Carter USM
Encyclopedia
Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine (frequently shortened to Carter USM) is a British indie rock
band formed in 1988 by singer Jim "Jim Bob
" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter. They made their name with a distinctive style of power pop, fusing samples
, sequenced bass
es and drum machine
s with rock 'n' roll
guitar
s and off-beat wordplay-loaded lyrics. They reached the height of their fame in 1992. Over the following years the band took on new members, topping out as a six-piece, but struggled to regain their earlier popularity. They initially split up in 1998 after releasing seven albums.
in South London
, England, Fruitbat and Jim Bob
originally played in an indie band called Jamie Wednesday
, which released two singles - "Vote For Love" and "We Three Kings of Orient Aren't". Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine was formed in 1988, when Fruitbat and Jim Bob were the only band members to turn up for a charity gig at the London Astoria
, and went on stage to perform as a duo with backing tapes. The debut single "A Sheltered Life" was released later in 1988 on the Big Cat label
, but it was not until the second single "Sheriff Fatman
" in 1989 that the band began to receive recognition. The song was written about a South London
slumlord
and was followed by the album 101 Damnations
– a critical account of life south of the River Thames
, full of black humour, cynicism, wordplay and puns. The album went straight to the top of the indie charts.
The band's gigs became well known for a wall of white stage lights that threw off enormous heat and contributed to the sweaty, stage-diving
crowd scenes that became part of the band's image. Such scenes are depicted in the video In Bed With Carter, filmed at the Brixton Academy
.
– Carter USM released the album 30 Something which, thanks to non-stop touring, entered the UK Albums Chart
at number eight. The accompanying '30 Something' long-sleeved t-shirt
became a defining image of the early 1990s indie generation. One of the singles released from the album, "Bloodsport For All", an attack on racism and bullying in the army, was released at the start of the Gulf War
and consequently banned by the BBC
. Spurred on by infamy, Jim Bob and Fruitbat toured Japan
, Yugoslavia
and the United States
(with EMF
) and made a second-on-the-bill appearance at the Reading Festival, where some people feel they upstaged the headline act, James
. The band also made its first Top Of The Pops
appearance with the single "After the Watershed (Early Learning The Hard Way)", a song about child abuse that would become more famous for its subsequent legal battle with The Rolling Stones
' publisher over the use of the lyrics "Goodbye Ruby Tuesday" in the chorus. The band also hit the headlines when Fruitbat rugby tackled the children's TV presenter Phillip Schofield
in front of millions of television viewers at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party
in 1991.
to work on their third album. That album, 1992 - The Love Album
, went straight to number one in the UK charts, propelling the band to pop stardom. Also, in 1992, the band headlined the Glastonbury Festival
where Fruitbat, annoyed at the shortening of their headline set due to other bands overrunning insulted Michael Eavis
and was subsequently banned from the festival forever. The band was unhappy, however, and this came across in the anger and cynicism of their next record, Post Historic Monsters
.
In 1994, Carter's friend Wez, from former support band Resque, joined the band on drum
s and the newly inspired trio played America, Japan and Europe, including a major concert in Croatia
which was recorded and later released on video. The recording was also given away as a free live album
with Carter's fifth studio LP, Worry Bomb
- a punk-pop
album with upbeat material such as "Let's Get Tattoos" and slow acoustic
songs such as "My Defeatist Attitude".
. With Salv from the band S*M*A*S*H on bass, Wez's brother Steve on guitar, and teenager Ben Lambert
on keyboards
, Carter became a six-piece band.
After signing to Cooking Vinyl they released a mini-album, A World Without Dave
, and started their longest ever UK tour. The band then went back to Canada
and the U.S. They decided to split shortly after their 10th anniversary, and their final studio album, I Blame The Government
, was released in January 1998. Two further albums, Live! and BBC Sessions, were released in the same year, in June and October respectively.
as well as appearing as a presenter on the Brentwood
radio station Phoenix FM
. James Morrison's projects included the band Jim's Super Stereoworld before moving on to solo albums including Angelstrike!
