Bandwagonesque
Encyclopedia
Bandwagonesque is the third album by Scottish alternative rock
band Teenage Fanclub
, released in November 1991 on Creation Records
. Bandwagonesque became famous by beating Nirvana
's landmark album Nevermind
to be voted 'album of the year' for 1991 by American music magazine Spin
. It also gave the band substantial US success when the single "Star Sign" reached #4 on the Modern Rock Tracks
chart, becoming their biggest hit in that country. "What You Do to Me" and "The Concept" were also Top 20 hits on that chart.
The cover is designed by Sharon Fitzgerald. When Kiss
member Gene Simmons
(who had trademarked the logo of a moneybag with dollar symbol) was made aware of the record he sent a letter to Geffen Records
- who in turn gave in and sent Simmons a cheque, according to Simmons's book Sex Money Kiss.
The liner notes to the newly (2009) released Big Star Box set (Rhino R2 519760) say "...the album was so in thrall to Chilton, Bell, and company that some critics had taken to calling it "Big Star's 4th."
In 2006 the album was performed live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties
-curated Don't Look Back
series.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub are an alternative rock band from Bellshill, Scotland. The band is composed of Norman Blake , Raymond McGinley , Gerard Love and Francis MacDonald , with songwriting duties shared equally among Blake, McGinley and Love...
, released in November 1991 on Creation Records
Creation Records
Creation Records was a British independent record label headed by Alan McGee. Along with Dick Green and Joe Foster, McGee founded Creation in 1983. The label lasted until its demise in 1999. The name came from the 1960s band The Creation , whom McGee greatly admired. McGee, Green and Foster were...
. Bandwagonesque became famous by beating Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
's landmark album Nevermind
Nevermind
Nevermind is the second studio album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Butch Vig, Nevermind was the group's first release on DGC Records...
to be voted 'album of the year' for 1991 by American music magazine Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
. It also gave the band substantial US success when the single "Star Sign" reached #4 on the Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart, becoming their biggest hit in that country. "What You Do to Me" and "The Concept" were also Top 20 hits on that chart.
The cover is designed by Sharon Fitzgerald. When Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
member Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
(who had trademarked the logo of a moneybag with dollar symbol) was made aware of the record he sent a letter to Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
- who in turn gave in and sent Simmons a cheque, according to Simmons's book Sex Money Kiss.
The liner notes to the newly (2009) released Big Star Box set (Rhino R2 519760) say "...the album was so in thrall to Chilton, Bell, and company that some critics had taken to calling it "Big Star's 4th."
In 2006 the album was performed live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
-curated Don't Look Back
Don't Look Back (concert series)
Don't Look Back is a yearly series of concerts in which London based promoters All Tomorrow's Parties ask artists and bands to play one of their seminal albums live in its entirety...
series.
Track listing
- "The Concept" (BlakeNorman Blake (Scottish musician)Norman Blake is a singer-songwriter in the Glasgow based band, Teenage Fanclub.Blake and Sean Dickson were in The Faith Healers together, which also contained various members at different times Stevie Gray, Hugh McLaughlin, Brian Carson and Colin Murray to name but a few.Blake and Carson were...
) – 6:07 - "Satan" (Teenage FanclubTeenage FanclubTeenage Fanclub are an alternative rock band from Bellshill, Scotland. The band is composed of Norman Blake , Raymond McGinley , Gerard Love and Francis MacDonald , with songwriting duties shared equally among Blake, McGinley and Love...
) – 1:22 - "December" (Love) – 3:03
- "What You Do to Me" (Blake) – 2:00
- "I Don't Know" (McGinley) – 4:36
- "Star Sign" (Love) – 4:53
- "Metal Baby" (Blake) – 3:39
- "Pet Rock" (Love) – 2:35
- "Sidewinder" (Love/O'HareBrendan O'HareBrendan O'Hare is a Scottish musician, best known as drummer in the Scottish rock band Teenage Fanclub from 1990 until early 1994.-Career:...
) – 3:03 - "Alcoholiday" (Blake) – 5:26
- "Guiding Star" (Love) – 2:48
- "Is This Music?" (Love) – 3:57
Personnel
- Norman BlakeNorman Blake (Scottish musician)Norman Blake is a singer-songwriter in the Glasgow based band, Teenage Fanclub.Blake and Sean Dickson were in The Faith Healers together, which also contained various members at different times Stevie Gray, Hugh McLaughlin, Brian Carson and Colin Murray to name but a few.Blake and Carson were...
- Vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Gerard Love - Vocals, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Raymond McGinley - Vocals, guitar
- Brendan O'HareBrendan O'HareBrendan O'Hare is a Scottish musician, best known as drummer in the Scottish rock band Teenage Fanclub from 1990 until early 1994.-Career:...
- DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Joseph McAlinden - Brass and strings
- Don FlemingDon Fleming (musician)Don Fleming is an American musician, best known for being the frontman of Velvet Monkeys, B.A.L.L., and Gumball.-Biography:...
- Occasional guitar and vocals - Dave Buchanan - Handclaps