JAMC's early gigs have become the stuff of legend in underground circles. Playing in front of small audiences, the band earned their notoriety by playing very short gigs, some lasting no more than ten minutes and consisting of a constant wall of feedback and distortion. The group became know as well for playing with their backs to the audience and refusing to speak to them. Many shows culminated with the Reids trashing their equipment, which was often followed by the audience rioting. All of this delighted manager and Creation Records boss Alan McGee, who obviously found it very easy to get attention for the band, as well as aliened more commercially-minded music business figures.
Their debut single, "Upside Down", came out in 1984 on Creation, but they signed to the WEA-backed Blanco y Negro the following year. Said label released their debut album, titled 'Psychocandy', which fused together the Reid's two primary influences, the guitar noise and avant-garde rock of The Velvet Underground with the 60s pop leanings of Phil Spector and The Beach Boys. It included songs such as the indie sensation "Just Like Honey". The record divided many music fans due to its deliberately abrasive sound yet still received positive critical reviews and is now considered a landmark recording in the history of alternative music.
Gillespie left the band before the next album, 'Darklands, came out, going on to front Primal Scream. He was briefly replaced by John Moore (later of Black Box Recorder), before former Biff Bang Pow! drummer Dave Evans. The aforementioned 'Darklands' also received supportive reviews, and it showed a less noisy and more contemplative sound that was welcomed by both many post-punk fans and many mainstream rock fans. Notable songs from that period include "April Skies" and "Happy When It Rains".
Albums
# Psychocandy (November 1985)
# Darklands (September 1987)
# Automatic (September 1989)
# Honey's Dead (March 1992)
# Stoned & Dethroned (1994)
# Munki (June 1998)
# Damage and Joy (2017)
Plus the following - (sessions, singles, b-sides, live recordings et cetera)
# Barbed Wire Kisses (April 1988)
# The Sound of Speed (1993)
# Hate Rock N' Roll (1995)
# 21 Singles (2002)
# BBC Live in Concert (2003)
# The Complete John Peel Sessions (2003)
# The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities (2008)
For the iconic indie label Sub Pop, the band recorded 1998's 'Munki' album, which would turn out to be their last before splitting the following year. The album is often thought of as sounding 'divided' due to the Reids' crumbling relationship. Jim Reid has recalled: "Me and William weren't really getting along at all. That last year we barely even spoke. 'Munki' is one of my favorite albums, but it was really divided. William would go into the studio with the rest of the band and record while I wasn't there, and then I'd go in with them when William wasn't there."
William Reid then recorded as the artist Lazycame. Brother Jim formed the band Freeheat, which disbanded in 2003. Jim Reid is currently recording solo material and he has, to date, recorded and released one single Song For A Secret which was released on Transistor Records.
Like some of their influences such as Dee Dee Ramone, Lee Hazelwood, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, throughout their career the boys were rumored to have ongoing substance abuse issues, which may have contributed to their notoriety. They reportedly dabbled in regular use of things like amphetamines and heroin, which made for lyrical reference in songs like Some Candy Talking and the album title Stoned & Dethroned.
Despite not having huge commercial success, they've gone on to influence a range of other music groups such as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Butthole Surfers, My Bloody Valentine, and Spacemen 3.
The Jesus and Mary Chain reunited to play at the Coachella Festival on April 27, 2007, followed by two more shows in Spain at the Summercase Festival. More shows followed in late 2007 and early 2008 in London.
Calling themselves 'Sister Vanilla' an LP, Little Pop Rock, was released in 2007 and reunites the brothers along with their sister, Linda, singing on most tracks.
Damage And Joy is the brand new studio album by The Jesus And Mary Chain, released on March 24th, 2017.
Other personnel;
Richard Thomas (drums 1988-1990)
Ben Lurie (bass/rhythm guitar/backing vocals 1989-1998)
Steve Monti (drums 1990-1995)
Matthew Parkin (bass 1992)
Barry Blackler (drums 1992)
Nick Sanderson (drums 1993-1998)
Mark Crozer (rhythm guitar 2007-now)
Loz Colbert (drums 2007-now)
JAMC singer Jim Reid is name-checked in the 2017 song "Lollipop (Ode to Jim)" by Canadian band Alvvays which begins "I saw Jim Reid in the corridor.." and contains other allusions to JAMC themes.
http://thejesusandmarychain.uk.com/
Don't Ever Change
The Jesus and Mary Chain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well I guessed everything always ends that way
Oh I guess I should have tried to make her stay
Keep on coming
Keep on coming
Some people live their lives to understand
Some people live their lives to take command
Keep on coming
Keep on coming
Don't ever change
Don't ever change
Change
Change
If I can't get to you
It's just the way you tried to hold me down
You got a hold on me and I'm scared to make a sound
And you know everything I ever tried to say
Come on keep on coming please don't walk away
You got a hold on me and I'm scared to let you go
The lyrics to The Jesus and Mary Chain's song "Don't Ever Change" appear to be about a person who regrets not seeing someone in a romantic way before, but now acknowledges it and wishes they had tried to keep that person around. The first stanza seems to acknowledge the singer's past mistakes and how they failed to keep the person close.
