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McCarthy
(England) London
The earliest record by McCarthy that I have is "Red Sleeping Beauty", which was issued in 1986, on the 'Pink'label (Pinky12T). At this point McCarthy comprised of John Williamson, on bass, Gary Baker on drums, Tim Gane on Guitar, and Malcolm Eden on "singing & guitar". There were some (?) earlier singles, one of which was "In Purgatory", on "Wall of Salmon" records, also released in '86. I also know of a track "Celestial City" which I believe was released around that time, although I don't know if it was a 'b' side, compilation track, flexi or what. I'm not even sure i know where I taped it from! (If anyone else knows i'd be glad to hear!"

"Celestial City" appeared on the original C86 cassette that could be ordered only through the NME. It was later, due to demand, released as a vinyl album.

They released the classic "Frans Hals" single in 1986 which had an excellent B-side entitled "The Fall." Rumours quickly spread as the B-side of "Red Sleeping Beauty" had been entitled "The Damned"! - Where McCarthy naming all their B-sides after groups?

For me, they were at their best in the period before signing to midnight music. Midnight put out a couple of press releases in 1990 stating that they were going to release a compilation of "unreleased, deleted & obscure songs, entitled 'That's all very Well But' " which was supposed to follow "Banking.." by a few months (! more like years!) - and the initial 5000 pressed would be acompanied by a extra compilation of rarities entitled "We'll Get You, You Creeps!" I pestered midnight for ages about this but no-one seemed to know anything about it...and then 5 years later ("doesn't time fly!") i see, and by accident (!), a compilation in HMV...if anyone had any details on what happened to all those 'obscure' songs, please let me know!

After releasing "Banking.." & supporting The Chills in march 1990, McCarthy split...Laetitia & Tim started on the long & twisty road that we now call Stereolab. But what of Malcolm Eden, lyricist & singer extraordinaire? He moved to Paris, and began work on a novel (? I'm not sure that this is true, it's just what i heard, you understand!) He did re-emerge, briefly, in a band called Herzfeld, putting out a single on Duophonic (DS 45 07) called Two Mothers / Who the Scroungers Are. But that's the last I know of him. And so the story seems to end...if anyone knows what Malcolm Eden is up to now, it would be good to know.

Bec Vaughan for the indiepop-list in June 1996


in addition to the discography below, there are two unreleased compilations:

That's All Very Well But
September / Midnight Music unreleased
but some test pressings are around
- A Child Soon In Chains (Peel Session)
- An MP Speaks (Peel Session)
- Antinature (Peel Session)
- The Vision Of Peregrine Worsthorne (Peel Session)
- You're Alive
- Charles Windsor
- The Funeral
- Should The Bible Be Banned (7" version)
- Red Sleeping Beauty
- The Comrade Era
- From The Damned
- For The Fat Lady
- In Purgatory (studio version)
- Frans Hals
- The Fall
- Kill Kill Kill Kill
- Frans Hals (version)

That's All Very Well But
Midnight Music unreleased
I just found out, that there is another version (testpressing only too).

- Red Sleeping Beauty
- The Myth Of The North/South Divide
- The Funeral
- This Nelson Rockefeller
- The Vision Of Peregrine Worsthorne
- The Fall
- Should The Bible Be Banned (7" version)
- We're All Borgeois Now
- From The Damned
- You're Alive
- Keep An Open Mind Or Else
- Charles Windsor (different from I Am A Wallet)
- Frans Hals (version)
Originally they planned a 30 track CD, then a double album with 24 songs. ????


