THESE ANIMAL MEN / S*M*A*S*H - The New Wave Of New Wave - SIGNED Copy - 6CD - Slipcase Box Set

6CD - * SIGNED EDITION - INDIES EXCLUSIVE - Slipcase with 32 Page Booklet featuring former NME journalist Paul Moody’s  in-depth essay depicting the rise and fall of the scene, along with interviews with members of both bands and more.

Britain in 1993 now seems like another time, another place. Paralysed into a state of torpor by 14 years of Tory government and cowed by England's failure to qualify for the World Cup, the national mood was one of escapism.

Pop music was also short-circuiting, the charts full of manufactured boy bands (Take That, East 17), inane electro-pop (2 Unlimited's 'No Limits', Culture Beat's 'Mr Vain') and novelty records (Mr Blobby). The independent sector, too, was entering its darkest hour. With Seattle’s nihilistic grunge scene —headed by Nirvana — championed as the cure for rock’s ills. This lack of self-belief was reflected in a cover story in rock bible NME on 30th October 1993 titled “21st Century Joy”, which suggested that the music scene in 2003 would be entirely electronic.

Within a month, however, it was obvious to keen observers that a new sound and attitude was emerging from Britain’s satellite towns like the proverbial bat out of hell. At the inaugural ‘In The City’ event in Manchester in November 1993 — a music industry showcase organised by Factory Records boss Tony Wilson — a crop of spiky young bands shared a radical, back-to-basics approach. Two in particular stood out — S*M*A*S*H and These Animal Men. Angry, articulate and caustically tuneful, both bands would — over the course of 18 glorious months — light up the British music scene as spectacularly as a distress flare.

Backed by electrifying live performances both bands would go to be heralded by the NME in January 1994 as part of the ‘New Wave Of New Wave’. Both signing record deals with Virgin off-shoot Hi-Rise Recordings, the bands would go onto to releases a string of EPs such as You’re Not My Babylon, Spring 1994, Too Sussed? and I Want To Kill Somebody. Before debut albums Self-Abused and (Come On, Join) The High Society came out to respectable chart positions of 59 and 62. However, with both Blur and Oasis enjoying unprecedented chart success — Oasis’ Definitely Maybe, released in August 1994, sold 100,000 in four days — both were seen as disappointing. Internal divisions, too, were pushing both bands to breaking point. S*M*A*S*H imploded and TAM would go onto release the criminally overlooked second album Accident and Emergency.

This unique 6CD collection brings together both bands output from this short lived scene. All of the EPs and albums are here and ordered chronologically to give the listener the best possible perspective of the how the scene unfolded. Accompanying the 6CDs is a 32 page booklet featuring former NME journalist Paul Moody’s (the man responsible for coining the phrase the "New Wave of New Wave") in-depth essay depicting the rise and fall of the scene, along with interviews with members of both bands. The booklet also includes previously unseen photos by photographers Martyn Goodacre and Andy Wilshere and short essay’s from both Ed Borrie (S*M*A*S*H) and members of These Animal Men. As the music and photographs compiled here illustrate, the look and sound of both bands remains timeless. Turn up the volume. S*M*A*S*H and These Animal Men will see you in the speakers. 

Tracklist:

disc 1
these animal men - "are you inexperienced" cassette ep
1. speed king (demo)
2. you're not my babylon (demo)
3. ambulance (demo)

s*m*a*s*h - "spring 1994"
1. drugs again
2. lady love your cunt
3. revisited no.3
4. shame
5. real surreal

disc 2
these animal men - "too sussed?"
1. too sussed? (live)
2. speeedking
3. jobs for the boys
4. who's the daddy now?
5. you're not my babylon

s*m*a*s*h - "i want to kill somebody"
1. (i want to) kill somebody (topper mix)
2. (i want to) kill somebody (keith le blanc mix)
3. (i want to) kill somebody (gunshot headhuntermix)
4. (i want to) kill somebody (bragg reshuffle)

s*m*a*s*h - "self abused"
1. revisited no 5
2. barrabas
3. oh ovary
4. altruism
5. reflections of you (remember me)
6. self abused
7. intermission (instrumental) ['silence scream']
8. another love
9. another shark in my swimming pool
10. real surreal
11. dear lou
12. bang bangbang(granta25)
13. time
14. a*l*l*y*c (bonus)
15. trainspotter (bonus)

disc 3
these animal men - "this is the sound of the youth"
1. soul around the world
2. hooligan's progress

these animal men – "(come on, join) the high society"
1. sharp kid
2. empire building
3. ambulance
4. this year's model
5. you're always right
6. flawed is beautiful (edit)
7. this is the sound of youth
8. sitting tenant
9. too sussed?
10. (come on, join) the high society
11. we are living
12. high society (return)

disc 4
s*m*a*s*h - "another love" ep
1. another love (bobb it mix)
2. another love (uncut)
3. petal buzz
4. you've got a friend who's a friend of mine
5. reflections of you (remember me) (live)
6. time (live)
7. self abused (live)

these animal men - "taxi for these animal men"
1. you're always right
2. nowhere faces
3. my human remains
4. false identification
5. wait for it
6. you're always right [extended version]


disc 5
these animal men - "life support machine"
1. hammond heavy (emptyheads)
2. (my) magazine
3. wichita lineman
4. life support machine (bentley rhythm ace go to town)
5. life support machine (freebie and the bean blip mix)

these animal men - "light emitting electrical wave"
1. every bullet ('s got my name on it)
2. louis
3. seaman's mission lament
4. sister anne
5. light emitting electrical wave (mandy's mix)
6. light emitting electrical wave (mutronic mix)

these animal men - "accident & emergency"
1. life support machine
2. emitting electrical wave
3. riverboat captain
4. monumental money maker
5. 24 hours to live
6. sophisticated
7. new wave girl
8. going native
9. april 7th
10. when your hands are tied
11. ambulance man (picking up the pieces)

disc 6
S*M*A*S*H / These Animal Men - "flawed is beautiful"
1.renumerator
2. motorway fast
3. cleaning the system
4. don't get in my way
5. louie loui (origins)
6. arthur kane
7. when your hands are tied (blues)
8. hammond heavy (alternate mix)
9. i now pronounce you
10. (this is the ) sound of youth (fierce panda version)
11. bang bang bang granta 25 (fierce panda version)
12. shame [demo]
13. llyc [demo]
14. dear lou [demo]
15. self abused [demo]
16. (i want to) kill somebody [demo]
17. drugs again [demo]
18. real surreal [demo]
19. another love [demo]