. He has also written two books, Goodnight, JimBob, detailing his experiences on the road with Carter USM, and a novel - 'Storage Stories'. He also appeared in Gutted - A Revengers Musical that debuted at the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
EMI
released Anytime Anyplace Anywhere, a "best of" record featuring tracks from the band's birth until their switch to Cooking Vinyl. This reportedly annoyed the band as they were not consulted or even made aware of the release of the record. In 2004 two new Carter CDs were released: a live album of BBC concerts from the early 1990s, and Brixton Mortars, a compilation album
of tracks from their final two studio albums. In 2006, Carter released a new compilation of unreleased tracks and rarities called The Good, The Bad, The Average And Unique
. Echoing the earlier Starry Eyed And Bollock Naked
, the sleeve features a Volkswagen Beetle
- this time a bright green new model convertible. Autumn 2007 saw the release of a band-authorised best of compilation album spanning their entire career on EMI, under the title, You Fat Bastard
. The title came from a chant performed by the crowd at gigs. It originated from MC (and lighting man) Jon "Fat" Beast's topless on stage band introductions.
On 4 March 2007, almost 10 years after the band last performed, Carter USM's original two-man line-up played a set of four songs as part of a gig to celebrate the life of former Mega City Four
frontman, Darren 'Wiz' Brown
, who died in December 2006. The band had been booked to play acoustically but surprised the audience by playing a traditional electric set at the last moment.
Due to the success of this performance, Carter reunited for two 'farewell' gigs later that year. The first show took place on 2 November 2007 at London's Brixton Academy with support from Sultans of Ping. This sell-out prompted another concert to be arranged, which took place at Glasgow Barrowlands
on 20 October 2007. This was another sell-out show and was recorded for the "Back In Bed With Carter" DVD that contained the whole gig, along with an interview and rehearsal footage. This is the only Carter DVD to be recorded in 5.1 surround sound. Support at The Barrowlands came from The Frank and Walters
and Chris T-T
.
The re-union celebrated twenty years since the band's foundation and ten years since their split. The gigs were performed as the original two-piece of Fruitbat and Jim Bob, who kept their promise to play "all the hits and all the favourites" with sets that lasted almost two hours (a lot longer than their standard seventy minute headline sets of the nineties).
To coincide with the re-union EMI released a two CD anthology, You Fat Bastard. All 36 songs and running order were decided by Jim Bob and Fruitbat. The artwork was also approved and developed with the band. The songs were digitally remastered at Abbey Road studios. This was released in conjunction with the majority of their back catalogue (albums and promo videos) being made available digitally for the first time by EMI.
On 6 February 2008 Jim Bob and Fruitbat hinted at the possibility of further Carter USM gigs when they sent an e-mail
to members of the band's mailing list. Two dates were then announced for Birmingham Academy and Brixton Academy for 21 and 22 November 2008. Support came from EMF at both gigs. Both gigs sold out as Carter played to 8000 people over two nights. Carter also performed at a secret warm-up gig on 17 November at the Southampton Joiners. This sell out show was a tribute for promoter Mint Burston, a friend of the band who helped give them a break in the early 1990s.
Two further sell out gigs followed in London in November 2009, titled "The Drum Machine Years". Over the course of two nights the band played their first four albums in their entirety, plus encores.
They headlined the Beautiful Days festival in Devon on Saturday 20 August 2011.
Further sell-out reunion concerts followed in November 2011, with the band playing Manchester Academy on Friday 18 November and London O2 Academy Brixton on Saturday 19 November.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band formed in 1988 by singer Jim "Jim Bob
Jim Bob
Jim Bob is the stage name for James Morrison, the London born writer and musician best known as the singer of indie punk band Carter USM.-Biography:Jim Bob was born James Neil Morrison in the city of London, on 22 November 1960...
" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter. They made their name with a distinctive style of power pop, fusing samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
, sequenced bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
es and drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
s with rock 'n' roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
guitar
Guitar
The 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...
s and off-beat wordplay-loaded lyrics. They reached the height of their fame in 1992. Over the following years the band took on new members, topping out as a six-piece, but struggled to regain their earlier popularity. They initially split up in 1998 after releasing seven albums.
