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McCarthy

The earliest record by McCarthy that I have is "Red Sleeping Beauty", which was issued in 1986, on the 'Pink'label (Pinky12T). At this point McCarthy comprised of John Williamson, on bass, Gary Baker on drums, Tim Gane on Guitar, and Malcolm Eden on "singing & guitar". There were some (?) earlier singles, one of which was "In Purgatory", on "Wall of Salmon" records, also released in '86. I also know of a track "Celestial City" which I believe was released around that time, although I don't know if it was a 'b' side, compilation track, flexi or what. I'm not even sure i know where I taped it from! (If anyone else knows i'd be glad to hear!"

"Celestial City" appeared on the original C86 cassette that could be ordered only through the NME. It was later, due to demand, released as a vinyl album.

They released the classic "Frans Hals" single in 1986 which had an excellent B-side entitled "The Fall." Rumours quickly spread as the B-side of "Red Sleeping Beauty" had been entitled "The Damned"! - Where McCarthy naming all their B-sides after groups?

For me, they were at their best in the period before signing to midnight music. Midnight put out a couple of press releases in 1990 stating that they were going to release a compilation of "unreleased, deleted & obscure songs, entitled 'That's all very Well But' " which was supposed to follow "Banking.." by a few months (! more like years!) - and the initial 5000 pressed would be acompanied by a extra compilation of rarities entitled "We'll Get You, You Creeps!" I pestered midnight for ages about this but no-one seemed to know anything about it...and then 5 years later ("doesn't time fly!") i see, and by accident (!), a compilation in HMV...if anyone had any details on what happened to all those 'obscure' songs, please let me know!

After releasing "Banking.." & supporting The Chills in march 1990, McCarthy split...Laetitia & Tim started on the long & twisty road that we now call Stereolab. But what of Malcolm Eden, lyricist & singer extraordinaire? He moved to Paris, and began work on a novel (? I'm not sure that this is true, it's just what i heard, you understand!) He did re-emerge, briefly, in a band called Herzfeld, putting out a single on Duophonic (DS 45 07) called Two Mothers / Who the Scroungers Are. But that's the last I know of him. And so the story seems to end...if anyone knows what Malcolm Eden is up to now, it would be good to know.

Bec Vaughan for the indiepop-list in June 1996

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in addition to the discography below, there are two unreleased compilations:

That's All Very Well But
September / Midnight Music unreleased
but some test pressings are around
- A Child Soon In Chains (Peel Session)
- An MP Speaks (Peel Session)
- Antinature (Peel Session)
- The Vision Of Peregrine Worsthorne (Peel Session)
- You're Alive
- Charles Windsor
- The Funeral
- Should The Bible Be Banned (7" version)
- Red Sleeping Beauty
- The Comrade Era
- From The Damned
- For The Fat Lady
- In Purgatory (studio version)
- Frans Hals
- The Fall
- Kill Kill Kill Kill
- Frans Hals (version)

That's All Very Well But
Midnight Music unreleased
I just found out, that there is another version (testpressing only too).
- Red Sleeping Beauty
- The Myth Of The North/South Divide
- The Funeral
- This Nelson Rockefeller
- The Vision Of Peregrine Worsthorne
- The Fall
- Should The Bible Be Banned (7" version)
- We're All Borgeois Now
- From The Damned
- You're Alive
- Keep An Open Mind Or Else
- Charles Windsor (different from I Am A Wallet)
- Frans Hals (version)
Originally they planned a 30 track CD, then a double album with 24 songs. ????


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Alphabetical song listing

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