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Americans got the Clash, they got the Sex Pistols, they even appreciated Wire and the Mekons to a small extent. But they just never got the Jam.
My question is why? The Clash were certainly an epoch defining band who defined the punk era, in fact to me they are a more thrilling band to listen to than the Beatles and 'Sgt Pepper' or even 'Revolver' is not a patch on 'London's Calling' but I would put 'Sound Affects' in the same category. Even American online database Allmusic appears to appreciate it but American audiences do not. Why? Sound Affects - The Jam | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic
The bigger mystery is the fact that the greatest album of all time remains virtually unknown in the United States. The Stone Roses demo versions alone wipe the floor with anything penned by the likes of Sting yet Americans just don'y get the Stone Roses, the best band of all time, and yes, their debut album is much better than anything the Beatles have ever done, factimundo How can you not be mesmerised by this magical tapestry of musical genius? The most perfect album of all time from start to finish, no contest
And the Manics, yet again another gem of a band that America simply does not get and yet the greatest American acts usually get picked up by London audiences before they are even known in the USA (Nirvana, the National, Husker Du/Sugar) etc..._ Two tracks, I'll give you three, if American audiences still don't appreciate the lyrical and musical genius of the Manics after this then to quote 'Stay Beautiful' "Why don't you just..."
They even predicted the global banking crisis as early as 1992.
Lyrics don't get much better than 'Faster' a traumatic yet essential song from Richey Edward's tortuous (we live in hope but legally he has been pronounced dead) farewell album 'The Holy Bible'...
Manic Street Preachers - Faster I hate purity
Hate goodness
I don't want virtue to exist anywhere
I want everyone corrupt
I am an architect, they call me a butcher
I am a pioneer, they call me primitive
I am purity, they call me perverted
Holding you but I only miss these things when they leave
I am idiot drug hive, the virgin, the tattered and the torn
Life is for the cold made warm and they are just lizards
Self-disgust is self-obsession honey and I do as I please
A morality obedient, only to the cleansed repented
I am stronger than Mensa, Miller and Mailer
I spat out Plath and Pinter
I am all the things that you regret
A truth that washes that learnt how to spell
The first time you see yourself naked you cry
Soft skin now acne, foul breath, so broken
He loves me truly this mute solitude I'm draining
I know I believe in nothing but it is my nothing
Sleep can't hide the thoughts splitting through my mind
Shadows aren't clean, false mirrors too many people awake
If you stand up like a nail then you will be knocked down
I've been too honest with myself I should have lied like everybody else
I am stronger than Mensa, Miller and Mailer
I spat out Plath and Pinter
I am all the things that you regret
A truth that washes that learnt how to spell, learnt to spell
So damn easy to cave in, man kills everything
So damn easy to cave in, man kills everything
So damn easy to cave in, man kills everything
So damn easy to cave in, man kills everything
But even if this harsh, unrelenting depiction of a man crippled by personal demons is too brash and affronting to take in then how can this classic continue to be ignored across the pond? 'Motorcycle Emptiness' is one of the top 5 greatest songs of all time in my opnion, how can American audiences not hear the perfection that is this fabulous song? The guitar riff alone is spellbinding enough but I defy anyone to remain unmoved by the sheer poetic majesty of the vocals and the lyrics. But again this great band failed to break America? But 'Bush' did. Answers on a postcard please
Culture sucks down words
Itemise loathing and feed yourself smiles
Organise your safe tribal war
Hurt maim kill and enslave the ghetto
Each day living out a lie
Life sold cheaply forever, ever, ever
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Life lies a slow suicide
Orthodox dreams and symbolic myths
From feudal serf to spender
This wonderful world of purchase power
Just like lungs sucking on air
Survival's natural as sorrow, sorrow, sorrow
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
All we want from you are the kicks you've given us
All we want from you are the kicks you've given us
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Drive away and it's the same
Everywhere death row, everyone's a victim
Your joys are counterfeit
This happiness corrupt political ****
Living life like a comatose
Ego loaded and swallow, swallow, swallow
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Under neon loneliness everlasting nothingness
So to coin an American phrase "What's up with that? Primal Scream are revered by the E Street band but routinely ignored in the USA. In a lame Irish attempt to speaka your lingo again I bode the question "What up wit dat?"
Yep, now you get why the Boss and the E Street Band dig these guys, right.
So much great music comes from America, I appreciate that but am genuinely utterly baffled by some of the relative anonymity of Britain's greatest acts. We all love the Pogues and the best Irish music is well appreciated as it should be. And I dig New York and Boston on St. Patty's day. But why doesn't America dig these classic British acts? I'm not trying to be provocative I love American music, anything from Nas to the Boss to Willie Nelson but I am curious as to why some of these classic beauties have slipped under the radar in the United States.
Any thoughts, opinions negative or positive would be gratefully appreciated. But anyone who thinks Oasis are better than the Stone Roses. I'm sorry but you are clinically insane. And that's coming from someone who thinks Big Star are the most underrated band of all time and that the New York Dolls and the Ramones were better than the Pistols. And on an even par with the Clash.
Would you say that America didn't get these bands or maybe it's that they weren't marketed enough and American's really didn't have the chance to hear them? I'd probably say the latter. In 89' if they didn't get air play, most people would never have heard of them over here. That still happens today, but at least today there is the internet. Out of the individual tracks you highlighted, I liked "Motorcycle Emptiness" the best. Good lyrics in both of their tunes.
Thanks for the feedback Todd. I'm glad you appreciated 'Motorcycle Emptiness' actually because it kind of conjures imagery to me of one of my favourite American films 'Rumble Fish' for reasons readily apparent to anyone familiar with the classic Francis Ford Coppola flick which of course features a character named 'Motorcycle Boy' who this song could easily have been penned for.
Totally agree about the lyrics, 'Faster' is not really their most accessible of songs however the Manics have made some more radio friendly hits and 'Design For Life' is probably the most poignant of their post-Richey era songs in terms of being both a great tune and having a powerful lyric. Always loved the opening line "Libraries gave us power, then work came and made us free" and the rousing chorus "We don't talk about love, we only want to get drunk" which is a compelling commentary on how patronized the British working class are by their own media.
Oh, along with Nicky's moving eulogy to Richey Edwards who of course was the architect in terms of being the primary lyricist
for the band and this, in my opinion is Nicky Wire's most moving lyric. And one of the finest songs post-Richey 'No Surface All Feeling'.
Oh and speaking of wonderful lyrics I'll give one last shot at convincing Americans the Stone Roses were the greatest British band of all time. One word sums up 'Made Of Stone'. Sublime.
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How can you not be mesmerised by this magical tapestry of musical genius? The most perfect album of all time from start to finish, no contest
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? The guitar riff alone is spellbinding enough but I defy anyone to remain unmoved by the sheer poetic majesty of the vocals and the lyrics. But again this great band failed to break America
"What's up with that
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. I'm sorry but you are clinically insane
. And that's coming from someone who thinks Big Star are the most underrated band of all time and that the New York Dolls and the Ramones were better than the Pistols. And on an even par with the Clash
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