Starting out: 1988-1990
Based in LambethLambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
in South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, England, Fruitbat and Jim Bob
Jim Bob
Jim Bob is the stage name for James Morrison, the London born writer and musician best known as the singer of indie punk band Carter USM.-Biography:Jim Bob was born James Neil Morrison in the city of London, on 22 November 1960...
originally played in an indie band called Jamie Wednesday
Jamie Wednesday
Jamie Wednesday were a British 1980s jangle pop band, formed in Streatham, South London in 1984, that released eight songs on two records between 1985 and 1986...
, which released two singles - "Vote For Love" and "We Three Kings of Orient Aren't". Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine was formed in 1988, when Fruitbat and Jim Bob were the only band members to turn up for a charity gig at the London Astoria
London Astoria
The London Astoria was a music venue, located at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England. It had been leased and run by Festival Republic since 2000. It was closed on 15 January 2009 and has since been demolished...
, and went on stage to perform as a duo with backing tapes. The debut single "A Sheltered Life" was released later in 1988 on the Big Cat label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, but it was not until the second single "Sheriff Fatman
Sheriff Fatman
"Sheriff Fatman" is a single by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, released in 1989, and featuring on the album 101 Damnations. The title track is probably their best-known original composition. The lyrics rail against slum landlords and their intimidatory tactics used against tenants, and...
" in 1989 that the band began to receive recognition. The song was written about a South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
slumlord
Slumlord
A slumlord is a derogatory term for landlords, generally absentee landlords, who attempt to maximize profit by minimizing spending on property maintenance, often in deteriorating neighborhoods. They may need to charge lower than market rent to tenants...
and was followed by the album 101 Damnations
101 Damnations (album)
101 Damnations may refer to:*101 Dam-Nations, a 1982 single by Scarlet Party*101 Damnations , a 1989 album by Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine*101 Damnations , a 2002 book edited by Michael J. Rosen...
– a critical account of life south of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, full of black humour, cynicism, wordplay and puns. The album went straight to the top of the indie charts.
The band's gigs became well known for a wall of white stage lights that threw off enormous heat and contributed to the sweaty, stage-diving
Stage diving
Stage diving is the act of leaping from a concert stage onto the crowd below. It is often the precursor to crowd surfing.Initially seen as confrontational and extreme, stage diving has become common at hardcore punk and thrash metal performances. Many musicians have made stage diving a part of...
crowd scenes that became part of the band's image. Such scenes are depicted in the video In Bed With Carter, filmed at the Brixton Academy
Carling Academy Brixton
The Brixton Academy, officially called O2 Academy, Brixton, is one of London's leading music venues, nightclubs and theatres. Situated in Brixton, South London, England, the building has hosted a range of leading rock acts since becoming a music venue in 1983...
.
Rough Trade: 1991
In 1991 – having signed to Rough Trade RecordsRough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
– Carter USM released the album 30 Something which, thanks to non-stop touring, entered the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
at number eight. The accompanying '30 Something' long-sleeved t-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
became a defining image of the early 1990s indie generation. One of the singles released from the album, "Bloodsport For All", an attack on racism and bullying in the army, was released at the start of the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and consequently banned by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. Spurred on by infamy, Jim Bob and Fruitbat toured Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(with EMF
EMF (band)
EMF were an indie dance band from the United Kingdom. The band, from the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, came to prominence at the beginning of the 1990s. During its initial eight year run , EMF had released three studio albums and had gone on hiatus and reformed twice...
) and made a second-on-the-bill appearance at the Reading Festival, where some people feel they upstaged the headline act, James
James (band)
James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
. The band also made its first Top Of The Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
appearance with the single "After the Watershed (Early Learning The Hard Way)", a song about child abuse that would become more famous for its subsequent legal battle with The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' publisher over the use of the lyrics "Goodbye Ruby Tuesday" in the chorus. The band also hit the headlines when Fruitbat rugby tackled the children's TV presenter Phillip Schofield
Phillip Schofield
Phillip Bryan Schofield is an English broadcaster and television personality best known for presenting shows such as This Morning, Dancing on Ice, and various game shows including The Cube.-Early life and career:...
in front of millions of television viewers at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party
Smash Hits Poll Winners Party
The Smash Hits Poll Winners Party was an awards ceremony which ran from 1988 to 2005. Each award winner was voted by readers of the Smash Hits magazine. It ended with the closure of the magazine in February 2006....
in 1991.
