— Shane MacGowan (with Sylvia Patterson there to hold his hand)
I've been on a "kick" as of late by relating the music of 1987 to the early part of the decade. Of the previous seven entries, only one SOTF is by an artist that didn't establish themselves a few years earlier (take a bow, Fuzzbox). Four of them are by people who appeared on Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (though I was stunned to discover that neither Aretha Franklin nor Prince are on the American equivalent record "We Are the World" by USA for Africa; for what it's worth, Corey Hart is one of the "featured" soloists on the Canadian contribution to the Ethiopian famine relief, Northern Lights' "Tears Are Not Enough") A "second Great Eighties Pop Boom" (as Sylvia Patterson dubbed it in her fine memoir I'm Not with the Band) was right around the corner but until then it was a matter of dealing with those who had survived the first rush.
There's somewhat of this same spirit present this issue as well. Derry's That Petrol Emotion are newish but they are a direct descendant of Ulster punks The Undertones and, thus, actually predate the likes of Boy George, Duran Duran and U2. Rather than representing a coming together of Northern and "Southern" Ireland through peaceful defiance, as symbolized by Bono, ver Tones were young people who lived through The Troubles as though it were an everyday part of life. The fivesome of Feargal Sharkey, John and Damian O'Neill, Michael Bradley and Billy Doherty were the sort of Irish youths who might not have given a toss about the issues surrounding sectarian violence but for the fact that it surrounded them in the process. Their songs from "Teenage Kicks" on aren't about terrorism, they're about getting through life in spite of it.
The Undertones were a fantastic band and I only wish I could have encountered them when I was fourteen or fifteen and full of angst and bitterness — though, strangely, I feel far more at home as a man in his forties listening to their frothy, youthful anthems than I do the more grown-up (and humourless) Clash. But it couldn't last and the group made a brave crack at maturity which only kind of works. One of the earliest pieces on this blog, "Julie Ocean" was almost a hit single and represents their last gasp of creativity but one that lacks the passion of old. This Undertones was no longer a punk outfit of any kind.
With Sharkey's departure for a solo career, the O'Neill brothers decided to head back up to Derry to start over again. This was a brave move on their part: they could have easily remained in London to form a group with other aging punks on the scene; they also could have taken off for New York or LA to hook up with fellow expat musicians and studio warriors — these were the more natural paths for your average erstwhile guitarist. But they went back to their roots and reconnected with some old hands on the Northern Irish indie circuit. They then swiftly returned to London and had soon discovered a young American on a working holiday.
That Petrol Emotion were not trapped in the shadow of The Undertones. They had a sound that sparks with an alt rock verve much more typical of the late eighties than a decade earlier (they even had their eyes on the emerging hip hop and house scenes which they sadly only touch upon here) This is most obviously found in singer Steve Mack, for good or bad. Wikipedia describes him as "charismatic" and that's even clear from just listening to him. He has that sort of voice of a cocky frontman of a power pop band that is of moderate importance on US college radio, which is also pretty much what "Big Decision" amounts to. The guitars are chunky but repetitive and it all boils down to competence rather than inspiration.
So, once again, veterans of along lost UK music scene struggle to find a place in a changing culture. Though roughly of the same generation, The Jesus & Mary Chain — also reviewed this fortnight with the blistering "April Skies", a single that Shane MacGowan seems much more enthusiastic about — had a far greater grasp of translating punk into a contemporary indie aesthetic.The Smiths had pop hooks to set them apart, even if their best days were already behind them. New Order still had the D.I.Y. graft that always did them good. But That Petrol Emotion lack that something to make them stand apart and you almost wish they had a bit more Undertones in them.
The singles were reviewed by Shane MacGowan of The Pogues, a group many North Americans assume to be Irish. A tip of the cap to Sylvia Patterson for her role "listening in". This is the first time a Hits scribe has been given a co-credit and it's one that is well deserved. MacGowan is barely coherent as it is so it's a good thing she was around to make some semblance of something readable for the pop fans out there. For his part, MacGowan does a decent job though he struggles to express a great deal more than appreciation or hostility. He is, however, able to relate to various pop records and they aren't just those you might expect. My expectations for musicians doing the singles aren't especially high and I'm just glad he doesn't act like a total git. Which is more than can be said for the next pop type who reviews the singles — and one who just so happens to be yet another throwback to the early eighties pop boom. You won't have to wait long.
~~~~~
Also Reviewed This Fortnight
Chris & Glenn: "Diamond Lights"
Aka "Hoddle and Waddle" as MacGowan suggests (and, to be sure, it's a much better name). Members of Tottenham Hotspur F.C. are no strangers to recording pop songs from "Ossie's Dream (Spurs Are on Their Way to Wembley)" to Gazza's "Fog on the Tyne" though it's disappointing that this proud tradition hasn't been taken up by the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min — and with K-Pop at its zenith, this would be the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot so get on it lads! I wasn't familiar with this and assumed that "Glenn & Chris" was just another name for the pairing of Difford & Tillbrook formerly of Squeeze. Instead, it's a pair of standout midfielders from English football's best non-Merseyside squad of 1986-87 First Division, as it was known at the time. Not one to shy away from the spotlight, Hoddle puts his "all" into his breathless vocal while the more reserved Waddle mumbles along as though embarrassed by (a) his stab at pop stardom or (b) by his partner's bravado. And who can blame him?
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