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Releases:
In Purgatory (7") 1985
on Wall Of Salmon Records - MAC 001
- In Purgatory (bedroom version)
- The Comrade Era
- Something Wrong Somewhere
Red Sleeping Beauty (7"+12") 1986
on Pink Label - PINKY 12
- Red Sleeping Beauty
- From The Damned
- God The Father (12" only)
- For The Fat Lady (12" only)
The Well Of Loneliness (7"+12") Sep 1987
on September Records - SEPT 1
- The Well Of Loneliness
- Antiamericancretin
- Unfortunately
- Bad Dreams (12" only)
- Someone Worse Off (12" only)
I am a Wallet (LP) Nov 1987
on September Records - SEPT 2
- An MP Speaks
- Monetaries
- The International Narcotics Traffic
- The Way Of The World
- Antinature
- Charles Windsor
- The Vision Of Peregrine Worsthorne
- The Well Of Loneliness
- The Wicked Palace Revolution
- God Made The Virus
- The Funeral
- A Child Soon In Chains A Child Soon In Chains
- In The Dark Times
- The Procession Of Popular Capitalism
Frans Hals (7"+12") 1987
on Pink Label - PINKY 17
- Frans Hals
- The Fall
- The Fall (remix) (12" only)
- Kill Kill Kill Kill (12" only)
- Frans Hals (version) (12" only)
A La Guillotine (LP) 29.Feb 1988
on September Records - SEPT
Also on: Tuesday Records - TUE 871 (France) - for
a compilation of the first three singles
- Red Sleeping Beauty
- Something Wrong Somewhere
- Kill Kill Kill Kill
- In Purgatory (studio version)
- From The Damned
- Frans Hals
- The Comrade Era
- God The Father
- For The Fat Lady
- The Fall
Should The Bible Be Banned (12") Apr 1988
on September Records - SEPT 5
- Should The Bible Be Banned
- Saint Francis Amongst The Mortals
- We Are All Bourgeois Now
This Nelson Rockefeller (12") Spring 1988
on September Records - SEPT 4
- This Nelson Rockefeller
- The Fall (new version)
- The Funeral (new version)
- The Enemy Is At Home (For The Fat Lady)
- The Way Of The World (new version)
Keep An Open Mind Or Else (7"+12") Feb 1989
on Midnight Music - tba
- Keep An Open Mind Or Else
- The New Left Review #1
- Two Criminal Points Of View (12" only)
The Enraged Will Inherit The Earth (LP+CD) 13.Mar 1989
on Midnight Music - tba
- Boy Meets Girl So What
- Govering Takes Brains
- Govering Takes Brains
- An Address To The Better Off
- Hands Off Or Die
- What Our Boys Are Fighting For
- Keep An Open Mind Or Else
- We Are All Born Creeps
- I'm Not A Patriot But
- The Home Secretary Briefs The Forces Of Law And Order
- Throw Him Out He's Breaking My Heart
- The New Left Review #1 (CD only)
- Two Criminal Points Of View (CD only)
At War EP (12"+CD5) 1989
on Midnight Music - tba
- The Lion Will Lie Down With The Lamb
- The New Left Review #2
- All Your Questions Answered
- Boy Meets Girl So What (new version)
Get A Knife Between Your Teeth (7"+12") Mar 1990
on Midnight Music - tba
- Get A Knife Between Your Teeth
- With One Eye On Getting Their Pay (12" only)
- Can The Haves Use Their Brains? (12" only)
Banking Violence And The Inner Life Today (LP+CD) Aug 1990
on Midnight Music - tba
- I'm On The Side Of Mankind As Much As The Next Man
- And Tomorrow The Stock Exchange Will Be The Human Race
- Now Is The Time For An Iron Hand
- The Drinking Song Of The Merchant Bankers
- Write To Your M.P. Today
- Use A band I'd Rather Die
- I Worked Myself Up From Nothing
- The Well-fed Point Of View
- Get A Knife Between Your Teeth
- Take The Shortest Way With The Men Of Violence
- You'll Have To Put An End To Them
I Am A Wallet (LP+CD) 1990
on Midnight Music - CHIME 00.45
- An MP Speaks
- Monetaries
- The International Narcotics Traffic
- The Way Of The World
- Antinature
- Charles Windsor
- The Vision Of Peregrine Worsthorne
- The Well Of Loneliness
- God Made The Virus The Wicked Palace Revolution
- The Funeral
- A Child Soon In Chains
- In The Dark Times
- The Procession Of Popular Capitalism
- Antiamericancretin (CD only)
- Unfortunately (CD only)
- Bad Dreams (CD only)
- Someone Worse Off (CD only)
That's All Very Well But (CD) 1996
on Cherry Red Records - RED 125
- an mp speaks
- antinature
- charles windsor
- child soon in chains
- comrade era
- frans hats
- from the damned
- i'm not a patriot but
- keep an open mond or else
- kill kill kill kill
- red sleeping beauty
- should the bible be banned
- something wrong somewhere
- the enemy is at home (For The Fat Lady)
- the fall
- the funeral
- the myth of the north devide
- the well of loneliness
- this nelson rockerfeller
- version should the bible be banned
- we are all bourgeois now
- you're alive
I Am A Wallet/Banking, Violence And The Inner Life Today (CD) 1997
on Cherry Red Records - RED 138
25-track re-release
The Enraged Will Inherit The Earth (Plus Rarities) (CD) 1998
on Cherry Red Records - RED 148
18-track re-release
On compilations:
NME C86 Compilation  (LP+K7) 1986
on NME/Rough Trade
- Celestial City
Imminent 4  (LP) 1986
on Food Records
- God The Father
on Pink Label - PINKY 15
- Red Sleeping Beauty
It Sells Or It Smells  (12") 1987
on Pink Label - PINKY 11
- In Purgatory (studio version)
on a Swedish fanzine
- You're Alive
Lie To Me  (LP) Jun 1989
on Umbrella
- The Myth Of The North-South Divide
on Sounds
- Should The Bible Be Banned (7" Version)
Rough Trade Shops Indiepop 1  (CD2) 3-Oct-2004
on Mute - CDSTUMM 239
500 copies with free 7", released by the Rough Trade shop in London
- Should The Bible Be Banned
CD86  (CD) 23-Oct-2006
on Castle Music CMEDD1420
- Frans Hals
on Cherry Red Records - CRCDBOX10
- Red Sleeping Beauty
Radio Sessions:
John Peel Session (12-Nov-1986)
-A Child Soon In Chains
-Frans Hals
-An M.P. Speaks
-Anti-nature
Janice Long Session (8-Jul-1987)
-The Wicked Palace Revolution
-The Vision Of Peregrine Worsthorne
-The Well Of Loneliness
-Monetaries
John Peel Session (28-Oct-1987)
-Charles Windsor
-The Funeral
-Should The Bible Be Banned
-This Nelson Rockefeller
John Peel Session (1-Jan-1988)
-The Myth Of The North-South Devide
-I'm Not A Patriot But
-Keep An Open Mind Or Else
-The Lion Will Lie Down With The Lamb
Last updated: 24-Sep-2009 © 1994-2024 TweeNet Creative Commons License