Like A Motorway

 

Trust me #122
Like A Motorway by Saint Etienne

Released in May 94 and (inexplicably) reaching only 47 on the UK singles charts, Like A Motorway is one of my favourite songs by Saint Etienne who come to the Glasgow Barrowland next month. The Pastels will be supporting. It is set to be a very memorable night.

The date is part of Saint Etienne's The Long Goodbye tour, with the trio deciding to bow out from 37-years of creating dreamy, reflective and sublime pop since forming in 1990. Since then, the band have released 13 albums and 17 top 40 singles, but those facts merely gloss the surface. 

Saint Etienne always stood out; image, style, art, taste, Bob Stanley's background as a music journalist, Heavenly Recordings, the DJ's remixing their songs, the choice cover of Only Love Can Break Your Heart (see previous blog), a debut album that captured the times, some superb compilation albums (check Songs From Mario's Cafe and The Trip) and the perfect alternative pop star singer - Sarah Cracknell .

Ah, yes, Sarah Cracknell. An absolute dream who captivated many a young indie boy in the 90's - and still does to this very day! That super soft, warm and welcoming voice, the feather boas, cheeky winks, cool blonde hair and impeccable fashion sense - looking like she was going to go straight from a gig to a club ... or a film set! I don't mind admitting to falling head over heels for Sarah!

You're In A Bad Way, released in February 1993, was the first Saint Etienne record I bought. I still remember taping it on to a mixtape for the 6th year Common Room at school. The band were prolific in that period, their So Tough (1993) and Tiger Bay (1994) albums spawned 7 singles, with the band also releasing I Was Born On Christmas Day, a duet with Tim Burgess. So they were never far from The Chart Show, The Word, Top of the Pops or the many other music shows on TV at that time. The NME and Melody Maker loved them.

Watch Saint Etienne and Tim Burgess live on The Word HERE.

Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs have impeccable taste in, and knowledge of, pop music and on Like A Motorway they are clearly digging the pulsating synth sounds of Giogio Moroder. The synth bass groove (I just can't get enough of this) and top line riff are super cool, while Sarah Cracknell sounds seductive and sexy.

Like A Motorway rides in on a deep pulsing bass synth riff, the beat kicks in, Cracknell whispers he's gone, he's gone and then at 35 seconds the lead synth melody comes in. There is a Weatherall style beats break just before the first verse. Cracknell tells the tale of a broken heart.

She wears sad jeans, torn at the waistband

Her pretty face, is stained with tears

And in her right hand, she clasps a letter

I know this means, that he has gone

The second verse has Cracknell telling more - about the girl never thinking she would fall in love, then getting her first kiss. In the third verse Sarah goes on to tell about the girl falling for all the lines she was fed.

He said her skin, smelled just like petals

Said stupid things, he knew she'd like

She said her life, was like a motorway

Dull, grey and long, 'til he came along

The song takes a twist in the 4th verse as Sarah takes over, probing for info, before the girl in the song suggests something more sinister might have happened...

I said - how could he ever leave you

You two were good, you were so right

She said - I wish that he just left me

He'd be alive, alive tonight

He's gone, he's gone

After thinking the guy in the song might have just left, or dumped her and broken her heart, the listener is left wondering if (a) she killed him, or (b) there was an accident. The artwork for the single shows a crashed/abandoned car, overgrown with leaves and weeds. The Chemical Brothers (then The Dust Brothers) and David Holmes both got their hands on Like A Motorway to provide remixes.

Like A Motorway is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE. Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys

81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

82. 69 Police by David Holmes

83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes

84. I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel

85. Kung Fu by Ash

86. Kids by MGMT

87. Slight Return by The Bluetones

88. Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band

89. Cut Your Hair by Pavement

90. Race for the Prize by The Flaming Lips

91. Waitin' for a Superman by The Flaming Lips

92. Acquiesce by Oasis

93. This Is Music by The Verve

94. Lone Swordsman by Daniel Avery

95. Sparky's Dream by Teenage Fanclub

96. Common People by Pulp

97. Let Our Love Grow Higher by Eula Cooper

98. Regret by New Order

99. Keep On Keepin' On by Nolan Porter

100. Sit Down by James (Live at G-Mex) by James

101. Never Lose Your Sense Of Wonder by Yeti

102. Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over by The Charlatans

103. Life Is Sweet by The Chemical Brothers 

104. How Can I Tell You (To Love Me More) by Brooke Coombe

105-107. Wigan Casino - Three Before Eight - Time Will Pass You By by Tobi Legend, Long After Tonight Is All Over by Jimmy Radcliffe, I'm On My Way by Dean Parrish

