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/
Rider
The Jesus and Mary Chain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Screaming at the sun, ??? out of reach
Come on little honey come take me in the dark
Come on little honey (?? just take down the spark ??)
I got a lot of wait
I got a lot of space
I got a lot of time
I look at my hands I got you
On my motorbike dodododododoo dododoo
dodododododoo dododoo
dodododododoo dododoo
dodododododoo dododoo
Here comes now
Here comes now
Here comes now
?? come now
Here comes ?? take it away
Here comes ?? Talking 'bout something makes you want to feel
Kicking to the end ??
Aw touch me baby
Touch me baby
Ride in to the sun cause you tried to move me
Take a ride on down, run out of road
Take a ride my baby (?? and remove this ??) load
Come on baby try to understand
Come on baby let me take your hand
The lyrics of “Rider” by The Jesus And Mary Chain is a highly metaphorical and atmospheric take on the idea of freedom and escape. The song seems to be about riding a motorbike to the beach as a metaphor for freeing oneself from the constraints of society and the daily routine. The singer is seen screaming at the sun, which can be taken as a metaphorical imagery for going against the established norms and structures. The chorus seems to suggest that the singer has nothing to lose and is willing to let go of all the worldly possessions in order to be free.
The second half of the song takes a slightly different turn from the first, with the singer seemingly talking to a lover about taking a ride with him. The lyrics for this half of the song are slightly more ambiguous, but it seems to suggest that the singer is trying to persuade the lover to take a leap of faith and join him in his journey.
Overall, the lyrics of “Rider” are a beautifully crafted piece of work that takes the listener on a mesmerizing journey. The lyrics seemingly delve into the age-old human desire for freedom and the quest to rise above the established norms and structures of society.
Line by Line Meaning
Going on a motorbike, ride it to the beach
Starting an adventure on a motorcycle, riding it to the beach
Screaming at the sun, ??? out of reach
Expressing frustration at something out of one's control
Come on little honey come take me in the dark
Inviting a companion to join in on an intimate experience
Come on little honey (?? just take down the spark ??)
Encouraging a partner to let go of their inhibitions
I got a lot of wait
Experiencing impatience while waiting for something
I got a lot of space
Feeling free and unencumbered
I got a lot of time
Having an abundance of time
I look at my hands I got you
Reflecting on the presence of a loved one
I got nothing to lose
Being fearless in the face of challenges
Here comes now
Anticipating a change
Here comes ?? take it away
Welcoming a new phase of life
Here comes ?? Talking 'bout something makes you want to feel
Discussing a topic that elicits strong emotions
Kicking to the end ??
Giving maximum effort until the end
Aw touch me baby
Requesting physical affection
Ride in to the sun cause you tried to move me
Traveling towards the sun to escape a situation
Take a ride on down, run out of road
Going on a journey that has a definitive end
Take a ride my baby (?? and remove this ??) load
Inviting a companion to join in an exhilarating experience
Come on baby try to understand
Asking a partner to empathize
Come on baby let me take your hand
Offering guidance and support
Contributed by Joshua H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Andrés Arenas Vélez
This band is fantastic. Automatic is for sure the album I've heard the most trough my life. To this day is still on my playlist, and for sure it will be there until I die.
WARREN REID MUSIC
What a class song this! Its Avery moody and very brilliantly written! Jamc you've put my faith back in music! You guys don't get older you just get better!!
Dom Mirra
The Reid Brothers are phenomenal just fantastic song writers and musicians I love these guys!!!!
gavdann1
This is a killer tune. One of my favorites from the album.
madegirl555
honestly one of the best songs I've ever heard... I can't stop listening to it..it's been months now
ducatione
Just listened to this on repeat for an hour, just sayin’
Bibek Phuyal
this album is masterpiece
Jim Hinkley
can't say I'm a fan of shakey videos like this but I have been a fan of the Mary Chain these last 30 years. They remain my favourite band - and long may they continue. Can't wait for the new album, would be great to hear some more of William's works like London Girl - check that out if you haven't already...
Anselmo Echeverria
Treinta y dos años después sigo enamorado de Jesus & Mary Chain. A finales de mes actúan en Madrid, veré por primera vez en directo a aquella banda, para mí será todo un acontecimiento que pienso disfrutar con intensidad, porque a pesar del tiempo transcurrido acaban de editar un álbum magnífico. "Damage and Joy" se hacía esperar. Su séptimo Lp. llega 18 años después de "Monki" (1998), un trabajo que supone la reconciliación de los hermanos Jim y William Reid, ritmos que son un muro de distorsión y reverberación.
Ellos son responsables de redefinir el concepto de rock clásico, con un elemento nuevo y atractivo tras el punk, melodías preciosas bañadas de distorsión absolutamente embriagadora. Lamentablemente Jim y William no fueron capaces de soportar juntos aquella capa de ruido, noise, alcohol y drogas, así que sus peleas fueron legendarias hasta que deshicieron el grupo en 1999. Jesus son parte de la historia del rock, piedras angulares de un tiempo y un lugar del que ellos forman parte.
"Damage and Joy" debe su título a una expresión alemana, "Schandenfreude", que identifica el el instante en el que se siente placer en el dolor ajeno. Reconocen que ese es el motor del nuevo disco. Parece que siguen enfadados con su entorno y el mundo entero. A pesar de todo, La verdad es que este disco suena a los clásicos de The Jesus and Mary Chain. No te lo pierdas.
Música independiente novedades.
Christian Habrych
What a track...
just fantasic
Can't stop to listen
I love it