Other Things To Do

It's the 21st Century apparently, so why not come join the Facebook group of the blog of the music. It's what people from the future do.
"Because Midway Still Aren't Coming Back" on Facebook.
 
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Wednesday 16 July 2008

McCarthy

McCarthy are another band that came up in conversation on the Facebook group and are can be added to the list of top notch Essex-based indie bands. Formed in 1985 and active until about 1990, the band released a good few singles and three albums as well as recording three Peel Sessions and appearing in the Festive 50 twice; the sign of a good band in anybody's book.

There's a number of very good histories available on the old internet; this one particularly details their history and influences and tells us that:

"[the band were] named for the infamous US Senator Joseph McCarthy, who led the Communist witch hunt [in the USA] in the 1950's, McCarthy were ironic to say the least. Due to their chosen name and politically charged lyrics, as often satirically far right as they were sincerely far left, as well as their rumored association with the Revolutionary Communist Party in England, most critics were quick to label McCarthy as "Marxist" or "anarchist" rock and roll. The band, for their part, didn't take themselves quite as seriously. from left to right: Gary, Malcolm, Tim, and John Malcolm's lyrics are filled to bursting with irony, humor, and contradiction."
They really were a great band and this mp3, McCarthy - Keep an open mind or else, captures them in essence (it was released as one of 600,000 copies according to the insert!).

The Tweenet page is also very good and so is the wikipedia page.

The Band split in about 1990; you can still buy "That's All Very Well But...", their Best Of album.

4 comments:

  1. the only time i've ever been mugged was on my way to see mccarthy so they've always been my soundtrack to streetcrime somehow.
    x

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  2. top marks for not mentioning Stereolab in a McCarthy review.

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  3. Hey great mug you're drinking of there. :-) There's a similiar one on my cupboard... (and I'm looking forward seeing Carter USM on the 22th of nov.!)

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  4. Heh, 600,000 copies. I wonder how many zeros to the left that comma really should have been placed?!

    I never realised they were from Essex, by the way. Ironic really given that's where I'm from.

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