Occasional Albums Thing 036 - Screaming Blue Messiahs “Gun-Shy”

Stop sniggering at the back, there’s a lot more to the Screaming Blue Messiahs than the admittedly laughable “I Wanna Be A Flintstone”. They were formed from the ashes of Pub Rockers and Beefheart fans Motor Boys Motor. In essence they were a vehicle for the songs and guitar playing of frontman Bill Carter. Carter sang not unlike Joe Strummer and played guitar like a Bluesy Rockabilly Cat right through to stuff that wouldn’t have sounded out of place in the Gang Of Four.

I was introduced to them and specifically this album as soon as I met Libertines guitarist Mark Bellamy. He was a huge fan and was convinced the Messiahs were the second coming of The Clash (they weren’t). I haven’t heard this album in years but when I rescued this copy from a bargain bin I came across, on playing it I was immediately reminded of what a great song track 1 side 1, “Wild Blue Yonder”, is. It sounds like The Clash playing at being Rockabilly Punks, it’s as groovy as hell and I urge you to have a listen below. I’ve also only just noticed that track was produced by the great Pat Collier.

Elsewhere it really is kinda Clash-lite, standout tracks being “Smash The Market Place” and “Let's Go Down To The Woods”. My interest in the Messiahs extends not much further than this. Their next album, “Bikini Red” had an opening track that still floors me to this day (it’s called “Sweet Water Pools” if you want to look it up) but then they did the Flintstone thing and I lost interest.

This is a record that reminds me of a time and a place and bunch of people that I don’t really see anymore. Music can do that for you, it’s one of its magic tricks.

Wild Blue Yonder - https://youtu.be/QM5jRl4Ijtg?si=94F6hkh5aw8p1bR0