fine young cannibals: underrated

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it's true you know

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 19:52 (twenty-two years ago)

just try and tell me otherwise

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 19:53 (twenty-two years ago)

because you can't

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 19:53 (twenty-two years ago)

i wonder if i will always be obsessed with pop music from 1987-1992

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 19:53 (twenty-two years ago)

*makes sympathy post*

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 19:55 (twenty-two years ago)

don't patrinize me

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 19:56 (twenty-two years ago)

*makes unsympathy post*

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 19:58 (twenty-two years ago)

fine you fucking ingrates let your godawful guided by voices and "noise rock" threads proliferate...i will be happy here with my overly reverbed snares and obvious guitar samples

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:01 (twenty-two years ago)

cmon ppl, "suspicious minds"

― stockholm cindy (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:01 (twenty-two years ago)

"She Drives Me Crazy" is da skill. Begging for a production update, though.

― the impossible shortest special path! (the impossible shortest specia), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Begging for a production update, though.

hell no

― stockholm cindy (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:02 (twenty-two years ago)

suddenly i am reminded of trife's "i don't think i like music unless it has at least six layers of production over it"

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:03 (twenty-two years ago)

"suddenly i am reminded of trife's "i don't think i like music unless it has at least six layers of production over it""

I'm not saying this though. heard it earlier and thought it sounded a bit... anaemic. But under no circumstances am I a proponent of "at least six layers of production".

Normally.

― the impossible shortest special path! (the impossible shortest specia), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

i really liked "crazy" as a kid, it was possibly the first song i ever requested, i remember being at some crap boring adult birthday party thing and it was the only cd single i saw that i liked. haven't heard it in years and years.

― m., Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll say this : for those who haven't heard "The Raw and the Cooked" in years, go back and listen to "Don't Let it Get You Down". That song was WAY ahead of its time. Electronic gurgles, Detroit hi-hats, and 303's on a pop album in 1989? It's true.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:06 (twenty-two years ago)

There were a couple of those 'Two Men, a Drum Machine & a Trumpet' records that I remember being very good. But on the straight FYC side I never liked Roland Gift's voice. Also that bass player Dave --- (ex the Beat) had that dance that ALWAYS annoyed me and he kept on doing it in FYC as well. As to whether they're underrated, who cares.

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I really love that "johnny, where are you, won't you come on home" song and see it as a descendent of the post-punk ska funk that I love so much like the Higsons and the Appolonaires singles on TwoTone. Boots For Dancing, etc. Is it that different then Orange Juice at their most aggressive or Josef K at their least?

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)

two men, a drum machine and a trumpet were underated as well

― Nik (Nik), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:09 (twenty-two years ago)

The first album is truly underrated, but The Raw & the Cooked remains pretty damn tough to defend (although "Tell Me What" is still a heartbreaker).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

"Johnny Come Home" was one of the truly great singles of the 80s, no word of a lie. You can keep all the rest of the 'em though, thanks awfully.

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:11 (twenty-two years ago)

WAY ahead of its time. Electronic gurgles, Detroit hi-hats, and 303's on a pop album in 1989? It's true.

Nonsense. Everyone was at it. Paul Weller, Coldcut (and their productions for Yazz), ABC, Madonna etc. etc. Not saying the results were always great but pop artists were all trying to put house ideas into their music.

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Who else hated that bass player's dance? Must be someone who knows what I'm talking about.

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Back in '89 when I was an angsty young adult starting to become disenchanted with pop, tiring of the top 40 station my mom would play; whenever "Good Thing" came on, with its simple charms and rollicking walking piano line, it seemed like an oasis.

― Broheems (diamond), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

using the same director for the video of She Drives Me Wild as New Order's True Faith has almost ruined the later for me.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I just remembered the terrible version of "Ever Fallen In Love With Someone" they did to go with the terrible version of "Suspicious Minds".

― NickB (NickB), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:26 (twenty-two years ago)

would it be inconsiderate to say this guy had the worst voice in the history of music? it's like his vocal style was him whimpering while trying to swallow his tongues and lips.

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:28 (twenty-two years ago)

"tongues" ugh.

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Who else hated that bass player's dance? Must be someone who knows what I'm talking about.

Both guitarist and bass player danced that way....but to be fair, they were doin' the same thing during their tenure in the Beat too.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:29 (twenty-two years ago)

but to be fair, they were doin' the same thing during their tenure in the Beat too.

I am aware of that (I already mentioned it). That's what got me though..that the twat kept doing it even though it was a brand new era (at the time 1988-89 seemed a world away from 1982).

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:37 (twenty-two years ago)

They are rated quite highly on amg

"Never has music's past, present, and future been more exceptionally combined"

― Magic City (ano ano), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Never?

― Magic City (ano ano), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I give props to Cox and Steele with working with Derrick May under the guise Two Men, A Drum Machine, And A Trumpet!!! for their one and only single "Tired Of Getting Pushed Around".

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:43 (twenty-two years ago)

The video for "Tired Of Getting Pushed Around" was great! Blindingly white backdrop, slinky black women robotically dancing with synthtars, and some small messy haired mustached guy crying into the camera lip-synching to the "Tired Of Getting Pushed Around" sample.

Guitar-sample early beatbox galore!

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:44 (twenty-two years ago)

(and for the record, I loved the nerdy way the bass player shuffled his feet around)

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:49 (twenty-two years ago)

They only did the one then? It was really good though you're right. Am I right (I've not heard it since those days) that I recall it managed to seamlessly combine the drum box/raw house thing with a nod to the parallel rare groove scene (and in a way linking back to the Pigbag style ideas from earlier in the decade)?