The next stanza seems to suggest that different people have different priorities in their lives, with some wanting to lead and others just wanting to understand. The singer admits they must make their own decisions and take a stand. The repeated line "keep on coming" could be both a plea for the person they lost not to leave, and to encourage themselves to move forward and pursue their own desires.
In the chorus, the singer repeats "don't ever change," perhaps suggesting that they want the person they lost to always stay the same and not disappear from their life. The final lines seem to confirm this, with the singer feeling trapped by the hold the person has on them, but also scared to let them go.
Overall, the song portrays a sense of regret mingled with determination as the singer tries to hold onto someone who they let slip away.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I guess I never saw her in that way
I never realized my feelings for her until it was too late
Well I guessed everything always ends that way
My pessimistic attitude made me believe that all good things must come to an end
Oh I guess I should have tried to make her stay
I regret not fighting for the relationship and making an effort to keep her by my side
Keep on coming
I still hope that she will come back to me
Some people live their lives to understand
Some people seek knowledge and understanding in life
Some people live their lives to take command
Others strive to be in control and take charge
But the day has come when I must make my stand
I have reached a point where I must take action and stand up for what I want
Don't ever change
I want things to stay the way they were before
Change
I fear change and the unknown
If I can't get to you
If I can't have a relationship with you anymore
It's just the way you tried to hold me down
I feel suffocated by the way you tried to control me
You got a hold on me and I'm scared to make a sound
I feel trapped in the relationship and afraid to express myself
And you know everything I ever tried to say
You always understood my thoughts and feelings
Come on keep on coming please don't walk away
I don't want us to end and I want you to keep trying to make things work
You got a hold on me and I'm scared to let you go
I feel like I can't live without you and I'm afraid of losing you
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: JAMES MCLEISH REID, WILLIAM ADAM REID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Grichal1981
Well I guess I never saw her in that way
Well I guessed everything always ends that way
Oh I guess I should have tried to make her stay
Keep on coming
Keep on coming
Some people live their lives to understand
Some people live their lives to take command
But the day has come when I must make my stand
Keep on coming
Keep on coming
Don't ever change
Don't ever change
Change
Change
If I can't get to you
It's just the way you tried to hold me down
You got a hold on me and I'm scared to make a sound
And you know everything I ever tried to say
Come on keep on coming please don't walk away
You got a hold on me and I'm scared to let you go
@robgraham9947
This group has been with me most of my adult life. I couldn't imagine my life without their songs.
@ariel.mirabal.nigrelli
me neither 🧡 love to know people with the same feeling
@gabrielgabeira
Same here.
@MrSteniorod
Barbed Wired Kisses help me go through growing up gay, in the third world and in a recently deindustrialized city.
@ariel.mirabal.nigrelli
those melodies really touch my heart and soul. so many childhood memories and even memories I’ve never lived. hard to describe it, just feel it ❤️
@ducatione
After all these years, still my favorite band!
@number7gracestreet
Just Brilliant. They knew from their very own start that Rock and Roll was closed book, it had already done everything it was ever going to do (in terms of being new and rebellious). So they took the best pages from this sacred book of Rock and Roll that we all read as kids and took the best pages ---the looks, feels and sounds of the best: Dylan, Velvets, Phil Spector and so many wonderful others. Write songs about sex and death/decay and NEVER smile. Oh they were great, and I bet they were having a great laugh while doing it all. If it's not clear, I have always liked and listened to this band a lot. It's good they get so much late day recognition. They were always looking back themselves. Dog Bless Rock and Roll.
@KnuckleHunkybuck
lol. Dog bless Rock 'n Roll.
@Insp.CountMortisWinshipKlaw
The JMC were so unique and still are. The abyss walkers.
@Max404s
And 22 years later, the only band I will continue to love, perhaps for all my life. This is sad in reality, because the music is all about heartbreak, disillusionment, alienation and desire.