108. Cobra by Geese

109. All I Have To Do Is Dream by The Everly Brothers

110. Vapour Trail by Ride

111. Teardrop by Massive Attack

112. Since I Left You by The Avalanches

113. Good Dancers by The Sleepy Jackson

114. Kiss My Love Goodbye by Bettye Swann

115. What Difference Does It Make? by The Smiths

116. Get Out Of My Dream by The Clouds

117. Sundress by Ben Kweller

118. I Love You by Primal Scream

119. Calico Skies by Paul McCartney 

120. Lay This Burden Down by Mary Love

121. Primitive Painters by Felt w/ Elizabeth Fraser

The Charlatans on The White Room

If YouTube could produce a top 10 list of videos I've watched over the years, then I dare say that The Charlatans blistering appearance on Channel 4's The White Room, broadcast on  16th August 1996, would be up at the top. Just behind the last few minutes of Manchester United's dramatic Champions League win back in 1999!

I can't believe this footage (full video at the end of the blog) is thirty years old! The Charlatans performance is pure raw energy and emotion. Super charged from the grief of losing Rob Collins. Elated from playing Knebworth. Energised by the outpouring of support and encouragement to keep going - including the offer from Primal Scream's Martin Duffy to help them out, and knowing they had One To Another (among other songs) up their sleeve.

Tim at Knebworth

Photo by Tom Sheenan

The Charlatans were absolutely flying going into the summer of 96. They had already released 4 albums and 13 singles. They were prolific, always recording, releasing and on tour. Then ... utter tragedy, trauma, shock, sadness, grief and disbelief.

Somehow, within a remarkably short period of time, aided by the opportunity of playing in front of 125,000 people at Knebworth, The Charlatans regrouped. There was an outpouring of love and support. Followed by an immense display of strength, courage and defiance. The Charlatans somehow, against all odds, turned disbelief into belief.

There have been many times where I have wondered if footage of The Charlatans performance at Knebworth is lying in storage. The whole event was filmed, yet nothing has been released to date. I was there and I was super proud of the band. They were incredible, totally and utterly in the zone.

However, footage of their White Room performance shortly afterwards is available

Read on ... and watch.

July and August 1996

22nd July - Rob Collins tragically dies after crashing his BMW while driving round the country roads near Rockfield Studios in Monmouthshire. Collins was a genius on the Hammond organ, integral to The Charlatans sound.

The Charlatans were scheduled to play Knebworth with Oasis on Sunday 11th August . Family, friends and management encouraged them to play the show. Martin Duffy from Primal Scream called with an offer to help them out.

Duffy stepped forward and said he wanted to help us out. And from that moment, probably just 24 hours after Rob died, people were just offering help for us to continue as a band, and I think that's one of the things that kept us going. Tim Burgess

We had to make a statement. It was a bit weird, all of it, and hard to believe. We didn't know what to do. Tim Burgess

Band statement - We've lost our mate. There will be no change. We are Fuckin' Rock!

11th August - The band play an emotionally charged set at Knebworth. They are on fire. I hope that the footage of this is released one day. See my blog from 2016 on the 20th anniversary of me and my great friend Elliott travelling down to Knebworth. I was so proud of The Charlatans that day.

Tim taking to the stage

Photo by Tom Sheehan

16th August - The Charlatans performance on Channel 4's The White Room is broadcast. They play One To Another and Crashin' In - more below.

26th August - The Charlatans release One To Another which reaches number 3 in the UK Charts.

One To Another and Crashin' In on The White Room

One To Another is my favourite Charlatans song. No question. The power of this song still astonishes me all these years down the line. The first single following the death of Rob Collins, this was a big statement.
It meant something, more than any previous single I had previously anticipated and bought. Upon release, The Charlatans meant even more to me. They were powerful. Soulful. Defiant. 

On to Channel 4's The White Room. The Charlatans are lined up and ready to go, Tim's hair is looking incredible, he's wearing a super cool sweatshirt, patrolling the stage, egging on his band and the crowd.

The One To Another intro is immensely powerful, beginning with a loop from Tom Rowlands from Chemical Brothers, then exploding into life with a heavy riff from piano, guitar, drums and bass leading to Tim coming in;

One to another

A sister and a brother

And a-changing the way that you feel

Mark Collins is on fire through the first guitar break,  Jon Brookes is all over his kit. The band are up for it. Totally on it. Second verse in and one of my all-time favourite lyrics is be my spider woman, I'll be your spider man, so much so that a poster with those words used to be on display at the top of our stairs. I might need to dig it out from the loft!

