McCarthy
 

Excellent socialist indiepop group from London who released 3 albums between 1987 and 1990. The Manic Street Preachers have often been quoted as saying that McCarthy are their favourite band and it's easy to see why: in an era of superficial 80's pop and kowtowing 'alternative' acts (sound familiar?) McCarthy refused to write love songs (unless you count Boy Meets Girl So What), but wrapped their political lyrics in a sugar-frosted coating of 12-string jangly guitars and melodies.

One of my favourite C86 bands (they featured on the original tape) along with Shop Assistants and others that don't have threads yet.

Their final album prominently featured the voice of guitarist Tim Gane's girlfriend Lætitia Sadier, the two would go on to form Stereolab (whilst retaining a social conscience).

Keep An Open Mind Or Else



Oh come along now
It's not quite like you say
With my last breath
I'll fight for your right to disagree

But I don't believe
It's as simple as you say
No I don't believe
In our arguing myself

Now well I know you should never
Think that you know everything
You should never, oh never
Think that you know everything

An open mind
Oh why don't you keep?
It's the true sign
Of the civilized

Argue forever
But don't you ever rest
I don't believe
In any such arguments as these

They might win the game
But they never will with me
For I make mine up
As I go along

You should always try to see
Another person's point of view
You should never, oh never
Think that you know everything

Because you will find
There are mysteries
Too deep to be explained
With the brain

Oh shut your trap
Or I'll shut it up for you
I don't believe in facts
No I just believe in me

Argue, I don't care
Would you like your face smashed in?
Say anything
I will be never be convinced

You should always try to see
Another person's point of view
You should never, oh never
Think that you know everything

An open mind
Oh why don't you keep?
It's the true side
Of the civilized

If you ever put your ideas
Into practice anyway
To be sure I'll be the first one
To be calling the police

A little too jingly jangly for me but I may still give an album a listen. The production is very good.

I sort of like them.

First time I heard them I was expecting a little more to be honest.
They strike me as a little bit style over substance.

I've heard and, indeed, liked a few of their songs. Really can't remember which ones they are though. I'm a bit of a sucker for (decent) jangly guitar rock, so I may well give one or two of their albums a go sometime.

I'm not quite sure what you mean but if they were so, I don't think they would have unanimously quit after 3 years, they got a reasonable amount of attention at the time. The Manics however are a different story... but that should probably be left to a Manics discussion thread.

I like them, musically they were patchy after the first album and their early EPs which got alot of press attention; but the song above for example highlights a superficially tolerant liberal attitude which is discovered to be an intolerant one when tested. I included it because this is everywhere today in the form of over-eager political correctness. I don't see what's style over substance about them, it's honest pop music with honest lyrics.

It would be difficult to enjoy McCarthy if you were a tory however, it's lefty music with balls which is very far and few between.

Bump

Changed my mind about them a little bit. But that's not why I'm here.

So then, should anyone here know the whereabouts of their This Nelson Rockafeller & McCarthy At War E.P.s give me a shout.

Cheers.

Excellent group and I still play them to this day, oh The Procession Of Popular Capitalism... "Up and down The Strand, I strolled around penniless"...