Some Candy Talking

It's been so long since I posted anything here. Tend to pass much more time at Twitter nowadays; where I also tend to post a lot of SoYS related stuff.

Anyhow, for today, we have some documents featuring that ever-smiling couple, Jim and William Reid of the Jesus and Mary Chain. From Smash Hits (16-29 july, 1986) we have some great pics, a 2-page interview, the front cover, and the lyrics from their then latest release, 'Some Candy Talking.'

The Mary Chain have been enjoying a comeback for the last couple of years and released their belated 7th album, 'Damage & Joy' some 19 years after their previous album, 'Munki' -which appeared in 1998. Must say that I don't really like that 2017 release.

Still, it appears to appeal to lots of fifty-somethings; whom I imagine are on a nostalgia trip; desperately trying to relive their long most youth in some way.Their recent (comeback) tours have been highly successful audience-wise too. I saw them a couple of times in their heyday but I really wouldn't bother going to see them today.

When I first heard the album, I pointed out to a friend that I thought that the lyrics on 'Damage & Joy' were incredibly naïve. Sounding as though they'd been written by angst-filled teenagers. He replied that the JAMC lyrics have always been like that! Well, at least that proves I pay more attention nowadays to that sort of thing. Also proves that I'm not an angst-filled teenager anymore.

Anyway, back then, when this magazine came out, and at least for a couple of more years, the Jesus & Mary Chain were indeed the dog's bollocks musicwise. Might well be, to a certain extent, the best thing in Scottish rock for their first five-six years or so before their eventual decline and split in the late 90s. In the end, no matter how they sound today, I'll still cherish all their early vinyl and look to them as one of my favourite bands of yesteryear.

Documents : source & © - Shane Marais

Photograph : ©japanese forms

Tweet

I'm Going To The Darklands

It's quite hard to believe that it's over thirty years since the Jesus And Mary Chain released their second album 'Darklands.' Time goes so fast when you look back retrspectively. I always liked this album more than 'Psychocandy' -their first brilliant album- as well as anything else the band ever did. Even though, in my opinion, they released their finest records over the ten years or so that saw the band at their best and particularly in the 1985-1988 period. The recent, comeback, 'Damage & Joy' album (March, 2017) sounds really pale in comparison to what the band achieved with their early albums and singles.
Stiil, I suppose a lot of diehard fans and nostalgics will have found it to their taste.

I picked up all three versions of this single when it came out -was a big fan back then. I also luckily managed to get to catch them live on three occasions in their early days as well. Nowadays, as I'm really not into nostalgia, and as with a lot of reformed bands, I wouldn't even bother to go and see them.

Anyhow, today's documents come courtesy of the one and only @BrianTV from his treasure trove of Smash Hits archives. Included in the 4th of November, 1987 issue of Smash Hits were an ad (top left) for the 'Darklands' single as well as a page with the lyrics to the very same song (top right). Nice pic, by Paul Rider, of a rather winsome looking Jim & William accompanies the lyrics.

Documents courtesy of and © Brian TV

Photo : ©japanese forms

Tweet

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

Tweet

The Glummest Group In The World

Two minutes of hate 30 years ago today from the Jesus And Mary Chain in Smash Hits, April 22, 1987 issue.

Not only do they hate everything and everyone but they're also, as William says, "such lazy bastards". And who are we to disagree? I mean, it only took them about 18 years to release their recent 'Damage & Joy' album.

Anyhow, if you want to read all of the interview; just click right on the image and on the + to enlarge for your reading comfort.

Document source & ©Brian TV

Tweet

"Stop Ruddy Well Slouching" - JAMC Live in London

Well, it seems like I didn't keep my promise to post some more here during the past few weeks -as before I've been too busy on other projects to keep this blog up to date as I should have. Sorry, but I just don't have enough free time.
Anyhow, today we have yet another great document from the excellent Smash Hits archive of the one and only Brian McCloskey and features a review of the Jesus and Mary Chain playing live in London in 1987. Some fine pics of the band -Jim in his mandatory leather breeks- as they get down on their knees and give the patrons their money's worth instead of "standing around and looking sulky" as they did in previous shows.

From Smash Hits, January 14, 1987.

Source & ©Brian McCloskey

 Review : William Shaw
Photos : Andy Catlin

Tweet

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Fuck

The inside the of JAMC 'Fuck' sleeve features 'The John Lennon Lost Tapes' and includes a nice, family album snapshot of John, Cynthia, and baby Julian.


Next up should have been a wee post on the Associates 'Sulk' album but I haven't got round to it yet. It's been a busy week workwise. *sigh*
Anyhow, the other day while raking through my vinyl I came across this Jesus and Mary Chain 'Fuck' bootleg that I've had for years. I recall posting a photo at Flickr -which I recently updated with the one included here. The disc was released on the shady, Italian, El Topo label. Label based apparently in Milan if you go by the address on the back of the sleeve. Half the tracks are from a show at Birmingham NEC; from the mid 80s, I imagine, but am not sure. The other half are from early John Peel Sessions by the band in 1984 & 1985. The vinyl is the sort of marbled purple colour you would get if you overdose on Vimto and Greggs' sausage rolls then throw up. The sound quality, to say the least, is appalling.