Then the band pick up the pace, flying forwards, soaring upwards. 

Trust is for believers and love can keep the faith

I don't need you, I can't buy you, I can't hurt you

The next guitar break is even more ferocious. Burgess cries out and I'll do it the best that I can. There is the briefest of pauses for breath. Then drums crash, Tim yells something to the crowd and gazes lovingly at his band as they build things up to go at it harder than ever. The Charlatans are in full flight. The riff is supersonic and Burgess is flowing... 

Stand by my accusations

I'll come clean, I don't need no vice

What a sound. What a sight. What a band.

 Love is hard to leave and it's hard to never have 

Burgess is into a couple of Sympathy for the Devil style woo-hoo's as the band play it out in style. One To Another never fails to lift and inspire me. I can never only watch this performance once.  

There is a brief thanks a lot from Tim as Mark fires up the opening riff of Crashin' In and Tim shouts out the song title. The energy leaps out immediately from Mark Collins guitar, there is an urgency to Tim's voice and the rest of the band drive things along. 

I can go for miles and miles and miles

The band are on fire. I love the change in pace after 90-seconds with Tim just shouting oh yeah, and the band just get lost in a jam. They do it again later in the song. I love the looseness and the energetic vibe.

At one point Tim is singing Mark's guitar parts, smiling, winking, watching Mark on guitar and Duffy on keys. The band build and then burst into a new groove. See me, I can feel it coming around

Duffy is off on one on the Hammond, Mark is ringing his guitar for all its worth and Jon Brookes is doing indescribable things on drums with Tim grinning and looking on in amazement. Martin Blunt is somehow anchoring all of this. What a jam! What a performance.

The Charlatans live on! Long live The Charlatans.

Saint Mungo EP by Fatale

Last June I published a blog on Fatale, a new young band from my hometown of Uddingston. They had just played their first couple of gigs and released a demo of an original song called Moves You and a cover of Femme Fatale. You can still check them out here - FATALE DEMOS

I fell for Fatale instantly. And then fell even further upon seeing the band live and bumping into them in person in McChuills and at gigs. Ben Robertson (vocals), Euan Corrigan (lead guitar), Christopher Jollie (guitar and songs), Oscar Tighe (bass) and James Lindsay (drums) are super tight, literally bouncing off each other whether on stage or hanging out. They look the part, with great hair, style, warm smiles and a cheeky charm. 

Live, and in recordings, they have developed considerably in the last year. Building interest and generating greater reactions with each and every gig. They are getting about town in all the right places ... and have a wonderful natural confidence, as well as a real thirst for discovering music.

Fatale have wisely taken their time to record and release. Waiting to find the right studio and producer. Chris McCrory has done a cracking job in capturing their raw energy, ear for pop, love of guitars and instinct for hooks and flows.

The result is the six-track vinyl only Saint Mugo EP - named after the patron Saint of Glasgow. You can catch the brilliant DIY video for the song Jesus Christ below. It's like The Monkees in Glasgow sunshine on Buckfast Tonic Wine!

Read on for my track-by-track review. You can also check this recent blog for an interview with Christopher Jollie. You can also order the EP from the fabulous Monorail.

Moves You

Moves You is an absolute blast. 30-seconds of overdriven guitars leading to the first verse, which could be mistaken for a chorus. This is one of Fatale's strengths, they have an instinct for melody and hooks, verses are like choruses. Raw and soulful harmonies, young romantic lyrics sung from the heart.

Would you find a price for all the stars that shine on you?

There is a sublime, unexpected, dreamy breakdown after the first chorus before Fatale burst back into life. Guitars crash, collide, chime, blur, reverberate and fuzz together. Glorious.

Winged Horse

The guitar intro to Winged Horse warms my heart. Fatale quickly find a groove behind it and the beats encourage handclaps. The bridge to the chorus has the hook I'm walking through the East End of my mind, I'm searching for a place I cannot find. Then the double chorus 

You take a piece of me

To make some time for you

Every word I meant to say

Ends up lost along the way

This is under 2.5 minutes of flowing guitar pop. 

Another Sunrise

Another Sunrise begins with warm Big Star-esque guitars that sounds like they are basking in summer sunshine. Ben Robertson croons the opening lines.

