Live The Screaming Blue Messiahs were a ferocious proposition .Employing a rhythmic, blues-influenced guitar style they were one of a bunch of notable rock trio's (The Jam Husker Du Big Black ) who made a noise bigger than their composite parts. Bill Carter (vocals and guitar), Chris Thompson (bass guitar and vocals) and Kenny Harris (drums) whipped up a maelstrom when I saw them in Manchester in 1987.
The band were touring to promote their third album Bikini Red released the same year .Anyone seeing the band that night unfamiliar with the album would have been astonished on hearing it. It has it's hard edged moments but is way way poppier than the rockabilly frenzy I witnessed .
I Wanna Be a Flintstone", which was later included on the soundtrack to the Flintstones film
The Flintstones [DVD] [1994] gave the band their only chart entry and while it has an insanely catchy chorus ("Yabba Dabba doo time") is resolutely silly. The band deserve better than a solo novelty hit But then this album is an invigorating blend of the glitzy tuneful -"I Can Speak American " , "Lie Detector (My favourite , with its squelch keyboard effects) and the signature slashing diamond coated chords-"Sweet Water Pools "( one of the great opening tracks on any rock album ) , "Too Much Love " ,Jesus Chrysler Drives A Dodge ".
The churning rhythms and monk like harmonies on the title track make it a genuine idiosyncrasy , even on an album as schizophrenic as this , even taking the gnarly rockabilly of "55-The Law " and waltz like ...errr "Waltz " into account .
Brilliantly produced by Vic Maile who places the percussion forward in the mix giving the music a muscular and powerful live edge Bikini Red is a great example of how a bunch of fantastic rock musicians with brilliant tunes ( all the tracks are either Carter solo efforts or written with Tony Moon who Carter had been in the band Motor Boys with )are one of the most vital thrills music has to offer. Bikini Red is a classic example of the genre. Yabba dabba doo time indeed.
