It’s probably no news to anyone paying attention to the music blog machine, but it is of great interest to me as I have been a fan of The Jesus and Mary Chain since, well…without divulging evidence of my age…quite a few years. My first introduction to the band was via the oddities release Barbed Wire Kisses, and as the sounds I encountered took some time to digest as they were harsh like metal on metal grinding away at a high pitch, there was something dark and intriguing about the music. Following recordings from the band found the music a bit softened and more palatable bringing the band to the conscious of anyone paying attention to “alternative” rock as it was defined in those days. JAMC experienced several changes in lineup but the Reid brothers, Jim and William remained a constant.

With violence at shows, unpredictable performances, arrests for drug possession, and the growing tension between the brothers, the band seemed destined for demise. The brothers even experienced a ban of their art in parts of the world when many ceased the radio and video play of the single “Reverence” which contained the lyrics “I wanna die just like JFK, I wanna die in the USA’…’I wanna die just like Jesus Christ, I wanna die on a bed of spikes”. Marilyn Manson only wishes he could have written those lyrics. The JAMC eventually dissolved in 1999 and my hopes of seeing the band perform live dissolved as well. Fortunately for us the Coachella Festival posses some magical ability to reunite bands that you might never think the members would ever share the same stage space. The band reunited for Coachella 2007, have played a few dates since then, and now we have a new recording to look forward to from the Reid brothers. To say that I’m hoping more than just a little bit that a tour will follow, allowing me to check The Jesus and Mary Chain off the list of “wish I should’ve when I could’ve” bands, would be an understatement.

From the 1994 Black Session “Head On”

Jesus and Mary Chain Myspace

This entry was posted on Monday, November 26th, 2007 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Releases, mp3's.