That summer feeling can't keep me warm the rest of my life

Things then explode for the prechorus, with Robertson calling it out.

I'm beginning to wonder is that all that there could be

My eyes are open, but there's nothing I can see

This leads to the defiant, don't give a f**k  statement hook of I'm going out tonight. I can imagine this blasting out of radios and speakers, and being sung wholeheartedly by teenagers across the country (and beyond). Another verse, prechorus and chorus lead to guitars rising and Robertson repeating the hook. Then Fatale slow it down to a delicious fuzzy feedback fade out.

Jesus Christ

I first caught Fatale playing in King Tuts in July 2025 and described Jesus Christ as the catchiest guitar pop song I've heard in a long time. While there are a few contenders on this EP, this is a beautiful riot of a song and recording. Serious top marks to producer Chris McCrory for the energy and guitar sounds he has captured. He gets it - big time.

The guitars of Euan and Christopher collide gloriously, there are more hooks than Rocky Bilbao fighting at his peak. Most bands would love to have the verses to this tunes as choruses! The bridge/pre-chorus is even catchier and then there is the chorus itself;

 

Jesus Christ knocked on my door

Just let me sleep ten minutes more

Coming out with songs of praise

Oh now I'm lost in a Catholic haze

Having had the pleasure of spending time with main songwriter Christopher, one ambition (that he has mentioned more than once) of his always sticks out: he wants to write songs that feel like one continuous giant chorus - or a seamless sequence of them. Hook after hook.

So immediately out of the chorus appears another super catchy bridge back into the chorus. Keeping up? Well if you can't that is part of the charm of this delicious slice of guitar punk pop.  You'll want to play it again ... and again.

How can I hold my head up when you're down

How can I stand the world when you're not around

The little fuzz bass break after the middle eight is superb. Then it's straight back into the chorus for a final blast. Think God Knows It's True era Fanclub meeting The Undertones for a couple of pints of Guinness and then having a jam. Catchy guitar brilliance. Infectious energy. 

St Mungo

Title track St Mungo is beautifully melancholic. Robertson's voice has an aching quality to it as he sings she's the song I've never sung. The backing vocals are heavenly, and there is a wonderful feeling to the guitars, especially as they ring through solo/break after Robertson declaring I swear I will learn. They continue to ring through the short outro with gorgeous band harmonies I'll never, ever, learn

Long Hair

Speaking of melancholy, Fatale strip things right back, to go acoustic for the final track. Robertson sounds dreamily in love, not caring about anything other than being with his girl. 

I don't know what you're thinking baby

I don't know if your hairs grown long

Robertson declares took so long to find you, and then sings it again, as if he can't believe his luck. Keyboard is introduced and beautifully and naturally adds to the dreamy feeling.

There is a real organic feel to the recording, almost demo like. But sometimes a demo captures things in a way that can't be replicated. Robertson mumbles that's fucked at the end. But he gets it bang on. Sung from the heart. 

Never Ending Mixtape part 111

Welcome to part 110 of my Never Ending Mixtape where the latest additions take us from 5,012 songs to 5,074 with the addition of Here Come The Tears by The Coral (pictured below).

Over 5,000 songs! The idea behind this playlist was simple - I'd just add songs in no particular order, with no thought behind the song, artist, genre ... or anything. The complete opposite of the old days when I would make mixtapes or mix CD's! 

The result is pretty eclectic!

Thanks so much if you are one of the 385 people who follow the playlist, also if you visit from time to time and welcome if you have just discovered the blog and playlist!

Check out some of the latest additions below.

As always, I hope you find something wonderful that you've never heard before, or that you rediscover an old favourite song. I personally play my Never Ending Mixtape on shuffle, but play from the start, the middle, or scroll down (could take a while!) to the latest additions. 

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or CLICK

Recent discoveries

These Memories by Almeta Lattimore

Music Makes Me High by Salty Miller

Daa Nyinaa by Ata Kak

Heaven Sent An Angel by Revolver

We Got The Love 2008 by Inner City Jam Orchestra

New releases

Don't Fall Asleep by Jacob Alon and Anna Calvi

Roses on the Esplanade by Stone Anthem

Here Come The Tears by The Coral

Old favourites

If You're Ready by The Staple Singers (pictured above)

Open the Door to Your Heart by Darrell Banks

Penny On The Train Track by Ben Kweller

A Life Less Ordinary by Ash

Up With The People by Lambchop

I'm Gonna Love You Too - Blondie

Here Comes The Summer - The Undertones

Primitive Painters

Trust Me #121
Primitive Painters by Felt

Primitive Painters by Felt is six minutes of pure, shimmering perfection. Released in August 1985, it is completely timeless. This is a song that always stops my in my tracks. 

