The Wild Swans...

Two weeks ago The Quietus ran a feature I wrote on the origins of The Teardrop Explodes band name.  I'm very proud of this piece and it was great to write, I've been a Teardrop fan for almost 20 years now and I was in touch with everyone involved, except for Julian Cope.  Paul Simpson, of The Wild Swans and Care, who was also the original keyboard player for The Teardrop Explodes, provided me with a lot of info.  And I've been meaning to write about The Wild Swans for some time now.  Last year's The Coldest Winter For A Hundred Years is a brilliant Pop record, definitely one of the best albums of the new millennium.  Elegant and passionate, wandering through a ghost world of Liverpool, this is Life Affirming Music.  Indeed, on 1988's promo Music And Talk From Liverpool, guitarist Jeremy Kelly speaks of the hope that they express in their music, and that "greatness of spirit" to be found in the city of Liverpool.

Liquid Mercury has been on my stereo daily for the past few months.  Such an Uplifting chorus, an Absolutely Gorgeous Pop song.  Talking about the very same flat in Rodney Street where The Teardrop Explodes found their name.



And the first single from the record,  "5 minutes 56 seconds of coruscating Blakean incandescence", English Electric Lightning:



And then there is their first single, Revolutionary Spirit, the last release on the Zoo label and what Bill Drummond considers his favourite record from that period.  An Enormous Statement Of Intent, Transcendent Pop at its very best.  Hearing my friend Johnny speak about this song is truly inspiring.



Live in Cebu, The Philippines, September 30th, 2011.  Interesting piece on The Wild Swans success in The Philippines and Paul's thoughts on Liverpool. 



And then there's the band's debut album, Bringing Home The Ashes.  An incredibly good record with some PHENOMENAL songs on it.  Such as lead-off track and single, Young Manhood:



The Wild Swans performing the title track, Bringing Home The Ashes, on Philippines television show, Eat Bulaga!, last year.  Featuring Les Pattinson from Echo & The Bunnymen on bass and Michael Mooney (Julian Cope, Spiritualized) on guitar.



And then there's the b-side of English Electric Lightning, also bearing the name The Coldest Winter For A Hundred Years.  A lovely piece of reminiscence, Simpson speaking of sharing a flat with "genius drummer Pete DeFreitas" (of the Bunnymen), who also funded the recording of and played drums on Revolutionary Spirit.



I can't recommend these records enough.