Oil & Gold
Encyclopedia
Oil & Gold, the third full-length Shriekback
album, is widely considered the band's highest moment. Released in 1985 on Island Records
after the failure of 1984's Jam Science
on Arista Records
, Oil & Gold saw the band metamorphose from contemplative to rocking. The addition of Martyn Barker
on drums and Lu Edmonds on guitar gives many of the songs an almost punk rock
feeling.
In many ways, Oil & Gold is the bridge between the old trio of Barry Andrews
, Carl Marsh, and Dave Allen
, and the new vehicle for Andrews alone. Longtime singer Marsh left the band halfway through the recording, leaving Andrews to take over the vocals. Still, the album's highlights, including the three opening songs, sung by Marsh, and the minor hit, "Nemesis", became the band's signature sound.
The two songs "This Big Hush" and "Coelocanth" were featured in Michael Mann
's 1986 film Manhunter
and "Faded Flowers" was featured in Band of the Hand
. The song "Everything That Rises Must Converge" refers to the short story of that name
by Flannery O'Connor
. The song "Nemesis" is about the hypothetical star
orbiting the Sun .
Shriekback
Shriekback are an English rock band, formed in 1981 in Kentish Town by Barry Andrews, formerly of XTC and League of Gentlemen , and Dave Allen, formerly of the Gang of Four , with Carl Marsh, formerly of Out On Blue Six soon added to the line-up. They were joined by Martyn Barker on drums in 1983...
album, is widely considered the band's highest moment. Released in 1985 on Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
after the failure of 1984's Jam Science
Jam Science
Jam Science is the second album by English pop group Shriekback. It was released in two versions in 1984, and has not been reissued on CD.The first edition, issued on Y Records in early 1984, was the final release by the label...
on Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, Oil & Gold saw the band metamorphose from contemplative to rocking. The addition of Martyn Barker
Martyn Barker
Martyn Barker is an English drummer, best known as the drummer for Shriekback. He has also been a member of King Swamp, and worked with Paula Rae Gibson, Billy Bragg and Beth Gibbons, Rustin Man and Juldah Camara & Justin Adams....
on drums and Lu Edmonds on guitar gives many of the songs an almost punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
feeling.
In many ways, Oil & Gold is the bridge between the old trio of Barry Andrews
Barry Andrews (musician)
Barry Andrews is a vocalist and keyboardist. He is a former member of the bands XTC and League of Gentlemen with Robert Fripp, and was co-founder of Shriekback. He has collaborated with Brian Eno on several projects, most recently guesting on keyboards for the 2005 album Another Day On Earth...
, Carl Marsh, and Dave Allen
Dave Allen (producer/bassist)
Dave Allen was the bass guitarist for the post-punk band, Gang of Four. In 1981, he left Gang of Four to found Shriekback....
, and the new vehicle for Andrews alone. Longtime singer Marsh left the band halfway through the recording, leaving Andrews to take over the vocals. Still, the album's highlights, including the three opening songs, sung by Marsh, and the minor hit, "Nemesis", became the band's signature sound.
The two songs "This Big Hush" and "Coelocanth" were featured in Michael Mann
Michael Mann (film director)
Michael Kenneth Mann is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. For his work, he has received nominations from international organizations and juries, including those at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Cannes and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
's 1986 film Manhunter
Manhunter (film)
Manhunter is a 1986 American thriller film based on Thomas Harris's novel Red Dragon. Written and directed by Michael Mann, it stars William Petersen as Will Graham and features Brian Cox as Hannibal Lecktor...
and "Faded Flowers" was featured in Band of the Hand
Band of the Hand
Band of the Hand is an American 1986 crime film directed by Paul Michael Glaser.The film turned into a theatrical release after it failed as a television pilot....
. The song "Everything That Rises Must Converge" refers to the short story of that name
Everything That Rises Must Converge
Everything That Rises Must Converge is a collection of short stories written by Flannery O'Connor during her final illness. The title of the collection and of the short story of the same name is taken from a passage from the work of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. The collection was published...
by Flannery O'Connor
Flannery O'Connor
Mary Flannery O'Connor was an American novelist, short-story writer and essayist. An important voice in American literature, O'Connor wrote two novels and 32 short stories, as well as a number of reviews and commentaries...
. The song "Nemesis" is about the hypothetical star
Nemesis (star)
Nemesis is a hypothetical hard-to-detect red dwarf star, white dwarf star or brown dwarf, originally postulated in 1984 to be orbiting the Sun at a distance of about 95,000 AU , somewhat beyond the Oort cloud, to explain a perceived cycle of mass extinctions in the geological record, which seem to...
orbiting the Sun .
Track listing
- "Malaria" – 4:29
- "Everything That Rises Must Converge" – 4:03
- "Fish Below the Ice" – 4:24
- "This Big Hush" – 6:11
- "Faded Flowers" – 3:44
- "Nemesis" – 3:43
- "Only Thing That Shines" – 4:23
- "Health and Knowledge and Wealth and Power" – 4:44
- "Hammerheads" – 4:17
- "Coelocanth" – 4:13
Personnel
- Barry AndrewsBarry Andrews (musician)Barry Andrews is a vocalist and keyboardist. He is a former member of the bands XTC and League of Gentlemen with Robert Fripp, and was co-founder of Shriekback. He has collaborated with Brian Eno on several projects, most recently guesting on keyboards for the 2005 album Another Day On Earth...
- keyboards, synthesizers, vocals - Carl Marsh - guitars, vocals
- Dave AllenDave Allen (producer/bassist)Dave Allen was the bass guitarist for the post-punk band, Gang of Four. In 1981, he left Gang of Four to found Shriekback....
- bass - Martyn BarkerMartyn BarkerMartyn Barker is an English drummer, best known as the drummer for Shriekback. He has also been a member of King Swamp, and worked with Paula Rae Gibson, Billy Bragg and Beth Gibbons, Rustin Man and Juldah Camara & Justin Adams....
- drums - Lu Edmonds - guitar
- Hans ZimmerHans ZimmerHans Florian Zimmer is a German film composer and music producer. He has composed music for over 100 films, including critically acclaimed film scores for The Lion King , Crimson Tide , The Thin Red Line , Gladiator , The Dark Knight and Inception .Zimmer spent the early part of his career in the...
- engineering/complicated shaker on "This Big Hush"