Chrysalis Records: 1992-1995
The demise of Rough Trade records necessitated a change of label, and Carter made the switch to Chrysalis RecordsChrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
to work on their third album. That album, 1992 - The Love Album
1992 - The Love Album
1992 – The Love Album is an album by Carter USM. Released on Chrysalis Records, following the demise of Rough Trade Records, the album achieved commercial success and became the band's first and only number 1 album in the UK album charts...
, went straight to number one in the UK charts, propelling the band to pop stardom. Also, in 1992, the band headlined the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
where Fruitbat, annoyed at the shortening of their headline set due to other bands overrunning insulted Michael Eavis
Michael Eavis
Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis, CBE , is an English dairy farmer and the founder of the Glastonbury Festival, which takes place on his farm.-Personal life:...
and was subsequently banned from the festival forever. The band was unhappy, however, and this came across in the anger and cynicism of their next record, Post Historic Monsters
Post Historic Monsters
Post Historic Monsters is an album by British electronic rock artists Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. It reached #5 on the UK Charts becoming the bands second highest album after 1992 - The Love Album which reached #1.-Track listing:...
.
In 1994, Carter's friend Wez, from former support band Resque, joined the band on drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s and the newly inspired trio played America, Japan and Europe, including a major concert in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
which was recorded and later released on video. The recording was also given away as a free live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
with Carter's fifth studio LP, Worry Bomb
Worry Bomb
Worry Bomb is an album by Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, it was released in 1995 and reached #9 in the UK charts. It included a limited edition CD of the live show Doma Sportova...Live At Zagreb recorded on May 20, 1994.-Track listing:...
- a punk-pop
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
album with upbeat material such as "Let's Get Tattoos" and slow acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
songs such as "My Defeatist Attitude".
Cooking Vinyl: 1996-1998
In 1996 Carter left Chrysalis Records and joined Cooking VinylCooking Vinyl
Cooking Vinyl is a UK-based independent record company, founded in 1986. Its original orientation was toward contemporary folk music—notably Billy Bragg, and Michelle Shocked's Texas Campfire Tapes, recorded on a Sony Walkman, one of its first releases...
. With Salv from the band S*M*A*S*H on bass, Wez's brother Steve on guitar, and teenager Ben Lambert
Ben Lambert
Ben Lambert is a British musician from Harbury in Warwickshire, England.He has several connections to the Carter USM family having joined Carter as keyboard player in 1995 when just a teenager after leaving school . Lambert has played keyboards for Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine...
on keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, Carter became a six-piece band.
After signing to Cooking Vinyl they released a mini-album, A World Without Dave
A World Without Dave
A World Without Dave is an EP by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. It was the groups only EP release and was released on their new label – Cooking Vinyl – records in 1997....
, and started their longest ever UK tour. The band then went back to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the U.S. They decided to split shortly after their 10th anniversary, and their final studio album, I Blame The Government
I Blame the Government
I Blame the Government is the final studio album by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. It was released on Cooking Vinyl Records in 1998. The album did little in the way of success in the UK mainstream charts but made a small impact on the UK indie charts....
, was released in January 1998. Two further albums, Live! and BBC Sessions, were released in the same year, in June and October respectively.
Post-USM projects: 1999-present
Les Carter currently plays with the band AbdoujaparovAbdoujaparov
Abdoujaparov are a punk band formed on 19 October 1998 by ex-Carter USM guitarist Les Carter . Abdoujaparov's musical foundations are the joyous and shambolic influences of 1977 punk rock. The music is raucous and fast but with country elements.So far four EPs, a single and two albums have been...
as well as appearing as a presenter on the Brentwood
Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
radio station Phoenix FM
Phoenix FM
Phoenix FM is a community radio station serving the areas of Brentwood and Billericay, England. It was formed in 1996 and has broadcast twelve 28-day restricted service licence broadcasts on FM. The station's presenters include local snooker hero Steve Davis, Boxer Rebellion drummer Piers Hewitt,...
. James Morrison's projects included the band Jim's Super Stereoworld before moving on to solo albums including Angelstrike!
Angelstrike!
