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/
The Hardest Walk
The Jesus and Mary Chain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When your words and your touch just struck me numb
Oh and it's plain to see that it's dead
The thing swims in blood and it's cold stoney dead
It's so hard not to feel ashamed
Of the loving living games we play
Each day
Down the back of the sea
Oh and I'm alive and I'm alone
Inside a sick sick dream
Oh is it me
Is it me that feels so weak
I cannot deceive but I find it hard to speak
The hardest walk you could ever take
Is the walk you take from A to be to see
I walk
Oh honey I talk
Don't want you to want me
Don't want you to need me
Don't want you to need me
Don't want you to need me
And I walk
The Jesus and Mary Chain's song The Hardest Walk is a melancholic tune that highlights the painful realization of a dying relationship. The lyrics depict the singer's difficult emotional journey as he comes to terms with the death of his romance. The opening lines, "I never thought that this day would ever come, when your words and your touch just struck me numb," reveal the shock and disbelief that come with the end of a relationship. The following lines, "Oh and it's plain to see that it's dead, the thing swims in blood and it's cold stoney dead," paint a gruesome image of the lifeless relationship. The singer is struggling to accept the reality of the situation, and with it comes feelings of shame and regret for the "loving living games" they played.
The second verse shifts to a more contemplative mood, as the singer retreats to a "shack down the back of the sea" to grapple with his emotions. Here, he reflects on his own weakness and inability to speak truthfully about his feelings. He acknowledges the "sick sick dream" he has been living in, and questions whether it is his own weakness that is causing his pain. The chorus, "The hardest walk you could ever take, is the walk you take from A to be to see," is a poignant reminder that acceptance is often the most difficult step in any emotional journey.
Overall, The Hardest Walk is a beautifully crafted song that captures the complexities of relationships and the emotional turmoil that often comes with their end.
Line by Line Meaning
I never thought that this day would ever come
The singer is surprised that he has reached a point where he feels numb towards the touch and words of someone he once loved.
When your words and your touch just struck me numb
The singer is emotionless towards the touch and words of their love interest.
Oh and it's plain to see that it's dead
The singer has come to the realization that their relationship is over and cannot be revived.
The thing swims in blood and it's cold stoney dead
The artist portrays the end of the relationship as something violent and gruesome that cannot be revived.
It's so hard not to feel ashamed
The artist feels embarrassed for playing games with their loved one.
Of the loving living games we play
The singer regrets playing games with their love interest.
And I'm stuck in a shack
The singer feels trapped in a place of emotional pain and suffering.
Down the back of the sea
The artist emphasizes their isolation and loneliness in their pain.
Oh and I'm alive and I'm alone
The artist explains that although they are alive, they still feel very lonely.
Inside a sick sick dream
The artist is trapped in a depressing and nightmarish state of mind after their relationship has ended.
Oh is it me
The singer questions their own feelings and actions during the relationship.
Is it me that feels so weak
The artist questions their own emotional strength during the time of their relationship ending.
I cannot deceive but I find it hard to speak
The singer is unable to hide their true feelings, but struggles to express them.
The hardest walk you could ever take
The singer refers to the difficult emotional journey of moving on from a once loving relationship.
Is the walk you take from A to be to see
The singer suggests that moving on requires accepting and understanding the events that have occurred in the relationship.
I walk
The artist is determined to move on despite their emotional pain.
Oh honey I talk
The speaks to themselves, giving themselves self-assurance.
Don't want you to want me
The singer finally accepts that their love interest no longer wants them.
Don't want you to need me
The singer finally accepts that they are no longer needed by their love interest.
Don't want you to need me
The artist reiterates that they do not want to be needed by their love interest.
Don't want you to need me
The artist emphasizes that they do not want to be needed by their love interest.
And I walk
The artist is moving on from the ended relationship.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andrés Minaya
I never thought that this day would ever come
When your words and your touch just struck me numb
Oh, and it's plain to see that it's dead
The thing swims in blood and it's cold, stony dead
It's so hard not to feel ashamed
Of the loving, living games we play each day
And I'm stuck in a shack down the back of the sea
Oh, and I'm alive and I'm alone inside a sick, sick dream
Oh, is it me, is it me that feels so weak?
I cannot deceive but I find it hard to speak
The hardest walk you could ever take
Is the walk you take from A to B to C
I walk, oh honey, I talk
Don't want you to want me
Don't want you to need me
Don't want you to need me
Don't want you to need me
And I walk
John Smith
The PERFECT mix of noisy, fuzzy guitars & catchy Beatles-esque melodies. Psychocandy is such a great album.
TheBigScat
To me, one of the very best debut albums of all time. I'd never heard anything like it and haven't since.
Gavin D
Words alone cannot describe how good this is.
MysterB123
The world needs more tunes like this.
The Sugar Coats
Imma work on it. If I sucseed then you hopefully might hear it.
Zeff T. F
They're out there. Find yourself some punks and usually an illegal venue, you'll hear stuff like it. But there isn't a big corporate music label or mainstream venue that would touch them with a ten foot pole, for good and bad. Good, they won't sell out. Bad, they won't get the attention they deserve.
Rob graham
Epic song from an epic album by an epic band.
Jean Marchenoir
THE perfect dark pop-noise song. Timeless.
pedrinho sangrento
é tão difícil não sentir vergonha dos jogos de amor que jogamos a cada dia...
Jedd
How can you pick just one? They are all great! Still after all this time! Classic!