"This tape is a collection of demos made over the summer of 1990. All the members were by this point at different Universities around the country, but reconvened over the summer, with the exception of Phil who was in Ireland, although at this time the band did not have a settled name, having dropped On A Friday, but not come up with anything better. The band's working title was 'Shindig', which survived long enough for Thom to spray paint it on his acoustic guitar case, but by the time of their next 'proper' demo, they had reverted to On A Friday. In order to keep recording and rehearsing a school friend who had recorded some previous demos for the band was drafted in to keep the drum stool warm. The Clifton Hampden tracks were recorded over a number of weeks with this line up, while Jonny took the four track home with him in between where him, Thom and Colin worked on tracks. When Phil returned the band recorded another demo track in rehearsal, 'What's That You See?', significant because it was the first time Jonny moved from keyboards to guitar. The song was the only one from this period that remained in the set up until just prior to the deal with Parlophone.
04 - This track was demoed again later this year at Dungeon Studios in Oxfordshire, this version is the original rehearsal take.
05, 08, 12 - Significant tracks as the first time under the band banner they had worked with technology, in this case drum loops from Public Enemy and Soul To Soul. Since the band did not own a sampler, the loops were generated by Thom repeatedly recording from his walkman onto a track of the Portastudio, hence the loop stuttering ocassionally in Everyone Needs Someone To Hate. In Rattlesnake he adjusted the eq on his walkman as the loops were recorded, which gives the drum track it's texture.
07 - Recorded by Thom solo, this song had it's chorus replaced and was revived as Maquiladora for The Bends sessions.
08 - This track was demoed again later this year at Dungeon Studios in Oxfordshire, this version is the original version with the Soul To Soul drums. Still a potential hit too IMHO.
09 - Re-recorded during The Bends sessions pretty much verbatim, with drums added. This version is scrappy, but has the added attraction of cars passing the village hall in the rain.
11 - Also survived in the live set for some time.
13 - A full band version of this was demoed later, but this is the acoustic take. The Bush of the title refers to George Snr.
14 - Apparently Thom arrived at Jonny's house excited one day that he'd written his most viscous set of lyrics. Jonny and Colin suggested doing it as a ska number. Which they did. They also sped it up.
15 - Since he didn't own a sequencer at that time, Jonny triggered his Roland U20 to play the bass line of this song from a painstakingly programmed drum machine. This song is significant one of only two vocal contributions ever made by Colin. He ranted like Captain Beefheart for the verses while Thom sang the choruses."
Climbing Up A Bloody Great HillSomebodyMr BWhat's That You See?Everyone Needs Someone To HateUpside DownThe Greatest Shindig Of The WorldGive It UpHow Can You Be Sure?Life With The Big FKeep StrongRattlesnakeBurning BushTell Me BitchNew GenerationTracks 1, 3, 9, 10, 11: Recorded at Clifton Hampden Village Hall, drums - Nigel Powell
Track 4: Recorded at Nuneham Courtenay Village Hall, drums - Phil Selway
Other tracks: Recorded in one or more bedrooms.
Not too long ago, I did a post on Japanese noise rockers Boris and their totally dope latest titled Pink (2005), released earlier this year in North America. Since that time, I have taken the time to explore their incredible discography and to wonder how much good music we'll probably never know about if the internet, Pitchfork, and music blogs did not exist. It's definitely right that these guys are getting the attention they deserve this side of the globe, and I am one of those eagerly awaiting their collaboration with the mystical SunnO))) titled Altar which is due out sometime soon.
