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Rating: Not much to do: if I have to choose my favorite music scene, I say "MADCHESTER".
To make it short, we can trace its birth around Manchester (no kidding?) at the end of the '80s, and the sounds came directly from genres like Alternative Rock, Psychedelic Rock, and Electronic music, mostly Acid House.
The groups belonging to this scene formed in the early '80s when Manchester was dominated by bands like New Order and Smiths, who greatly inspired the newcomers; a nightclub, the very famous Haçienda, managed by members of New Order and Factory Records played a truly key role in spreading the Madchester sounds.
This type of venue became increasingly successful, also in correlation with the widespread use of ecstasy (MDMA), which intrigued more and more young people to attend them.
The Happy Mondays were firsthand witnesses of what I just told: they were founded in 1980 and can be considered one of the very first groups to start the scene, followed by the Stone Roses and Inspiral Carpets.
"Squirrel And G-Man" is their debut album, released in 1987 for Factory Records and produced by the legend John Cale (Velvet Underground).
Incredible how almost 30 years have passed since its release...
We cannot yet talk about electronic influences, but with these 10 tracks they have the opportunity to present themselves excellently to us these stoners, showing that there are no prima donnas but each has their particular role: Shaun Ryder's singing is his very personal shout (on rather nonsense lyrics) accompanied by a bass with exceptional sound, with linear and not particularly complicated but melodic and striking riffs; the guitars, in turn, follow the Funk sounds in a minimal and trippy way, and the drums do their part, often with really tribal entries and fills; the keyboards are vitally important for the success of effects that provide a dreamy and cheerful background.
The tracks almost all follow the same thread, also due to the group's inexperience, but there are still memorable attempts like the super melodic "Olive Oil" (very Stone Roses, some would say), "Oasis" (any reference to things and/or people is purely coincidental), and the memorable "24 Hour Party People", considered an anthem for this musical community (from which even a film-almost documentary, dated 2002, takes its title about this period).
Here are the fundamental foundations of Madchester laid down. But it is still the dawn of this colorful scene and of the Happy Mondays themselves, who will have the opportunity to establish themselves thanks to subsequent records and other antics.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Kuff Dam (03:06)
If you've got to be told by someone then
its got to be me
And thats not made from cheese and he doesnt
get you free
So now your wising up to know you need a job
Dont bite, dont bite, dont bite out in here
Its been nice wasting time its not worth your while
Blow on go on blow on go up and spill it all out
And if we have to be shown by someone then it wont be you
You see that Jesus is a cunt
And I help you with everything that you do or you done
It wont be long, it wont be long to get rid of your furry
tongue
Its going in out, its going in out
Blow on go on blow on go on and stroke a left side
Go on blow on go on blow on and stroke a right side
Your biting into the root your smoking pot to the wall
Blow on go on blow on go on and take it full blown
Kuff dam, down down dam kuff
Kuff dam, dam kuff
02 Tart Tart (04:25)
When he came out to the lock-up
He said I'm looking for something better
He made his shock announcement
And backed off, backed down, backed off
And then he got up off the floor
He said Im wealthy enough, not to do this no more
And he made it all known with his hands held up, palm
out
And she said dont know if i should
Cause i worry too much about the tests on the blood
And at first it was a 'yes', and then a 'no', then a
'yes'.
A maggot sleeps on her desk
H wears a sleeping bag as his vest
And he's getting too too bothered
About the spots on his chest, chest, chest
Now Chichi, she laid it on
And a few days later shes gone
So its back to the womb
To get drowned, drowned, drowned, drowned warm (???)
05 Olive Oil (02:36)
Which one of you, has got to be so sad for,
and what'd ya look ashamed about,
always on downer,that just sounds like you.
And your waiting for some things to jump out of that tree,
(HAVENT GOT A CLUE ABOUT THE NEXT BIT) im so green,
ive got to be seen to believe.
I had to ask mister fixit,
everybody on this stagecoach likes robbin' an' bashin'
big blacks and blonds smokin' miles and miles of hash,
thats sweet,
the bigger the tree the better the time.
Yeah i can see now, how your looking for someone still,
a lot more funkier,a lot more ooohh,
well thats the way it seems is what the way you are.
( DONT KNOW THIS BIT ), and a roof drops in,
and said 'ello goodbyes and a few months later your mine,
At this rate even sooner,
Still a lot more funkier, still a lot more you.
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