I have a confession to make. I fucking love Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. More than any other indie pop band, Carter are my absolute favourite. Don't get me wrong, The Family Cat and all the rest are the soundtrack to my jingly jangly youth, but Carter are my favourite by a long, long way.
So, it's taken me a long time to put them up here, not because they don't count, but because I wanted to wait and see how those rose-tinted memories stood up to the gigs that were played in Glasgow and London this year. I also wanted to make sure I could decide on an mp3 to put up here. 
Carter were my introduction to the world of indie pop. I remember vividly that I was on a coach back from a school trip somewhere and we stopped at a motorway service station. Being a bit of a sad bastard I didn't rush into the newsagents and buy a copy of Razzle like the hard kids did, I bought an NME. It had a review for 101 Damnations in it and it sounded to me like the greatest album ever produced. Of course, when I finally got to a shop to buy it and got it home, it was.
I'd hate to say that Carter changed my life, because that would be over-egging the pudding somewhat, but from then on I was hooked. I even grew a fringe like Jimbob - thank God there aren't any photos of that.
Over the next couple of years I saw them whenever I could. At least twice at the Poly in Huddersfield (I hope you've been paying attention, there's a quiz later on the support bands) and at the 1991 Reading Festival where, apart from the Sister's of Mercy and some no hopers called Nirvana, they were the best thing ever.
It's just a shame they weren't more fashionable. All the cool indie girls in their black and purple hoopy tights (you know you loved them!) went to Cud. Teenage Fanclub were the kings. Carter were my favourites. I don't care if I'm wrong.
Anyway, I decided. Much as Sheriff Fatman is the crowd pleaser and Only living Boy in New Cross is the big hit and After the Watershed is the one the Rolling Stones tried to ban and Bloodsport for All wasn't played on Radio 1 "because of the Iraq war", I had to go for Carter USM - Shopper's Paradise because when they played it at Brixton I had a smile a foot wide. This isn't the original Christmas special edition I'm afraid, just the one from 30 Something (admittedly a white label version :), but do you care? I don't. And I care even less that the photos have fucked the formatting on this.
Tell your kids, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine. Best indie band ever.
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
Carter USM
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*shakes hand*
ReplyDeleteBrixton was the best Carter show of the 17 I've seen.
Yes! I wondered when you'd get round to giving some love to Carter! My favourite band of all time too and, yes, I was at Brixton too...I think I sang every single word...totally hoarse by the end!
ReplyDeleteamazing band, amazing gig. we love you jim bob and fruitbat!
ReplyDeleteI've got to agree with you there... shame i missed both Glasgow and London gigs. GRRRRR. Favourite song? Mine? Billy's Smart Circus.
ReplyDeleteWhat about a Jamie Wednesday tune? I saw Carter loads when I was a kid, both with the Beast guy and without. It was a bit odd when everyone used to shout "You fat bastard" to an empty stage after he stopped going on. You know those Crazy Carter Crew T-SHirts? They used to go for £150. Didn't they have a spat with Kingmaker over Kingmaker's suicide song? Now there's a band you shouldn't feature. I can't tell you how much I love this blog - I keep wondering which band you'll dig up next and then go "God, how could I have forgotten THEM" I should have put it under resque but Wez was the brother (I think) of a friend of mine. Very nice chap.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you make of 1992 album?
I still don't understand why they don't have a better legacy.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember that in 1991, it was only them and PE that got 10 out of 10 in NME for their albums that year.
I always thought they were a great band that people loved, because you didn't really have to keep up any pretence of being cool to like them (they weren't the manics or suede) which probably pissed off all the cool people who secretly like them.
Still any takers out there for my pet shop boys Sarf London Cheeky as F*ck t-shirt! only been worn about 1000 times!!!
The gigs were good, weren’t they? Have to say though, that I prefer Jim Bob’s acoustic stuff these days. I must be getting old.
ReplyDeleteNo photos of the Jimbob fringe - are you sure??? I reckon I've got some from Spain 1992 somewhere
ReplyDeleteGreat post and brilliant site. Carter are 'effin wonderful. Unfortunately, missing/missed the one-off reformations. Hoping that one-off is not true and that the call of cash drags a tour out of them
ReplyDeletePerfume became a four piece in 1995 with the addition af ace bass player Karl Traae, of Leicester's great lost Indie band HBM (HugeBigMassive), and who returned from a stint in the US holding down bass duties for San Diego's Whirl.This increase in manpower made a formidable difference to their sound and stage performances, and led to the release of 'Haven't Seen You', their most succesful single, co-written by the band.A lack of support from the record label and recording pressures led to the break up of the band in 1997.
ReplyDeleteThat reads like a press release, Digger. Do you work in PR?
ReplyDeleteyea i am from that era. after a big stint of raving 'til dawn in most of the mid nineties, my memory is coming back of the start of the decade. seen kingmaker, carter, family cat (great missed band - didnt quite cut it on vinyl though).
ReplyDeleteone small band that didnt go anywhere were Mint 400, managed to track a page down http://www.last.fm/music/Mint+400/ nowt much more though on the 'Net
Unstoppable energetic band, love'm. From 1993 till now...
ReplyDeleteUnique blend of punky pop and beats.
2011's gigs were as good as any time iv seen carter... in fact thats a lie they were better.....
ReplyDeleteYou Fat What ?????
Radiohead (promoting Creep) were the support act at Huddersfield Uni. I sat at the bar thinking "they sound pretty good". P'ah.
ReplyDeleteMat Newton