Primal Scream - Primal Scream (1989)

The line-up that achieved so much success in 1991 comprised Bobby Gillespie (22 June 1964, Glasgow, Scotland; vocals), Andrew Innes (guitar), Robert Young (guitar), Henry Olsen (bass), Philip ‘Toby’ Tomanov (drums), Martin Duffy (organ, ex-Felt) and backing vocalist Denise Johnson (b. 31 August 1966, Manchester, Lancashire, England), but Primal Scream had been a fluctuating affair since the early 80s. Gillespie was the centrifugal force throughout, recording several low-key tracks with guitarist Jim Beattie while still serving as stand-up drummer in the nascent Jesus And Mary Chain. The line-up of Gillespie, Beattie, Young (their bass player at this point), Tom McGurk (drums) and Martin St. John (percussion) released ‘All Fall Down’ on Creation Records in May 1985. Further line-up changes ensued before the band achieved notoriety via the New Musical Express’ alternative C86 cassette compilation, which featured a former b-side, ‘Velocity Girl’, an 80-second romp through the richer pastures of 60s guitar pop. Guitarist Innes was brought in to play on 1987’s poorly received Sonic Flower Groove, a collection of melodic pop songs which was released on the short-lived Elevation label.
(full version: www.oldies.com/artist-biography/Primal-Scream.html)

It is a beautiful day, the last sunshine of the year putting a spring in the step of Bobby Gillespie, waifish ringmaster of Primal Scream, who is dressed, none the less, all in black: black skinny jeans, black T-shirt, long black hair, only streaks of grey making him look any older than he did 20 years ago. He's in expansive form, too, talking up the task that he and his co-conspirators – childhood friend Andrew Innes and the rest of the band; long-time friend Alan McGee, their old manager, of sorts, and record label boss; Andrew Weatherall and others – set themselves amid the last gasp of freedom for independents in the record industry, in the final days of Thatcherism and in the chemical haze of acid house.
"I honestly felt we were redeeming rock'n'roll," says the 48-year-old. "I know it sounds ridiculous, right? But my attitude was that rock'n'roll should be a celebratory, euphoric, ecstatic experience. High energy. Ram-a-lama! I felt that rock had become too inward and it was maybe a bit too serious. I felt that what we were doing at that point was what rock'n'roll should be, except it was modern, it was futuristic."
(full version: www.theguardian.com/music/2010/oct/31/primal-scream-screamadelica-live)