Contrapuntal Composition: Never Loved Elvis?

"The fact of the matter is that popular music is one of the industries of the country. It's all Completely tied up with capitalism. It's stupid to seperate it. That's an illusory seperation."
Paul Simon 1975

Last night I was listening to one of my favorite albums of all time and decided to share it. 1991 was an interesting for me. I tried acid for my first time that summer and after doing the usual stuff one would do on acid (watched Pink Floyd The Wall, bugged out on this interesting ashtray, spat out words of wisdom that probably didn't mean crap) I stumbled upon The Wonder Stuff cassette (YES I SAID CASSETTE!!!) for their third album Never Loved Elvis (Thanks for leaving it Bill!).

From beginning to end this album had everything I was looking for at that moment the music was unique and had a feel that wasn't really coming out in music from other English bands I indulged in at the time. Miles Hunt the bands lead singer/guitarist is clever in his choice of words but doesn't go over your head. Backed by Malcolm Treece, Martin Gilks, Rob "The Bass Thing" Jones, and Martin Bell the band created an album perfect for many moments in live and years later it hasn't lost t any of it's energy to me.

Starting with "Mission Drive" all the way to the end this is one of those albums that you can listen to from beginning to end without being annoyed or wanting to switch to the next song. None sound the same and each has its own personality. If you don't find yourself singing along to "Size of a Cow" then check your pulse or go get a q-tip jerky.

At the time The Wonder Stuff was not as well received in the States as other English bands at the time (The Cure, Siouxie and the Banshees, The Charlatans UK, etc.) but had a great reception in their homeland charting at #3 in the UK. After the bands next album "Construction for the Modern Idiot" they split for various reasons and key members Martin Gilkes and Rob "The Bass Thing" Jones died, Gilkes from a motorcycle accident in 2006 and Jones from heart complications in 1993. Later to be reformed with Hunt and Treece being the only original members reformed and began touring and recording again, and I highly recommend picking up any of the new albums and catching them on tour if you get the chance.

Since the 20 anniversary of The Wonder Stuff's second album, the first-rate, HUP I decided to share this album with you as well. If you like these I urge you to pick up the 20th anniversary of their first album, "Eight Legged Groove Machine" and the newer albums. And let's not forget the interesting solo albums created by Miles Hunt as they are all well crafted and do not tread on what is an amazing catalogue. Now I do warn these albums are, for lack of a better term, "British-y" and for me the first time I had ever heard the word "shite".

As I’m writing this I remembered someone I knew in high school stole Miles Hunt's distortion pedal from a show when they came to the states with Siouxie and the Banshees. I would have loved to see the look on his face when the roadies told him about that one. I will just step up and make a formal apology to "Milo" for the behavior of my fellow yanks. Enjoy.