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/
Upside Down
The Jesus and Mary Chain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't hear a single sound
And when I hit the ground
I heard a ringing sound
Uh-huh-huh
I heard a ringing sound
And my head hit the ground
Uh-huh-huh
You live with so much carelessness
'Cause no one takes you serious
That makes you feel so dangerous
You wish you never was
But you can't see
And if you feel there's no one else
That you're all alone, you're by yourself
Your life is like a broken shell
It doesn't really matter to me
Doesn't matter to me
Doesn't matter to me
Knowing you can't see
Inside I feel so bad
So low I feel so sad
Feels like I'm going mad
Best friend I've ever had
Uh-huh-huh
Feels like I'm going mad
Best friend I've ever had
Uh-huh-huh
So low I feel so sad
You live with so much carelessness
'Cause no one takes you serious
And now you think you're dangerous
You never was but you can't see
And if you feel there's no one else
You're all alone and by yourself
Your life is like a broken shell
It doesn't really matter to me
Doesn't matter to me
Doesn't matter to me
Knowing you can't see
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
The Jesus and Mary Chain's song "Upside Down" appears on their debut album, "Psychocandy" released in 1985. The song begins with a repeated, rhythmic guitar riff that creates a sense of circular motion, as if moving around and around. This image is reinforced by the lyrics that suggest a sense of disorientation and confusion. The line "inside I'm upside down" evokes a feeling of being out of control and disorientated.
The rest of the song deals with the theme of feeling misunderstood and isolated. The lyrics suggest a sense of loneliness and alienation as the singer addresses someone who is "all alone" and whose "life is like a broken shell." The repeated phrase "doesn't really matter to me" reveals a sense of apathy towards the situation, perhaps suggesting that the singer feels powerless to help or that the situation is beyond his control.
Overall, "Upside Down" is a song about the disorientation and isolation that comes with feeling misunderstood and alone. The circular, rhythmic guitar riff and the singer's repetition of key phrases reinforce a sense of being trapped in a cyclical pattern of confusion and isolation. The emotional intensity of the song is conveyed by the hypnotic rhythm and the singer's mournful voice.
Line by Line Meaning
We're moving 'round and 'round
Life keeps spinning and we're lost in it
Can't hear a single sound
Everything is a blur and we can't make sense of it
And when I hit the ground
Whenever life knocks me down
I heard a ringing sound
I'm left disoriented and confused
Uh-huh-huh
An expression of resignation and defeat
I heard a ringing sound
I'm left disoriented and confused
And my head hit the ground
The harsh reality of life hits me hard
Uh-huh-huh
An expression of resignation and defeat
Inside I'm upside down
Emotionally, I'm flipped over and struggling
You live with so much carelessness
You're reckless because you feel ignored
'Cause no one takes you serious
People don't value you and it's frustrating
That makes you feel so dangerous
You overcompensate by trying to be intimidating
You wish you never was
You regret being born into this world
But you can't see
You're blind to the truth and can't find a way out
And if you feel there's no one else
You feel isolated and abandoned
That you're all alone, you're by yourself
You're struggling with loneliness and despair
Your life is like a broken shell
Your existence feels empty and meaningless
Doesn't really matter to me
I can't do anything to change it
Doesn't matter to me
It's not within my power to help
Doesn't matter to me
Your pain is not my burden
Knowing you can't see
You're blinded by your own misery
Inside I feel so bad
I'm tormented by your suffering
So low I feel so sad
I share in your sadness and despair
Feels like I'm going mad
Your pain is driving me insane
Best friend I've ever had
Despite the pain, I will always be here for you
Uh-huh-huh
An expression of resignation and defeat
Feels like I'm going mad
Your pain is driving me insane
Best friend I've ever had
No matter how bad it gets, I'll be here for you
Uh-huh-huh
An expression of resignation and defeat
So low I feel so sad
The depth of your pain is affecting me
You live with so much carelessness
You're reckless because you're hurting
'Cause no one takes you serious
You're disregarded and unimportant
And now you think you're dangerous
You try to be threatening to hide your pain
You never was but you can't see
You're not actually dangerous, but you can't see that
And if you feel there's no one else
You feel entirely alone and helpless
You're all alone and by yourself
You're struggling to find a way out of this pain
Your life is like a broken shell
You feel empty and broken inside
Doesn't really matter to me
I can't fix your problems, but I'm still here for you
Doesn't matter to me
Your struggles don't make me care any less about you
Doesn't matter to me
I'm committed to supporting you regardless
Knowing you can't see
You're consumed by your own pain and can't see beyond it
Upside down
The world feels inverted and surreal
Upside down
Everything feels wrong and confusing
Upside down
Our emotional worlds are spiraling out of control
Upside down
We're struggling to make sense of our lives and our pain
Upside down
Everything in our world feels disorienting and dizzying
Upside down
We're lost in our pain and our confusion
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Billy Reid, William Adam Reid
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lmw_blue
We're moving 'round and 'round
Can't hear a single sound
And when I hit the ground
I heard a ringing sound
Uh-huh-huh
I heard a ringing sound
And my head hit the ground
Uh-huh-huh
Inside I'm upside down
You live with so much carelessness
'Cause no one takes you serious
That makes you feel so dangerous
You wish you never was
But you can't see
And if you feel there's no one else
That you're all alone, you're by yourself
Your life is like a broken shell
It doesn't really matter to me
Doesn't matter to me
Doesn't matter to me
Knowing you can't see
Inside I feel so bad
So low I feel so sad
Feels like I'm going mad
Best friend I've ever had
Uh-huh-huh
Feels like I'm going mad
Best friend I've ever had
Uh-huh-huh
So low I feel so sad
You live with so much carelessness
'Cause no one takes you serious
And now you think you're dangerous
You never was but you can't see
And if you feel there's no one else
You're all alone and by yourself
Your life is like a broken shell
It doesn't really matter to me
Doesn't matter to me
Doesn't matter to me
Knowing you can't see
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down
Upside down….
Stone 79
One of the best debut singles in history. I love it so much!
Carlo Fais
Holy words!
altclut
I think it was THE best!
Kris Taylor
My favourite debut single by any band. The balls to put this out as your first single. And it fucking ROCKS!
Alice
The only song I have listened to that has made my laptop speakers crackle with the volume. Not even My Bloody Valentine have managed that. I think that says something about this band <3
MsMr NoFace
This song still nearly brings me to tears every time I hear it. Soooo Awesome!!!! *holds tissue to eye*...
John Tansey
Hey, when I listen to the live at Barrowlands version it's even more of a lump in the throat moment. They're still doing it into middle age and you know what? The feeling is the same.
friautz
What a classic! Love like Jim and William are singing together...
Flinchey
Probably the greatest debut single, this is ahead of its time, William using that shin ei fuzz pedal, Murray on drums, Psychocandy would go onto have a big influence on upcoming bands and Jim said this record would be a classic and be in record stores everywhere oh did that come true
72daystar
If you can embrace music that is highly dissonant and darkly beautiful this is the greatest song in the Universe!