The Jesus And Mary Chain is a Scottish group formed in East Kilbridde in 1983 by brothers Jim and William Reid, who were quickly joined by Douglas Hart and Murray Dalglish.
Group which signed with the Creation Records label the following year in 1984, a label which allowed them to release a first Single called "Upside down" the same year. A first Single which will give them their first success.
Change of label the following year in 1985 and move to Blanco y Negro Records, a label which allowed them to release the Single “Never understand”. A successful Single found on their first album “Psychocandy” which was released the same year and which would produce two other successful Singles with “You trip me up” and “Just like honey”.
Despite these repeated successes, the group multiplies incidents and provocations on stage against its own audience, which each time triggers more or less serious incidents depending on the concerts with various jets of projectiles, particularly from the audience towards the scene. Added to this are concerts which only last 20 minutes, which has the effect of further inflaming the public's anger...
We find a much calmer group two years later when the new album "Darklands" is released, an album which confirms and amplifies the success previously encountered. Notably thanks to the huge Single “April Skies”, a title which will remain as their biggest success of all across the Channel.
While we thought the group had calmed down, a new incident occurred at the end of 1987 during a concert in Toronto. A group of individuals present in the audience will sow disorder in the room to the point of seeing Jim Reid project his microphone stand at one of them. With the consequence of a formal arrest and a night in prison...
New album "Automatic" two years later in 1989, an album which saw the group make a significant breakthrough in the United States, notably thanks to the Single "Blues from a gun".
We will have to wait until 1992 to see the release of the new album "Honey's Dead", an album once again with certain success but which will not remain as the highest ranked of all. Album which mainly produced the Single “Far gone and out”.
It was the year 1994 that would more or less dedicate them with the release of the album “Stoned and dethroned”, an album which would remain as the highest ranked of all, particularly in the United States. Album which will also produce one of their biggest Singles “Sometimes always”.
Huge successes which will be the last because everything that comes out afterwards will only have a relative level of success to say the least…
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others…) :
Upside down 1984
Never understand 1985
You trip me up 1985
Just like honey 1985
April skies 1987
Happy when it rains 1987
Darklands 1987
Sidewalking 1988
Surfin’ U.S.A. 1988
Blues from a gun 1989
Head on 1990
Reverence 1992
Far gone and out 1992
Almost gold 1992
Sugar ray 1992
Sometimes always 1994
Come on 1994
I hate Rock ‘n’ Roll 1995
Cracking up 1998
I love Rock ‘n’ Roll 1998
Amputation 2016
Always sad 2017
Moon rider 2017
Jamcod 2023
Clips :
1984...first title and first success directly, this is what we call an ideal start to say the least. It now remains to be confirmed that it was not just a stroke of luck...
1985...not only did they confirm that it wasn't just a stroke of luck, but they further amplified the level of success achieved with this title...
1985...a first opus nevertheless intended for an audience of initiates and at least aware that their sound sometimes borders on the inaudible...
1985...three titles will be released during this year 1985 and the three titles will be classified, which is no small thing. A career start that ideally positions them at the forefront...
1987...not much will happen during 1986 and so here they are again in this new year 1987 in a form that we would describe as certain...
1987...certain and above all sufficient to allow them to pass the level of international recognition. Shy recognition certainly but recognition all the same...
1987...another year with 3 titles and another year where all 3 titles will be classified. In just a few years the group has become one of the sure values of the Scottish music scene...
1988...the group is clearly gaining momentum year after year and it is clear that they are going to produce great things at one point or another...
1988...daring to cover one of the Beach Boys' Masterpieces dating from 1963 is not without risk, that's clear. Daring bet and partly realized...
1989...this time their fame extends almost to the entire planet. The group has reached its full level of maturity and it shows, above all it can be heard !
1990...paradoxically the level of productivity fell dramatically with only one title in 1989 and the same in 1990. Afterwards if the quality is increasing there is nothing to complain about...
1992...then nothing more in 1991 but it is to better return in this new year 1992. A year 1992 which will undoubtedly remain as their best Vintage...
1992...they sign here what will surely remain as one of their reference titles. A transition to the 90s which saw them obtain their direct ticket to posterity with the production of their most notable titles...
1992...it now remains to be seen whether the group will be able to maintain the same qualitative level for a long time to come. The future will tell us...
1992...a title which will not be released as a Single but which it would have been a shame to hide. Here it is now brought back to light...
1994...no worries about them for the moment, especially when we see what they are still capable of producing...
1994...unfortunately the machine will start to seize up from this new title. With the consequence of a drop, to say the least, severe in the level of success in the Charts...
1995...fall in productivity, fall in the level of success in the Charts, in short all the lights are turning orange...
1998...the end of the 90s which will see the group gradually disappear from the radar and gradually disappear altogether...
1998...the last charted Single. A great adventure which is coming to an end but which will still have produced a significant number of titles of certain quality...
2016...we thought the matter was definitively over but here they are back almost 18 years later in an unexpected way to say the least...
2017...a return that will greatly delight core fans who weren't expecting so much. The group is indeed back, it remains to be seen whether they intend to return again later...
2017...since more and more groups from the same era are coming back in droves, there is no reason why they won't do the same in the years to come...
2023...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :