Troublegum
Encyclopedia
Troublegum was the second major label album by the band Therapy?
It was released on February 7, 1994 on A&M Records
. The album was recorded in 1993 at Chipping Norton Studio in Oxford
, as well as Rak Studios and Church Studios, both in London
. It had a melodically dark, metal
-like sound. The album contains a cover of Isolation
by Joy Division
, which also became a single. Troublegum is generally considered to be Therapy? at their musical and commercial peak and has since sold over one million copies worldwide. The album reached number 5 in the UK Albums Chart.
The album was released on 12” vinyl, CD and Cassette. In the UK, the album was released on limited edition green 12” vinyl. There was also a green Cassette and the original CD copies had a green tray.
Therapy?
Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
It was released on February 7, 1994 on A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. The album was recorded in 1993 at Chipping Norton Studio in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, as well as Rak Studios and Church Studios, both in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It had a melodically dark, metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
-like sound. The album contains a cover of Isolation
Isolation (Joy Division song)
"Isolation" is a 1980 song appearing on the post-punk band Joy Division's second album, Closer. The song is based upon an industrial beat by Stephen Morris, accompanied by a high-pitched keyboard line by Bernard Sumner...
by Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, which also became a single. Troublegum is generally considered to be Therapy? at their musical and commercial peak and has since sold over one million copies worldwide. The album reached number 5 in the UK Albums Chart.
The album was released on 12” vinyl, CD and Cassette. In the UK, the album was released on limited edition green 12” vinyl. There was also a green Cassette and the original CD copies had a green tray.
Track listing
- "Knives" (Cairns) – 1:55
- "Screamager" (Cairns/McKeegan/Ewing) – 2:36
- "Hellbelly" (Cairns) – 3:21
- "Stop It You're Killing Me" (Cairns) – 3:50
- "Nowhere" (Cairns/McCarrick) – 2:26
- "Die Laughing" (Cairns/McKeegan/Ewing) – 2:48
- "Unbeliever" (Cairns) – 3:28
- "Trigger Inside" (Cairns) – 3:56
- "Lunacy Booth" (Cairns) – 3:55
- "Isolation" (Curtis/Sumner/Hook/Morris) – 3:10
- "Turn" (Cairns/McKeegan/Ewing) – 3:50
- "Femtex" (Cairns) – 3:14
- "Unrequited" (Cairns) – 3:03
- "Brainsaw" (Cairns) / "You are My Sunshine" (Davis/Mitchell) [hidden track] – 3:58 (25:27 US)
- "Pantopon Rose" (Cairns/McKeegan) – 2:19 (Japanese release only)
Personnel
- Andy CairnsAndy CairnsAndrew James Cairns , is a founding member, singer, guitarist and songwriter for Therapy?, a hard rock band from Northern Ireland.- Therapy? :...
- vocals/guitar - Fyfe EwingFyfe EwingFyfe Alexander Ewing , is best known as the original drummer and founding member of rock band Therapy?.-Therapy?:...
- drums/backing vocals - Michael McKeeganMichael McKeeganMichael Robert McKeegan is best known as the bassist with the rock band, Therapy?.-Evil Priest:...
- bass/backing vocals - Page HamiltonPage HamiltonPage Hamilton is a guitarist, singer and record producer, mostly noted for his work with alternative metal band Helmet...
- lead guitar on "Unbeliever" - Lesley Rankine - additional vocals on "Lunacy Booth"
- Martin McCarrickMartin McCarrickMartin McCarrick is an English cellist, keyboardist and guitarist.He is best known for his work Siouxsie and the Banshees from 1987 until 1995. He recorded with them three studio albums : Peepshow, Superstition and The Rapture...
- cello on "Unrequited" - Eileen RoseEileen RoseEileen Rose is an American singer-songwriter who is known for her eclectic Americana music. She has released five solo studio albums and toured Europe and the US extensively with her band The Holy Wreck...
- additional vocals on "Femtex" - Chris SheldonChris SheldonChris Sheldon is a record producer, particularly of rock music, based in London, UK. He has produced or mixed records for the Foo Fighters, Garbage, Feeder, Biffy Clyro, Oceansize and Pixies amongst others...
- producer, engineer - Nigel Rolfe - photography
- Stuart Smyth - photography
- Valerie PhillipsValerie PhillipsValerie Phillips is a New York born fashion photographer, based in London.-Biography:Valerie's biggest influences remain the things she loved as a kid: outer space, gymnastics, skateboarding and the paintings of Dante Gabriel Rossetti....
- photography - Jeremy Pearce - design
- Simon Carrington - design
Singles
- "Screamager" - March 11, 1993, on the Shortsharpshock EP with "Auto Surgery", "Totally Random Man" and a re-recorded version of "Accelerator" from NurseNurse (album)Nurse was the first major label album released by the band Therapy?. It was released on November 2, 1992 on A&M Records. The album was mainly recorded at Loco Studio in Caerleon, Wales, apart from "Gone" which was recorded in Annamoe, Ireland. It marked a departure from the noise punk style of the...
. This single reached number 9 in the UK Singles Chart, number 2 in the Irish Singles Chart and number 16 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart. - "Turn" - May 31, 1993, on the Face The StrangeFace the StrangeFace the Strange was an EP released by the band Therapy? on May 31, 1993 through A&M Records. Its lead track is Turn, which reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart, and reached number 5 in the Irish Singles Chart....
EP with "Speedball", "Bloody Blue" and a re-recorded version of "Neck Freak" from NurseNurse (album)Nurse was the first major label album released by the band Therapy?. It was released on November 2, 1992 on A&M Records. The album was mainly recorded at Loco Studio in Caerleon, Wales, apart from "Gone" which was recorded in Annamoe, Ireland. It marked a departure from the noise punk style of the...
. This single reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart, and number 5 in the Irish Singles Chart. - "NowhereNowhere (song)"Nowhere" is a song by Therapy? and a single released on January 17, 1994 on A&M Records. A remix CD was released a week later on January 24, 1994. The song is featured on the Troublegum album...
" - January 17, 1994, with "Pantopon Rose", "Breaking The Law" (Judas PriestJudas PriestJudas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
), and "C. C. Rider" (Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
). A second CD was released on January 24, 1994, with two remixes of the title track, provided by the Sabres of Paradise. The single reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart, and number 6 in the Irish Singles Chart. - "Trigger InsideTrigger Inside"Trigger Inside" is a song by the band Therapy? and a single released on February 28, 1994 on A&M Records. It is featured on the Troublegum album...
" - February 28, 1994, with "Nice 'n' Sleazy" (The StranglersThe StranglersThe Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
), "Reuters" (WireWire (band)Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman , Graham Lewis , Bruce Gilbert , and Robert Gotobed...
), and "Tatty Seaside Town" (The MembranesThe MembranesThe Membranes were a post-punk band formed in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1977, the initial line-up being John Robb , Mark Tilton , Martin Critchley and Martin Kelly . Critchley soon left, with Robb and Tilton taking on vocals, and Kelly moving to keyboards, with "Coofy Sid" taking over on drums...
). A remix 12" was released with two remixes of the title track, plus the two Sabres of Paradise remixes previously released on the single "NowhereNowhere (song)"Nowhere" is a song by Therapy? and a single released on January 17, 1994 on A&M Records. A remix CD was released a week later on January 24, 1994. The song is featured on the Troublegum album...
". This single reached number 22 in the UK Singles Chart, and number 16 in the Irish Singles Chart. - "Die LaughingDie Laughing (song)"Die Laughing" is a song by Therapy? released as a single on A&M Records on May 30, 1994. It is featured on the Troublegum album. The single reached number 29 in the UK Singles Chart, and number 14 in the Irish Singles Chart....
" - May 30, 1994, with "Stop It You're Killing Me (live)", "Trigger Inside (live)" and "Evil Elvis (The Lost Demo)". A remix 12" was released with two remixes of the title track, provided by David HolmesDavid HolmesDavid Holmes is the name of:* David Holmes , stuntman and actor in the Harry Potter films* David Holmes , former Chairman of Rangers* David Holmes , former BBC Political Editor...
. This single reached number 29 in the UK Singles Chart, and number 16 in the Irish Singles Chart. - "Isolation" (Joy DivisionJoy DivisionJoy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
) - 1994, with "Lunacy Booth (string version)" and "Isolation (ConsolidatedConsolidatedConsolidated may refer to:*Consolidated *Consolidated Aircraft , an aircraft manufacturer*Consolidated city-county*Consolidation...
mix)". This single was a German only release. - "Femtex" - 1994, with "Pantopon Rose". This was a coloured 7" released only in the US and limited to 500 copies.
- "Knives" - 1994, with "Knives (kiddie version)", "Pantopon Rose" and "Nowhere". This single was a US only promo release.
Promo Videos
- "Screamager": Directed by Jon Klein
- "Turn": Directed by Julie Hermelin
- "Nowhere": Directed by Nico Beyer
- "Trigger Inside": Directed by ?
- "Die Laughing": Directed by Matt MahurinMatt MahurinMatt Mahurin is an American illustrator, photographer and film director. Mahurin's illustrations appear in Time, Newsweek, Mother Jones, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Forbes, and The New York Times.Mahurin's work as a photo essayist has dealt with subjects such as homelessness, people with AIDS, the...
- "Isolation": Directed by Michelle Spillane (version 1)
- "Isolation": Directed by ? (version 2)
Reception
- The album was rated the Top album of 1994 in the 1000th issue of Kerrang magazine in 2004.
- The album was number 31 in Kerrang's 100 Best British Rock Albums ever!
- The album was shortlisted for the 1994 Mercury Music Prize.