby agnes b store. On the left is the CD single artwork for the Primal Scream 'If They Move, Kill 'Em' EP. The cover for the Primal Scream disc is credited to Julian House @ Intro. There is no credit on the condom packaging. Possible copyright infringement, maybe?
Bottom left there's a 'Stuka' button badge and the original still sealed condom that came with the agnès b pack.

Image ©japanese forms

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The First Ever Primal Scream Gig

A couple of photos from the very first Primal Scream gig. Photos taken by Paul Groovy on the 13th August 1983 at Alan Mcgee's new club The Living Room, at the Adams Arms in London. The band consisted of only two members; Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie, plus a drum machine. They played a 13 minute set of 5 songs.

Images ©Paul Groovy
Source:Groovy Black Shades

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He Bangs The Drums

Bobby Gillespie bangs the drums in an early an early incarnation of The Jesus And Mary Chain (circa 1984-85)

Source : Suicide Watch
Original photo : ©unknown

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NME Playing Cards

I thought that there might be an Orange Juice/Edwyn Collins playing card in this set of NME playing cards but unfortunately there isn't one. On the other hand there are two featuring Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream) and Jim and William Reid (The Jesus and Mary Chain). The original photographs used on these cards are by Kevin Cummins -whom most folks know for his legendary shots of Joy Division.
You can have a look at the full set here. I've had them ever since the pack was given away free with the New Musical Express in 1991.

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Primal Scream, Sheffield 1989

Primal Scream rock Sheffield in '89.

Source : Tim Sliwinski -  ©unknown.
Anyone who knows who took or has © to this photos can contact me via Twitter.

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Primal Scream, London 1985

Primal Scream, London 1985
Image ©Dave Driscoll (from 'A Scene in Between')

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Bobby Gillespie’s vinyl

 
Bobby Gillespie’s vinyl.
Photo: ©uncredited
Source : Primal Scream From Glasgow

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primal scream : gentle tuesday 12" ep

image ©japanese forms

A wee change from Orange Juice; who have been featured in quite a few recent SoYS posts. Here we have one of Primal Scream's early singles on the short-lived Elevation Records label. The band released this one plus the 'Imperial' single; as well as their debut (and dreadful) album 'Sonic Flower Groove' -from which the two singles were culled-  on that label before going back to Creation . The distribution and financial deal between Alan McGee and WEA collapsing due to lack of sales. Something that is understandable. If anyone has given the Byrds-influenced 'Sonic Flower Groove' album more than a cursory listen they'll know what I mean. As for this EP; it's not too hot either. At the time of its release I was a sucker big fan of the band and of Creation in general. I'd snap up anything that could be found at local or nearby record stores; particularly if it was by a Scottish band, and, believe me, where I lived, this sort of vinyl was pretty hard to find. Anyhow, I still have it but it's doubtful that it'll be on the turntable often. On the other hand, the artwork and Mike Laye photography are very nice indeed. So good you can almost hear those leather breeks they're wearing squeaking in the background. japanese forms

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the wake (with bobby gillespie on bass)

photo : source unknown

A rather interesting find on the net; a photo of The Wake with Bobby Gillespie on bass (far right) in the very early 80s probably. I must admit that The Wake wasn't a band that I really got into but I did invest in a few of their recordings which came out on Factory and Factory Benelux way back then. I still have them so I suppose I'll get them out; give them a spin for reappraisal. You can learn all about the band at James Nice's very excellent LTM Recordings - to say that that label is a true goldmine is a bit of an understatement in my mind - and you can pick up the latest news and infos on them at their blog Is There A Working Cable? The band recently released the very fine 'A Light Far Out' album, on the above-mentioned LTM label and it's certainly well worth checking out. As for Bobby Gillespie... No idea what he's up to right now; apart from the recent supporting slot at Heaton Park with The Stone Roses, but I suppose another Primal Scream disc is in the pipeline and will see the light of day sometime. japanese forms

The Wake @ Soundcloud

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primal scream, irvine welsh and on u-sound present...

primal scream, irvine welsh and on u-sound present..., originally uploaded by japanese forms.

primal scream, irvine welsh and on u-sound present...
the big man and the scream team meet the barmy army uptown
creation records (1996)
crescd 194
3-track ep

full strength fortified dub
electric soup dub
a jake supreme

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I didn't realise that I hadn't taken some time out to post something new at Sound of Young Scotland... Well over a year in fact since I did so! This is all been down to the fact that I've been busy on several other fronts (job, family, moving house, etc.) and that a huge part of my record collection is still packed away in boxes ever since I moved to Glasgow then back to France in 2007 and 2008. The blog had kind of slipped my mind and it wasn't until a recent mail from a follower (thanks, Bjorn) that I decided to at least try and occasionally update this blog on a more regular basis. Believe me, I still have lots of items worthy of post right here. I'm also going to change the layout -if I get a few free hours to do so. So welcome to all of you out there who've had a look at the blog over the past couple of years.

First (new) post is of a rather curious item that was issued, on Creation,to tie in with the 1996 European Nations Cup which took part in England that year. As things would have it, old rivals Scotland and England were drawn together in the same qualifying group. The Scots had a pretty decent team at the time and had managed to get through to the final stages of the event (they also qualified for the 1998 World Cup in France); England, as host nation, qualified automatically. To mark the event this collaboration between Primal Scream, Adrian Sherwood and best-selling author of Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh was released as a three track CDEP. This disc sported a sticker which stated: Warning - This Record is Offensive (sticker which I probably removed and stuck in one of my numerous notebooks); and indeed it was considered offensive by a certain category of Scots supporters and notably by fans of Rangers F.C. whom Welsh, being a fan of Hibernian F.C., particularly dislikes. In the end, it's all good clean fun and bit of a joke (that's if you can take one that is). Rather good.

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