The first few seconds are immediately hypnotic, then interlocking guitars kick in, underpinned by Martin Duffy's Hammond organ, then the beats come in. This is a dreamy and hazy intro, 75-seconds to get lost in.  Lawrence comes in, his vocals sound a little muffled and (deliberately) lost in the mix ... but then the extraordinary vocals of Elizabeth Fraser explode over the top of everything, gorgeous swirling guitar, soothing organ and Lawrence lost in the flow.

Yeah, you should see my whole trail of disgrace

"I’m a monotone singer, and she’s the most expressive singer in the world. Put the two together, and it’s a brilliant contrast." Lawrence

Lawrence's vocals, almost spoken word, anchor the song, while Fraser's lift Primitive Painters into a euphoric haze. Sky-scraping, ethereal, captivating, celestial. Indie-psychedelia. Indie-opera. Unique. Just sublime. 

The instrumental at 3 minutes 40 seconds introduces a new, more piercing, guitar sound, extra beats kick in, then it all comes back to Lawrence, lost in the flow and with Fraser singing alongside him. She lifts everything. 

"When Liz Fraser sang on 'Primitive Painters,' it was the most amazing thing I’d ever heard. She just went into the booth and did it in one or two takes. I remember standing there thinking, 'This is it. We’ve made a monster.' I thought it was going to be a number one worldwide smash. It should have been." Lawrence

While researching the song for this blog I was pretty astonished to learn that there was no pre-conceived plan to have Fraser singing on the song. Her partner in life and music, Robin Guthrie was on production duties. As Felt and Guthrie were listening back, the producer ran upstairs to where Fraser was working on her own lyrics and songs and declared; "I want you to sing this song."

"I wrote the lyrics out for her on a piece of paper, she went in, listened to it once on headphones, and then just improvised around it. It was as real as that. It was a remarkable moment. When you listen back to something like that, we knew we'd got it." Lawrence, Uncut Magazine, July 2015

When Fraser’s vocals soar over the top of Lawrence's repetitive delivery in the outro it’s sheer magic. Fraser is like a rocket, bravely shooting through the stars for unchartered territory without a care for any consequences. It’s an astonishing, open-hearted, emotional performance. Hearing Fraser cry out in the climax is a spine tingling, goosebump inducing moment every single time I hear it.

Elizabeth Fraser, 1985

Photo by Michael Cohen

There is an intensity to the song, but also loads of space, aided by Duffy's Hammond notes, that allow everything else to build and swirl around it.  Dreamy psychedelic goodness. Maurice Deebank wrote the music and his majestic cyclical guitar sounds somehow float like feathers, sting like hard rain and soar like eagles. At times gorgeous, and going back to the start of the blog, capable of just stopping listeners in their tracks every single time. Unique. Primitive Painters pulls you in and when you leave you wonder what on earth you have just experienced. 

Primitive Painters was released on Cherry Red Records, the perfect label for Lawrence's unique style, values and ambition. The song shot straight to Number 1 on the Independent Singles Chart, holding the top spot for two weeks. Within the underground community, it was an anthem.

"Primitive Painters was the pinnacle of that early era for us." Ian McNay, Cherry Red Records

Could Primitive Painters go beyond the usual Felt audience? 

The NME staff were such massive fans of the song that they planned for Lawrence to be on the front cover of the magazine to coincide with the release of. For an indie band like Felt, on a label like Cherry Red, this would be a massive breakthrough. The NME sold 200,000 copies a week in 1985, and Lawrence's face would be on display in newsagents across the country.

Tragically, Lawrence and Felt were ditched just as the issue was going to print and the cover feature was pulled. Lawrence was devastated, and it became one of those classic 'what if' moments in alternative music history.

Mainstream radio didn't pick up on it and the single failed to reach the top 75. While Primitive Painters wasn't the smash that Lawrence hoped for, its legacy is enhanced with every passing year. It is a stunning song. 

I read Will Hodgkinson's Street Level Superstar - A Year With Lawrence at the start of this year. It is a fascinating book - heartbreaking, soulful, funny and sad. Reading it only served to heighten the intrigue and mystery around the singer and songwriter. Something he seems to have encouraged and played to over the years - but it also just seems and feels like ... that is him. A one-off!

