the jesus and mary chain
 
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Sweet Things
Richard Lowe / The Hit
26.10.1985
The Jesus And Mary Chain's latest hitbound sound is 'Just Like Honey'. Their LP's called 'Psycho Candy'. So how come these sweet-toothed teens have a rep for being obnoxious brats? Richard Lowe spends the night with Jim and William Reid to find out.

"Make sure you put at the beginning of your article that I'm depressed," announces Jim Reid as he slumps down beside me in the back of a tatty pub opposite the Tyne Tees TV studio and downs a large dose of vodka and orange.

Why's that then, Jim? Teenage torpor? Artistic angst? A sudden rash of uncontrollable acne?

"It's just been a bad day," he moans. "Did you know that Orson Welles died last night?"

"Yes," I lie, wishing I'd read the Times' obituary column as Jim seems keen on a long and learned discussion of his life and work. "Really sad."

"Sad? It's tragic. People like him shouldn't have to die. He was a genius; one of the greatest men in this century. Then tonight on The Tube..." he shakes his head, a long, weary gesture. "We weren't very good."

I assure him that they were good, the highlight of an otherwise lacklustre show. Flattery may get you nowhere but it usually ensures a comfortable interview, and these boys do have a reputation for being awkward buggers.

In fact The Jesus And Mary Chain's first live performance on British television wasn't the major event many were expecting.

"I hope they don't start eff-ing and blinding," said a Tube technician as Jim, William, Douglas and Bobby ambled lazily onto the stage. The audience - hand-picked posers from a local club who only have eyes for the camera - hardly notice them as they slouch over their instruments and run through the new single 'Just Like Honey' and 'Inside Me' from their forthcoming 'Psycho Candy' LP. It's a tight performance, lacking the chaotic excitement of their gigs, and it's over very quickly - the record plugged, the producer relieved, on with the Madonna lookalike competition.

"It was pathetic," whines Jim. "We phoned home right after we came off stage because we can't really tell what it was like. Our little sister said we were a wee bit tame."

NAKED AMBITION

Ah yes, record sales - The Mary Chain make no attempt to hide their naked ambition to "sell millions of records and make lots of money", but they're going to do it their way.

"None of us have ever been in groups before. When we started we didn't know how you should make records. We didn't follow any rules and we're not going to start now.

"I'm telling you, people have tried to transform us - offered us loads of money if we'd change our sound, compromise and make the kind of records they want us to make. But we're not going to do that - we're going to do everything ourselves, the records, the sleeves, the videos. No one's going to tell us what this group should be like."

"Not even Alan McGhee?" I tentatively enquire, as The Chain's frizzle topped manager approaches our table on his way to the bar. Jim puts in a bid for "orange juice... with vodka in it", while I opt for a pint of lager.

"Definitely not." Jim is adamant. "People seem to have this idea that we're Alan's puppets, that he's manufactured our image, which is absolute shite. It's us, me and William, who've done everything. We're responsible for everything, all the publicity, things like that.

"We've made some mistakes, but at least they've been our mistakes. Alan's just the manager who does all the mundane tasks like dealing with the record company - he's not our master."

RISE TO INFAMY

However, the much-maligned McGhee has played an important part in The Jesus And Mary Chain's rise to infamy. On hearing a demo tape he immediately signed the group to his Creation label on which their first single 'Upside Down' was released. He's also responsible for the blaze of controversial over-publicity that followed disturbances at some of their early gigs.

After ugly scenes at North London Poly earlier this year in whih the PA and other equipment was demolished, a statement was released claiming that "in an abstract way the audience were not smashing up the hall, they were smashing up pop music. The Jesus And Mary Chain are putting excitement back into rock and roll and promoters will have to bear the consequences. This is truly art as terrorism".

"Art as terrorism or bullshit as publicity?" sneered the NME with justified cynicism, yet there is more to The Jesus And Mary Chain than hot air and hype. There's music - a snarling mongrel of a sound, they chew up The Ramones, Phil Spector, The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys, punk, trash, and garage-land psychedelia and spew it all out in a frenzied wall of sound.

Live they're a manic mess. Spitting contempt for their audience, they rampage drunkenly through ten or 15 minutes of furious trash and howling feedback - it's impossible to tell when one song finishes and another starts. They're awful and amateurish, but at the same time they're enigmatic, charismatic and one of the most exciting groups around - a rare flash of brilliance in a dull pop landscape.

GENIUS

They also compose classic pop tunes.

"William Reid is a genius," states brother Jim boldly. "Bacharach And David were the sound of the '50s (Are you sure? - Ed), Dylan and Holland-Dozier-Holland the sound of the '60s and Reid And Reid are going to be the sound of the '80s. We're ahead of our time."

Later that night William Reid, the object of Jim's gushing praise, curls up on my hotel bed and talks about The Velvet Underground. I can think of more ideal bed-partners for a chilly autumn night, and my ignorance of The Velvet Underground is perhaps unrivalled, but I nod knowledgeably in all the right places and soon get him to talk about The Ramones instead.

"When we made our first demo tape it did sound a bit like The Ramones. That's why we started using noise and feedback. We want to make records that sound different. What's the point in reviving old styles?

"And I think we've succeeded. No one's ever made a record like 'You Trip Me Up' before. That was such a classic single - I was astonished that it didn't get to number one or even in the top ten."

His naivety is charming. Where most people only hear an unholy row, he hears pop music at its purest and most exciting.

"We're not going to change the way we make records to suit them though. We want to succeed on our own terms and we will because our songs are brilliant songs and because we're got more quality and excitement than anyone in the charts.

"We want to make pop music interesting and exciting again."

The Jesus And Mary Chain are not the "new messiahs" that some have claimed them to be; simply three lads from East Kilbride who want to give the bland and boring world of pop music a much-needed kick up the backside. Wish them luck in their crusade - at least someone's trying.




THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN LEGEND

Formed in East Kilbride, Scotland.

Originally a three piece, featuring the Reid brothers (William on guitar and Jim on vocals) and Douglas Hart on bass, they drafted in Bobbie Gillespie (friend and vocalist with Glasgow group Primal Scream) to play drums temporarily.

Creation Records boss Alan McGhee booked them for a one off appearance in London after hearing a demo tape. (McGhee "They were either the best band in the world or the worst. I decided to put out a record by them just incase they were the best."

Debut 45 appeared in seven inch form on Creation. 'Upside Down' has since gone on to sell 25,000 copies. After sporadic UK gigs Geoff Travis of Blanco Y Negro signed the group.

Hail of press stories materialise including the great 'Jesus And Mary Chain Steal Top Man In Warner Brothers' Wallet' and 'Mary Chain Sick On Ducth TV While One Of The Reids Sexually Assaults Member Of The Audience'.

'Never Understand' released, scrapes the Top 50.

Pre-recorded Whistle Test appearance. Riot at North London Poly. 'You Trip Me Up' released, scrapes Top 40. Riot in Nottingham Rock City.

'Taste Of Cindy' released as part of The HiT Red Hot EP. Electric Ballroom concert ends in riot. 'Just Like Honey' released, thrusts into the charts. 'Psycho Candy', the group's debut album to be released November 8.

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