Blue In the Face: Exhuming The Screaming Blue Messiahs

I first started writing this post in 2017 but, for some reason, chose to abandon it. Being that the band in question was recently re-invoked by a friend of mine, I'm picking it back up and finishing it now. 

It’s been said that music is the universal language, and that it can soothe the savage breast. I realize everyone thinks it’s savage beast, but that’s only because they heard Bugs Bunny say it in regards to a rampaging gorilla. The original quote is from Shakespeare. Don’t belive me? Look it up.

I’ve often found that a fine way of diffusing tensions when discussing volatile subjects – like, say, politics, more so than ever, these days – is to simply change the subject, and more often than not, music is my go-to (as is probably readily apparent from this blog). You and I might rant and rage at each other in opposition over whatever political tumult of the day is currently unfurling, but I’m sure we can find some common ground on a musical level. To this end, there are several people I’m perfectly aligned with in terms of our musical tastes, but -- at the same time -- we’re viscerally at odds with each other when it comes to discussing politics. Funny how that works. 

I recently had a big fallout on The Gathering (the amazingly-still-going mailing list regarding Killing Joke) with a fellow Gatherer when I dared submit my opinion that Trump is a huge, ridiculous and globe-threatening mistake. Suffice to say, much to my surprise, not everyone in the group felt that way (although this particular spat was more about a certain individual's singular hatred for Hillary Clinton than his espousal of the orange embarrassment). Similarly, I run the non-official Cop Shoot Cop page on Facebook, and after commenting a couple of times about what a fatuous asshat Trump is, I was surprised to find that a few Cop Shoot Cop fans are also Trump supporters. I didn’t expect that.

I guess the takeaway from these two anecdotes is to stick to discussions about music, but I still find it very hard to reconcile how someone could listen to the lyrical content of both of those bands and still be a Trumpublican. I mean, Trump practically personifies everything these two estimable ensembles vehemently revile and rail against – gluttonous excess, avarice, monied exclusivity, corporate privilege, authoritarian oppression, back-room collusion, etc. How does one listen to, say, Killing Joke’s “Money Is Not Our God,” “Age of Greed,” or “Blood On Your Hands” or even fucking “America” (a dreadful single, but almost directly about Donald Trump at every turn) and not connect the dots? Cop Shoot Cop’s “Surprise, Surprise (The Government Lies)” has never been more timely than 2017, and “Lo.Com.Denom” is practically a hate-letter to your avergae Trump supporter. I just don’t get it.

Anyway, I’m digressing. To get back to my original point, I was frankly shocked, this week, to stumble upon a crazy rare interview with a criminally under-celebrated musician I’ve literally admired for decades from a source I would never have imagined.

Beyond the fact that I think the organization he works for is absolutely poisonous, Fox News personality Greg Gutfeld tracked down the elusive “Wild” Bill Carter from the mighty Screaming Blue Messiahs. If you’re unfamiliar, the Screaming Blue Messiahs emerged in the middle of the 80’s, playing a furiously bug-eyed amalgam of surrealist guitar rock that essentially paired the best elements of British Pub rock (ala Dr. Feelgood, The 101’rs, etc.) with British punk, their secret weapon being Carter’s incendiary guitar antics (like an even more frenetic Wilko Johnson) and his convincingly unhinged songwriting. They only made three proper LPs (Gun Shy, Bikini Red and Totally Religious) and even scored a novelty hit, that being “I Want to Be Flintstone,” which wasn’t really indicative of their full-throttled potential. They split shortly after the release of their third record.

Personally speaking, I hadn’t discovered Dr. Feelgood as yet, so The SBM really sounded like nothing else to me when I first encountered them. Between the power-house rhythm section, Carter’s choppy, staccato guitars and Carter’s oddball lyrics, they swiftly became one of my favorite bands. Those first two records alone practically scored my college career – “Wild Blue Yonder,” “Someone to Talk To,” “Talking Doll,” “Smash the Marketplace,” “Killer Born Man,” “Sweet Water Pools,” “Jesus Chrysler Drives a Dodge,” and my senior year off-campus house favorite, “Big Brother Muscle,” were in constant rotation. Very regrettably, I never got to see them play live, but by all accounts, they were nothing short of explosive. And then … they vanished.

There were a few bootlegs and dubious live recordings about, but after Totally Religious in 1989 (not the strongest of the three albums, although “Four Engines Burning” still fucking rocks), they were done. I remember thrilling to discover Wild Bill playing guitar on a track on Robyn Hitchcock’s Invisible Hitchcock (adding some serious combustion to “Eaten By Her own Dinner”), but by and large, he pulled something of a Syd Barrett after that.

------- This is where I stopped with the original post. --------- 

What I didn't mention above is that I actually reached out to Greg Gutfield to chat about the Screaming Blue Messiahs and we exchanged a few fleeting pleasantries. I was basically applauding him for his good taste and for the wherewithal to chase down Bill Carter for an incredibly rare interview. I don't believe I got into politics, at all, which was probably for the best.

In the wake of this incident, Greg Gutfield continued to be a fatuous shill for the GOP, and I believe was recently given his own late night talk show on Fox, which I can assure you I'll never watch. That said, were he to pivot to music, maybe that would give me a reason, but I find myself so entirely at odds with him on pretty much every other subject under the sun that I don't know that I could stomach it.

The Screaming Blue Messiahs, meanwhile, continue to languish in relative obscurity. The did get another major endorsement, however, from none other than Bruce Springsteen, who cited them, back in October 2020, in a list of favorite songs about cars. Here's what he had to say about them...

“The Screaming Blue Messiahs were formed as a power trio in 1983 in London by guitarist and singer Bill Carter, bassist Chris Thompson and drummer Kenny Harris. They released three terrific major label albums: Gun-Shy, Bikini Red and Totally Religious. They garnered wide critical acclaim and, unfortunately, limited commercial success, particularly here in America. They however, without a doubt, were one of the great bands of the ’80s.”

Cool, right? I've never been a huge fan of Bruce's music, but I entirely respect the guy (and agree with his politics). 

I should probably post one of their bigger singles, but screw that. Here's probably my favorite song of theirs. 

Play loud. Enjoy. Be good to each other. But know that Trump belongs behind bars.

ADDENDUM: Stumbled upon this live footage after posting, and it would be a shame not to include. Totally on display here is Carter's playing style, which comes almost directly from Wilko Johnson. It's beautiful....

Comments

[DrBOP]

Funny that the tale ends up at Springsteen because I could never undersatand him having GOPee fans.
My guess is it's alot of the fans that came on board the Bruce Bus with the "Born In The USA" super-stardom....without reading the entire lyrics. All about ignorantly screamin' out the slogan.....
JUST like The Fired One's cultish love of "Lock her up", "Hang Pence", etc.
But I must confess, I am not above the fray
LOCK HIM UP !

[raymental]

It's very curious you omit the first and the best "Good and gone"...!!

[Alex in NYC]

Never had -- nor could ever find -- that one.

[Phil]

There is a box set available called ' Vision in Blues' which contains all of their recorded output on CDs with alternate versions of several tracks plus a 7" single of the previously unreleased track 'Vision in Blues'.