Meat Whiplash
Encyclopedia
Meat Whiplash was an alternative rock
band from East Kilbride
, Scotland
, that were amongst the first to be signed to Creation Records
.
The line-up was Paul McDermott (vox), Stephen McLean (guitar
), Edward Connelly (bass guitar
) and Michael Kerr (drums
). They took their name from a B-side track by The Fire Engines
. They then became The Motorcycle Boy
when female singer Alex Taylor (of The Shop Assistants
) joined the group in 1987
.
, printed up by Bobby Gillespie
and hand-folded by their record label's owner, Alan McGee
). They are notorious for being the opening band at The Jesus and Mary Chain
's infamous "riot gig" at the North London Polytechnic
on 15 March 1985, where they threw a wine bottle into the crowd and were, according to The Jasmine Minks
, the next band set to play, then beaten-up on-stage by members of the audience who later rioted when the controversial main act performed. They also had a session in the Maida Vale
studios for John Peel
's show on BBC Radio 1
on 15 October that same year.
, Devon, run by Jeff Barrett
, who later worked as a press officer for Creation Records
and then founded Heavenly Records
. After a concert in the city by the Jesus and Mary Chain, the store acquired a second sign and also became known as "Bobby Gillespie's."
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 from East Kilbride
East Kilbride
East Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South Lanarkshire council area, in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. Designated as Scotland's first new town in 1947, it forms part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, that were amongst the first to be signed to 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...
.
The line-up was Paul McDermott (vox), Stephen McLean (guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
), Edward Connelly (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Michael Kerr (drums
Drum kit
A 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 ....
). They took their name from a B-side track by The Fire Engines
The Fire Engines
The Fire Engines are a post-punk band from Edinburgh, Scotland. The band was a part of the same literary art-punk scene as the Scars and their most famous contemporaries, Josef K. They grew out of the Dirty Reds which had actor Tam Dean Burn as singer....
. They then became The Motorcycle Boy
The Motorcycle Boy
The Motorcycle Boy were an indie pop band formed in East Kilbride, Scotland, in 1987 by former members of Meat Whiplash and The Shop Assistants....
when female singer Alex Taylor (of The Shop Assistants
The Shop Assistants
Shop Assistants were an indie pop band from Edinburgh, Scotland, formed in 1984, initially as Buba & The Shop Assistants. After achieving success with independent releases they signed to Chrysalis Records sublabel Blue Guitar, releasing their only album in 1986...
) joined the group in 1987
1987 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1987.See also:Record labels established in 1987-January-February:*January 3 – Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
.
Discography
They only had one record released, Don't Slip Up, which spent 19 weeks in the UK's independent music chart, where it reached the #3 position following its release on 14 September 1985 as a 7" single, (which had a sleeve featuring actor Robert VaughnRobert Vaughn
Robert Francis Vaughn, , is an American actor noted for stage, film and television work. His best known roles include the suave spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., wealthy detective Harry Rule in the 1970s television series The Protectors, Albert Stroller in...
, printed up by Bobby Gillespie
Bobby Gillespie
Robert Bernard Andrew "Bobby" Gillespie is a Scottish musician. He is the lead singer and founding member of the alternative rock band, Primal Scream. He was also the drummer for The Jesus and Mary Chain in the mid-1980s.- Early life :Born and raised in the south side district of Mount Florida in...
and hand-folded by their record label's owner, Alan McGee
Alan McGee
Alan McGee has been a record label owner, musician, manager, and music blogger for The Guardian.McGee is best-known for co-forming and running the independent Creation Records label from 1983–1999, and then Poptones from 1999-2007...
). They are notorious for being the opening band at The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
's infamous "riot gig" at the North London Polytechnic
University of North London
The University of North London was a university in the United Kingdom from 1992 to 2002. On 1 August 2002, it merged with London Guildhall University to form London Metropolitan University. The former University of North London premises now form the new university's north campus, situated on...
on 15 March 1985, where they threw a wine bottle into the crowd and were, according to The Jasmine Minks
The Jasmine Minks
The Jasmine Minks are a British indie band, whose early singles were amongst the first releases by Creation Records.-History:Formed in Aberdeen in 1983, the band were initially a quartet of Jim Shepherd , Adam Sanderson , Martin Keena, and Tom Reid...
, the next band set to play, then beaten-up on-stage by members of the audience who later rioted when the controversial main act performed. They also had a session in the Maida Vale
Maida Vale
Maida Vale is a residential district in West London between St John's Wood and Kilburn. It is part of the City of Westminster. The area is mostly residential, and mainly affluent, consisting of many large late Victorian and Edwardian blocks of mansion flats...
studios for John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's show on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
on 15 October that same year.
Record store
"Meat Whiplash" was also the name of a mid-80s independent record store in PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Devon, run by Jeff Barrett
Jeff Barrett
Jeff Barrett is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for three seasons for the Brooklyn Dodgers.-References:...
, who later worked as a press officer for 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...
and then founded Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records, aka Heavenly Recordings, is a London-based record label, distributed by EMI. Founded by Jeff Barrett, a former press officer for Creation Records and many successful indie bands of the time including Happy Mondays, Heavenly Recordings' first releases were 7" and 12" singles for...
. After a concert in the city by the Jesus and Mary Chain, the store acquired a second sign and also became known as "Bobby Gillespie's."