Lawrence - photo by Phil Sharp

Lawrence is an obsessive and with Felt he wanted to execute a flawless artistic concept. His self-imposed manifesto was that Felt would release exactly ten albums and ten singles across the span of ten years (the 1980's), and then they would vanish.

There were flaws to this beautiful piece of marketing madness. Lawrence, Ian McNay at Cherry Red and Alan McGee at Creation were perhaps the only people who cared about this, or believed in it. Somehow, against the odds, Lawrence built the body of work he had the vision for ... and disbanded Felt.

The genius and madness of Lawrence is also captured wonderfully in David Cavanagh's epic My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry For The Prize book about Creation Records. Alan McGee's quotes about living with him are hilarious.

Check out this Felt - A Decade In Music video to see a beautifully produced retrospective on the incredible ten-album journey that Lawrence set out to achieve.

Post Felt, Lawrence has released music with Denim, Go-Kart Mozart and Mozart Estate. He continues to tour (somewhat sporadically) to this day, slowly growing his cult fanbase, his myth and legend. Still dreaming of being a pop star.

Primitive Painters is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE. Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys

81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

82. 69 Police by David Holmes

83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes

84. I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel

85. Kung Fu by Ash

86. Kids by MGMT

87. Slight Return by The Bluetones

88. Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band

89. Cut Your Hair by Pavement

90. Race for the Prize by The Flaming Lips

91. Waitin' for a Superman by The Flaming Lips

92. Acquiesce by Oasis

93. This Is Music by The Verve

94. Lone Swordsman by Daniel Avery

95. Sparky's Dream by Teenage Fanclub

96. Common People by Pulp

97. Let Our Love Grow Higher by Eula Cooper

98. Regret by New Order

99. Keep On Keepin' On by Nolan Porter

100. Sit Down by James (Live at G-Mex) by James

101. Never Lose Your Sense Of Wonder by Yeti

102. Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over by The Charlatans

103. Life Is Sweet by The Chemical Brothers 

104. How Can I Tell You (To Love Me More) by Brooke Coombe

105-107. Wigan Casino - Three Before Eight - Time Will Pass You By by Tobi Legend, Long After Tonight Is All Over by Jimmy Radcliffe, I'm On My Way by Dean Parrish

108. Cobra by Geese

109. All I Have To Do Is Dream by The Everly Brothers

110. Vapour Trail by Ride

111. Teardrop by Massive Attack

112. Since I Left You by The Avalanches

113. Good Dancers by The Sleepy Jackson

114. Kiss My Love Goodbye by Bettye Swann

115. What Difference Does It Make? by The Smiths

116. Get Out Of My Dream by The Clouds

117. Sundress by Ben Kweller

118. I Love You by Primal Scream

119. Calico Skies by Paul McCartney 

120. Lay This Burden Down by Mary Love

Flaming Lips at Kelvingrove Bandstand

WOW. Last night's Flaming Lips show at Kelvingrove Bandstand as part of the Summer Nights series was truly life affirming. 

Psychedelic pop songs about love, life, death and the universe. Songs about humans triumphing over machines and determined scientists racing to find cures. I found myself crying during the beautiful Do You Realize? Tears just started flooding down my face. I can't remember the last time that happened to me at a concert.

We were treated to multiple blasts of confetti, inflatable pink robots, huge colourful confetti filled latex balls/balloons bouncing around across the Bandstand - one burst above me and it was wonderful, I have the burst balloon at home - Flaming Lips memorabilia! The light show was sensational, lasers beaming out, bright lights, Wayne Coyne swinging a huge bulb around on a lead, a bright, bright light directly behind the singer cast beams everywhere, he got into costumes and balls ...

I'm still smiling. I'm exhausted just reflecting on the show, Coyne must be shattered, but energised by knowing that every time his band play, they bring absolute joy to people.  

Lynn and I started in the very back row of the Bandstand, determined to see the full wide screen spectacle. But as soon as the opening synth teaser to The Golden Path started, we picked our way down to the front to join my sister Carla and friends who had been there from the get go. The Golden Path is a real favourite of ours.

She Don't Use Jelly is glorious guitar punk pop with a psychedelic tinge. The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power) was hugely uplifting. The aforementioned Do You Realize? is even more powerful live than it is on record, truly beautiful. A cover of Sabbath's War Pigs was heavy and fun and the closing song Race for the Prize was triumphantly joyful.

Everyone left smiling and buzzing. Mission accomplished.

See some videos below.