Angelstrike! is an album by Jim Bob, formerly of Carter USM. The song My Face Your Arse is a humorous duet with fellow ex-Carter USM member Fruitbat. The lyrics depict Jim and Fruitbat insulting each other and accusing each other of being the reason for the splitting up of Carter USM back in 1997...
. He has also written two books, Goodnight, JimBob, detailing his experiences on the road with Carter USM, and a novel - 'Storage Stories'. He also appeared in Gutted - A Revengers Musical that debuted at the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
released Anytime Anyplace Anywhere, a "best of" record featuring tracks from the band's birth until their switch to Cooking Vinyl. This reportedly annoyed the band as they were not consulted or even made aware of the release of the record. In 2004 two new Carter CDs were released: a live album of BBC concerts from the early 1990s, and Brixton Mortars, a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of tracks from their final two studio albums. In 2006, Carter released a new compilation of unreleased tracks and rarities called The Good, The Bad, The Average And Unique
The Good, the Bad, the Average and Unique
The Good, the Bad, the Average and Unique is an album of demos, B-sides and alternate takes by British electronic rock artists Carter USM. The title comes from a lyric in the groups successful 1992 single; "The Only Living Boy in New Cross"...
. Echoing the earlier Starry Eyed And Bollock Naked
Starry Eyed and Bollock Naked
Starry Eyed and Bollock Naked was the first b-side collection by Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine. It was released in March 1994 and reached 22nd place on the UK charts...
, the sleeve features a Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
- this time a bright green new model convertible. Autumn 2007 saw the release of a band-authorised best of compilation album spanning their entire career on EMI, under the title, You Fat Bastard
You Fat Bastard
You Fat Bastard is a 2 CD anthology by British electronic rock artists Carter USM. It was released on 15 October 2007.-Disc 1:# "Surfin' USM"# "24 Minutes From Tulse Hill"# "After The Watershed "# "Rent"...
. The title came from a chant performed by the crowd at gigs. It originated from MC (and lighting man) Jon "Fat" Beast's topless on stage band introductions.
Reunions
In 2001 and 2002, Jim Bob and Fruitbat toured as Who's The Daddy Now? The pair's two bands, Jim's Super Stereoworld and Abdoujaparov, would play a set each, after which the pair combined to perform a number of Carter USM songs. Until 2006, Who's The Daddy Now? was the closest thing to a Carter USM regrouping after their split in 1997.On 4 March 2007, almost 10 years after the band last performed, Carter USM's original two-man line-up played a set of four songs as part of a gig to celebrate the life of former Mega City Four
Mega City Four
Mega City Four were an English indie/pop punk band who were popular in the UK in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Mega City Four consisted of guitarist/vocalist Wiz, his brother and rhythm guitarist/vocalist Danny Brown, bassist/vocalist Gerry Bryant and drummer Chris Jones...
frontman, Darren 'Wiz' Brown
Darren Brown
Darren Mark Brown , known as Wiz, was lead-singer and guitarist of English indie punk band Mega City Four in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and later bands Serpico and Ipanema from 2002 to 2006.-Mega City Four:...
, who died in December 2006. The band had been booked to play acoustically but surprised the audience by playing a traditional electric set at the last moment.
Due to the success of this performance, Carter reunited for two 'farewell' gigs later that year. The first show took place on 2 November 2007 at London's Brixton Academy with support from Sultans of Ping. This sell-out prompted another concert to be arranged, which took place at Glasgow Barrowlands
Barrowland Ballroom
The Barrowlands is a major dance hall and concert venue in Glasgow, Scotland.-History of Barrowland Ballroom:The original building opened in 1934 in a mercantile area east of Glasgow's city centre...
on 20 October 2007. This was another sell-out show and was recorded for the "Back In Bed With Carter" DVD that contained the whole gig, along with an interview and rehearsal footage. This is the only Carter DVD to be recorded in 5.1 surround sound. Support at The Barrowlands came from The Frank and Walters
The Frank and Walters
The Frank and Walters are an alternative rock band from Cork city in Ireland. The band was founded in 1990 by Paul Linehan , his brother Niall Linehan , who was replaced by Kevin Pedreschi in 2004, and Ashley Keating . They took the band name in honour of two eccentric Cork characters...
and Chris T-T
Chris T-T
Chris T-T is an English singer/songwriter based in Brighton. He has released eight studio albums and one live collection. He has also been a piano accompanist; a radio and club DJ; written for a range of publications and currently contributes a regular column on the arts to left-wing newspaper...
.
The re-union celebrated twenty years since the band's foundation and ten years since their split. The gigs were performed as the original two-piece of Fruitbat and Jim Bob, who kept their promise to play "all the hits and all the favourites" with sets that lasted almost two hours (a lot longer than their standard seventy minute headline sets of the nineties).
To coincide with the re-union EMI released a two CD anthology, You Fat Bastard. All 36 songs and running order were decided by Jim Bob and Fruitbat. The artwork was also approved and developed with the band. The songs were digitally remastered at Abbey Road studios. This was released in conjunction with the majority of their back catalogue (albums and promo videos) being made available digitally for the first time by EMI.
On 6 February 2008 Jim Bob and Fruitbat hinted at the possibility of further Carter USM gigs when they sent an e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
to members of the band's mailing list. Two dates were then announced for Birmingham Academy and Brixton Academy for 21 and 22 November 2008. Support came from EMF at both gigs. Both gigs sold out as Carter played to 8000 people over two nights. Carter also performed at a secret warm-up gig on 17 November at the Southampton Joiners. This sell out show was a tribute for promoter Mint Burston, a friend of the band who helped give them a break in the early 1990s.
Two further sell out gigs followed in London in November 2009, titled "The Drum Machine Years". Over the course of two nights the band played their first four albums in their entirety, plus encores.
They headlined the Beautiful Days festival in Devon on Saturday 20 August 2011.
Further sell-out reunion concerts followed in November 2011, with the band playing Manchester Academy on Friday 18 November and London O2 Academy Brixton on Saturday 19 November.
Albums
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
Notes | |
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| UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
SWE Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
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| 1989 | 101 Damnations 101 Damnations (album) 101 Damnations may refer to:*101 Dam-Nations, a 1982 single by Scarlet Party*101 Damnations , a 1989 album by Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine*101 Damnations , a 2002 book edited by Michael J. Rosen...
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29 | – | Reissued on Chrysalis Records in September 1991, originally did not chart. | |
| 1991 | 30 Something
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8 | – |
British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... : Gold |
Reissued on Chrysalis Records in February 1992, charted UK #21. |
| 1992 | 1992 - The Love Album 1992 - The Love Album 1992 – The Love Album is an album by Carter USM. Released on Chrysalis Records, following the demise of Rough Trade Records, the album achieved commercial success and became the band's first and only number 1 album in the UK album charts... |
1 | 35 |
British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... : Gold |
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| 1993 | Post Historic Monsters Post Historic Monsters Post Historic Monsters is an album by British electronic rock artists Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. It reached #5 on the UK Charts becoming the bands second highest album after 1992 - The Love Album which reached #1.-Track listing:... |
5 | – | ||
| 1995 | Worry Bomb Worry Bomb Worry Bomb is an album by Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, it was released in 1995 and reached #9 in the UK charts. It included a limited edition CD of the live show Doma Sportova...Live At Zagreb recorded on May 20, 1994.-Track listing:... |
9 | – | Early versions include Doma Sportova... Live At Zagreb May 20, 1994 | |
| 1997 | A World Without Dave A World Without Dave A World Without Dave is an EP by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. It was the groups only EP release and was released on their new label – Cooking Vinyl – records in 1997.... |
73 | – | Mini-album | |
| 1998 | I Blame The Government I Blame the Government I Blame the Government is the final studio album by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. It was released on Cooking Vinyl Records in 1998. The album did little in the way of success in the UK mainstream charts but made a small impact on the UK indie charts.... |
92 |
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Compilation and live albums
| Year | Title | UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
Notes |
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| 1994 | Starry Eyed And Bollock Naked Starry Eyed and Bollock Naked Starry Eyed and Bollock Naked was the first b-side collection by Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine. It was released in March 1994 and reached 22nd place on the UK charts... (A Collection Of B-Sides)
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22 | |
| 1995 | Straw Donkey... The Singles Straw Donkey... The Singles Straw Donkey... The Singles is a music album by Carter USM. Released on Chrysalis Records. The album is a compilation of singles by the band, some of which were not previously released in an album.- Track listing :# "A Shelterd Life" - 4:03... |
37 | |
| 1998 | Sessions
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| 1999 | Live!
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| 2000 | Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere... The Very Best Of Carter USM
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– | Un-endorsed compilation |
| 2004 | Brixton Mortars
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– | 2 CD Compilation that collects together A World Without Dave A World Without Dave A World Without Dave is an EP by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. It was the groups only EP release and was released on their new label – Cooking Vinyl – records in 1997.... and I Blame The Government I Blame the Government I Blame the Government is the final studio album by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. It was released on Cooking Vinyl Records in 1998. The album did little in the way of success in the UK mainstream charts but made a small impact on the UK indie charts.... |
| 2005 | The Good, the Bad, the Average and Unique The Good, the Bad, the Average and Unique The Good, the Bad, the Average and Unique is an album of demos, B-sides and alternate takes by British electronic rock artists Carter USM. The title comes from a lyric in the groups successful 1992 single; "The Only Living Boy in New Cross"... (A Collection of B-Sides) |
– | |
| 2007 | You Fat Bastard You Fat Bastard You Fat Bastard is a 2 CD anthology by British electronic rock artists Carter USM. It was released on 15 October 2007.-Disc 1:# "Surfin' USM"# "24 Minutes From Tulse Hill"# "After The Watershed "# "Rent"... |
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| 2007 | This Is the Sound of an Eclectic Guitar
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– | Collection of cover versions |
| 2009 | The Drum Machine Years
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– | 2 Volumes of 3 CDs of Live Recordings. Recorded Live on 13 November 2009 at London (HMV) Forum and on 14 November 2009 at Brixton (O2) Academy. |
Singles
| Release date |
|Title | Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
IRL Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
U.S. Modern Rock |
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| 1988 | Oct | "A Sheltered Life" | – | – | – | — |
| 1989 | Nov | "Sheriff Fatman Sheriff Fatman "Sheriff Fatman" is a single by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, released in 1989, and featuring on the album 101 Damnations. The title track is probably their best-known original composition. The lyrics rail against slum landlords and their intimidatory tactics used against tenants, and... " |
– | – | – | 101 Damnations |
| 1990 | Jun | "R.u.b.b.i.s.h" | – | – | – | — |
| Oct | "Anytime Anyplace Anywhere" | 83 | – | – | 30 Something | |
| 1991 | Jan | "Bloodsport For All" | 48 | – | – | |
| Jun | "Sheriff Fatman" (Reissue) | 23 | – | 29 | 101 Damnations | |
| Oct | "After the Watershed (Early Learning the Hard Way) After the Watershed (Early Learning the Hard Way) "After the Watershed" is a single by Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, released in 1991, and was not featured on any original album by the band, only on compilations later on. Legal complications arose following the release of the song, as The Rolling Stones took a dim view of the use of the... " |
11 | 21 | – | — | |
| 1992 | Jan | "R.u.b.b.i.s.h" (Reissue) | 14 | 13 | – | |
| Apr | "The Only Living Boy In New Cross" | 7 | 18 | 26 | 1992 - The Love Album | |
| Jun | "Do Re Me So Far So Good" | 22 | – | – | ||
| Nov | "The Impossible Dream The Impossible Dream (The Quest) "The Impossible Dream " is a popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics written by Joe Darion. It was written for the 1965 musical Man of La Mancha... " |
21 | – | – | ||
| 1993 | Aug | "Lean On Me I Won't Fall Over" | 16 | – | – | Post Historic Monsters |
| Oct | "Lenny and Terence" | 40 | – | – | ||
| 1994 | Feb | "Glam Rock Cops" | 24 | – | – | Starry Eyed and Bollock Naked |
| Nov | "Let's Get Tattoos" | 30 | – | – | Worry Bomb | |
| 1995 | Jan | "The Young Offender's Mum" | 34 | – | – | |
| Sep | "Born On The 5th Of November" | 35 | – | – | Straw Donkey | |
External links
- Official Carter USM website - Maintained by Fruitbat
- [ Carter USM's AMG entry]
- An essay on Carter from Freakytrigger
- An essay on Carter USM from Rob Townsend
- An interview with Fruitbat about the 2008 shows from Culturedeluxe