Tag Archives: John Moore

80’s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/Bands ~ Jesus & Mary Chain

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The Jesus & Mary Chain was an interesting alternative band from Scotland. They officially formed in 1983, and toured/recorded up until 1999. The founding members were brothers Jim (vocals, guitar) and William (vocals, guitar) Reid. Although classified as “alternative,” the band was heavily influenced by punk bands such as the Sex Pistols, the Stooges, and the Shangri-Las.

The brothers started out by recording and then shopping their demos. Within the first year they added band members Douglas Hart (bass) and Murray Dalglish (drums).

Jesus & Mary Chain didn’t exactly endear themselves to their audiences; their early gigs were short (at times only 20 minutes), intense, amphetamine-fueled exhibitions, often with their backs to their audiences and having no contact with them whatsoever. At one late-1984 gig, some bottles were hurled, the press blew it out of proportion, labeling the incident a “riot,” and the band was unfairly banned from playing in many venues.

Dalglish was replaced by Bobby Gillespie in 1984. This year marked a tumultuous time for Jesus & Mary Chain. There was admitted drug use and accompanying arrests. Add to this the stories of violence and band indifference during gigs, and all of these ingredients defined a long, uphill climb to success.

Things began to look up in the latter part of 1985. The band released the LP Psychocandy. They also scored appearances on John Peel, The Tube and Whistle Test, adding to their exposure. After the release of Psychocandy drummer Gillespie left the band, replaced by John Moore. No matter how hard they tried, violence followed the band to their gigs, with many sets being interrupted by bottle-throwing and smashed equipment.

The next couple of years brought more personnel changes and more brushes with violence and the law. Despite all of the obstacles, Jesus & Mary chain managed to release two more albums, Darklands and Automatic before the end of the decade. The 90’s produced 3 more collections, before the band called ti quits in 1999. They had a brief reunion in 2007.

It’s true that Jesus & Mary Chain had their hands full with controversy and internal instability, but they still created and released some seriously competitive and vital 80’s punk-influenced music. I guess it’s easy to imagine that with the proper management, and avoidance of illicit substance and violence-riddled shows, Jesus & Mary Chain would have been more wildly successful. But, it also may have made them just another 80’s sell-out hair band without any soul or substance.

In retrospect, Jesus & Mary Chain is a band that deserves more recognition. Check them out if you haven’t already. Even if you have, they are definitely worth the time to revisit.

Buy Jesus and Mary Chain music here.

Read more about Jesus & Mary Chain here.

“Head On” via YouTube user RhinoEntertainment:

“Happy When It Rains” via YouTube user RhinoEntertainment:

“Just Like Honey” via YouTube user RhinoEntertainment:

“April Skies” via YouTube user RhinoEntertainment:

Discography

Psychocandy (1985)
Darklands (1987)
Automatic (1989)
Honey’s Dead (1992)
Stoned & Dethroned (1994)
Munki (1998)

80’s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/Bands ~ The Mood (repost from March 28, 2009)

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(Author’s note: This is a repost of a March 28, 2009 post, due to circumstances beyond my control. Watch this space next Tuesday for a current Retrospect update, and next Saturday for a new criminally underrated feature. Thank you for your support.)

The Mood was a British band from York that performed together from 1981 to 1984. It consisted of members John Moore, Mark James, and Eric James (no relation).

In 1981, they released a single on a local small independent label (Romantic Records), titled “Is There A Reason.” At that time, they were a five-piece band including Steve Carter and John Dalby. After Carter and Dalby left the band, the three remaining members of The Mood signed to RCA and released a new re-produced mix of “Is There A Reason.” A second single was released called “Don’t Stop.” Neither track reached the UK top 40 charts; however, a third single, “Paris is One Day Away,” came close at # 42. Two more singles followed: “Passion In Dark Rooms” with “The Munich Thing” on the b-side. The Mood’s final single was “I Don’t Need Your Love Now” followed by the band’s split-up in 1984.

John Moore reformed The Mood briefly in 1992 with Paul Atkinson (bass) and Steve Bradley (drums). They appeared regularly in northern England before changing their name to Wild and subsequently splitting up in late 1993.

All of The Mood singles were re-released on a 19 track CD album by Cherry Red Records (licensed from Sony/BMG) in July 2008 titled “The Singles Collection.” It includes all the singles and b-sides, plus additional tracks from their US album.  Purchase The Mood: http://www.amazon.com/Singles-Collection-MOOD-Not-Mood/dp/B001APRXJU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1238288668&sr=1-1

The Mood have a website at http://www.themood.info/TheMood/Welcome.html which has some rare pictures of the band from the early 80’s, along with other information about the collections release.

 “Paris Is One Day Away” via YouTube user inmotion68:

 “Passion In Dark Rooms” via YouTube user sugarstarmusic:

 “Don’t Stop” via YouTube user sugarstarmusic:

80’s Music Rules ~ Criminally Underrated Artists/ Bands ~ The Mood

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the-moodThe Mood was a British band from York that performed together from 1981 to 1984. It consisted of members John Moore, Mark James, and Eric James (no relation).

 

In 1981, they released a single on a local small independent label (Romantic Records), titled “Is There A Reason.” At that time, they were a five-piece band including Steve Carter and John Dalby. After Carter and Dalby left the band, the three remaining members of The Mood signed to RCA and released a new re-produced mix of “Is There A Reason.” A second single was released called “Don’t Stop.” Neither track reached the UK top 40 charts; however, a third single, “Paris is One Day Away,” came close at # 42. Two more singles followed: “Passion In Dark Rooms” with “The Munich Thing” on the b-side. The Mood’s final single was “I Don’t Need Your Love Now” followed by the band’s split-up in 1984.

 

John Moore reformed The Mood briefly in 1992 with Paul Atkinson (bass) and Steve Bradley (drums). They appeared regularly in northern England before changing their name to Wild and subsequently splitting up in late 1993.

 

All of The Mood singles were re-released on a 19 track CD album by Cherry Red Records (licensed from Sony/BMG) in July 2008 titled “The Singles Collection.” It includes all the singles and b-sides, plus additional tracks from their US album.  Purchase The Mood: http://www.amazon.com/Singles-Collection-MOOD-Not-Mood/dp/B001APRXJU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1238288668&sr=1-1

 

The Mood have a website at http://www.themood.info/TheMood/Welcome.html which has some rare pictures of the band from the early 80’s, along with other information about the collections release.

 

 “Paris Is One Day Away” via YouTube user inmotion68:

 

  

 “Passion In Dark Rooms” via YouTube user sugarstarmusic:

 

 “Don’t Stop” via YouTube user sugarstarmusic: