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 pergatory", 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!"
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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