In fact, the only thing remotely interesting about this disc is the sleeve. The front cover features a photo of the band; lounging on some beach in Portugal apparently -or so I've been informed. Jim and William, wearing their mandatory leather breeks, in the forefront and Douglas Hart and Bobbie Gillespie a few feet behind them. William and Douglas strumming their guitars while Jim and Bobbie look as if they've just been forced to drink a pint of vinegar. Each.

What's most interesting about the sleeve though is that it's made from a recycled "The Lost Lennon Tapes" cover. Sleeve that's been turned inside out to print the JAMC one on the other side! Looking inside the cover will give you more pleasure than listening to this absolutely dreadful recording.

 Apparently, 'Fuck' has also been released as "The Genius of The Jesus And Mary Chain" (sic) on the same label with the same catalogue number. Probably with the same sleeve as well.

Strictly for die-hard fans only.

Tweet

Kilty Pleasures : Scottish Post-Punk

Kilty Pleasures


Scottish Post-Punk
6-page spread on all things SoYS in Record Collector issue N°449

(January 2016).

Allan Glen tells the story of Scotland's post punk scene. From Postcard Records' Orange Juice and Josef K to The Jesus And Mary Chain via Fast Product, Skids, The Revillos-Rezillos, Simple Minds.

Not one to miss!


Document courtesy of
Scottish Post-Punk

Tweet

The Spottiest Group in Rock

An interesting snippet to read on the recent 30th anniversary release of this landmark album. Review of The Jesus And Mry Chain's 'Psycho Candy' by William Shaw in Smash Hits, 20th of November, 1985.
Spotty, noisy, Scottish brats, indeed!

Image courtesy & ©Brian McCloskey

Tweet

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

Tweet

The Sun Comes Up Another Day Begins

The Jesus And Mary Chain


'Never Understand' lyrics.

The first single from the debut album 'Psychocandy' and the band's first release on Blanco Y Negro Records.
Released in February 1985

From Smash Hits, March 28th, 1985

Original image:
courtesy of & ©Brian McCloskey

Tweet

They Wear Obscene T-Shirts

In this Jesus and Mary Chain interview in Smash Hits (March 14th, 1985) we learn, among other things, that 'Upside Down' cost a mere £172 to make and that Douglas Hart bemoans the fact that you "just can't get crisps and chips and things like that abroad."

Words by: Chris Heath / Photo: Eric Watson

Original doucument courtesy of and ©Brain McCloskey

Tweet

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

Tweet

Jim Reid : Fuck Fuck Fuck

Making a wee break form the recent flow of Paul Haig posts; Some more up soon. Here we have a pic of the youthful Jim Reid entertaining the punters at some JAMC show in 1984. Looks very much like a homemade-stencilled shirt there. Unless, of course, it was a shirt made by some overestimated, overpayed fashion designer cashing in like they all do nowadays. Doubtful. Fuck, fuck, fuck, indeed, Jim.
Love that so-awestruck-I-have-to-scratch-my-arm look on the (then) kid in the Joy Division tee.

Source : Suicidewatch
No idea who took or has © to this shot.

Tweet

The Jesus And Mary Chain in Slow Dazzle

The Jesus And Mary Chain feature as cover stars on the stapled-together fanzine
Slow Dazzle. A magazine named after a John Cale song and which you could acquire all for the princely sum of 30pence! An excellent fanzine put together by Chris Davidson. This is the 6th and final issue of the Greenock based fanzine which appeared in late 1984. Features an interview with Creation Records
 -Alan McGee, Dick Green and Joe Foster- and an interview with the Jesus And Mary Chain at their Venue show (Oct, 84), when Bobby Gillespie joined the band. 

You can see the ‘Original cover artwork for the sixth and final issue of the superb Greenock-based fanzine Slow Dazzle, the brainchild of Chris Davidson, a mover and shaker in the area’ in Sam Knee's recent and excellent, 'A Scene In Between' book. The artwork was created by Greenock musician George Miller.

Image courtesy of & ©K-me

Tweet

Douglas, Jim, William, and Murray

Douglas, Jim, William, and Murray.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
Upside Down / Vegetable Man (back cover)
Creation Records CRE012 (1984)

Tweet

Early Jesus And Mary Chain on stage.

Psychcocandy. Jesus And Mary Chain on stage on the Rollercoaster Tour '92.
Photo: ©unknown
Source : Spacemen3

Tweet

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

Tweet

Jim Reid enjoys a Harp

Jim Reid (The Jesus And Mary Chain) shows his joy in having a tin of Harp lager in his hand. Not too keen on the stuff myself; always found it to be pretty piss-poor, but then again, it might just be Jim's favourite tipple for all I know.

Despite a reverse image search I couldn't come up with the name of the photographer who took this photo or who has © to it. Does anyone out there know?

Source: Dark Elizabeth Queen

Tweet

Mary Chain 10

image ©japanese forms

Another one of my cuttings from a long-binned copy of the NME. This one features a (Jesus and)Mary Chain 10 compiled by 'The Ringing Sound' of Dunedin, New Zealand. I've no idea what the 'Ringing Sound' is or was/were but I would imagine that it was some sort of record shop or radio show back in the 80s. The paper is a wee bit yellowed and (as with the Postcards 10 list) I've marked with a pen the JAMC discs that I had at that moment on it. Photo features some of my Mary Chain 45s. All still in mint condition! japanese forms

Tweet

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.

Tweet