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I kinda liked the way those guys dance...especially in the context of FYC, as they were stuck behind Mr.Photogenic....they at least did something to prevent themselves from fading forgettably into the background.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:51 (twenty-two years ago)

the nerdy way

heh..that's precisely why I hated it.

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)

David hates Nerds!!!!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Damn right

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I really loved both of their albums when they came out, but it's been years since I've listened to them.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:54 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/images_movie/usa/revengenerds.JPG

"Too bad for you, David!"

― Lewis (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Nonsense. Everyone was at it. Paul Weller, Coldcut (and their productions for Yazz), ABC, Madonna etc. etc
Huh? None of them were working with Derrick May. Have you heard the track I mentioned? Name another multi-million selling album of the 80's that had a techno track on it.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:57 (twenty-two years ago)

That bass player didn't know he was a nerd though. He sort of looked really pleased with himself..like he thought he was a fancy little mover in his own way. I don't recall him ever smiling either.

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:58 (twenty-two years ago)

fyc rule!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, he was playing bass for a reasonably successful band at the time. That's a pretty decent reason to be smug, I'd say.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 20:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Huh? None of them were working with Derrick May.

OK I misunderstood you. I thought you were talking about the adoption of acid house styles (909 beats and acid synths) in pop. I didn't realise you meant something so specific. But the million selling thing has nothing to do with it (or at least nothing to do with your original claim..that they were ahead of their time).

― David (David), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 21:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I see what you're saying, David, but still ... FYC essentially sold millions of copies of a techno song (on their hit album) years before anyone tried to hype that music to the general public (heh, pun intended just a little). And it still sounds damn good even today (as does a lot of classic-sounding Detroit techno no matter what year it was made).
But I certainly wouldn't call them pioneers, so yes, they're not ahead of their time in that sense.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 22:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I have the seven-inch of 'She Drives Me Crazy'. I only play it using a hole I drilled through it about an inch or two from the centre, so it speeds up and slows down. The riff at the start sounds hilarious.

― Sasha (sgh), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 22:50 (twenty-two years ago)

So what the hell is Roland Gift up to these days?

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)

i am kind of amazed this has gotten to 50 posts

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 22:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 58 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

They played "Suspicious Minds" on VH1 a bit during the Raw & The Cooked era, but I never heard "Johnny Come Home" till years later on VH1 Classic. It is a terrific track.

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 8 May 2005 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I like how they disappeared when they did, leaving fond memories of two ok albums, rather than carried on stinking up the 90's. I could never understand the Otis Redding comparison, he sounded like some lost Trojan records act (Tony Tribe?) rather than a classic soul vocalist.

They did that 2 Men With a Drum Machine and a Trumpet house single which was rather good iirc, if anyone can to do a ysi I'd be happy.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Sunday, 8 May 2005 15:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Amateurist: The Sherriff song is a classic. I'm sure you'd recognize it if you heard it. It centres on the word "baby" with vowels drawn out to at least eight extra syllables. "Baaaa-baa-y-aa-y-aa-y-yaa-y-aa-y/I get chills when I'm with you/Oh baaabaa-y-aa-y-aa-y-aa-y-aa/My world stands still when I'm with you-ooh-ooh-woah-oh-oh-oh" is an approximation of hte chorus.

That chart really touches something. Jeez, I haven't heard that Rod Stewart song in ages. Paula Abdul will always have a place in my heart (if maybe not on my stereo).

― Sundar (sundar), Sunday, 8 May 2005 16:20 (twenty-one years ago)

"the chorus"

― Sundar (sundar), Sunday, 8 May 2005 16:20 (twenty-one years ago)

IIRC Sherrif was led by Arnold Lanni, later of Frozen Ghost 'fame'.

I actually still kind of don't mind some songs from White Lion's Pride, although "When the Children Cry" isn't a favourite. Vito Bratta (the one who was probably Amateurist's roommate's neighbour) was possibly one of the more capable lead guitarists in that 'genre', I think. Search: "Hungry", "Wait".

― Sundar (sundar), Sunday, 8 May 2005 16:26 (twenty-one years ago)

There should've been more Two Men, A Drum Machine And A Trumpet singles.

$V£N! completely OTM.

(I had to scrounge up both UK and US versions of the 12" to get as much as I can out that side project.)

― donut debonair (donut), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

"She Drives Me Crazy" has two histories for me.. it was that song that I couldn't escape from Top 40 during the last months of my high school years... and then, when I would join college radio the second half of the year and discovery, essentially, underground rock.. Sub Pop, Amrep, Boner records bands.. sludgly, grungey, great stuff.. and then in 1990, The Raw And The Cooked was voted Best Alternative Album of 1989 according to CMJ, i knew the term "alternative" was dead dead DEAD!

― donut debonair (donut), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:21 (twenty-one years ago)

was it ever truly alive?

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)

i sort of feel like "alternative" was a slightly corporatized euphemism for what had previously been considered "college rock" or "underground" or whathaveyou.

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)

but then i didn't start college radio until well after "alternative" had been almost completely gutted as a signifier. (i.e., mid-late 1990s)

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:37 (twenty-one years ago)

yup, vito bratta! gene pitney apparently grew up in the same neighborhood, albeit like 30 years before.

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:41 (twenty-one years ago)

i sort of feel like "alternative" was a slightly corporatized euphemism for what had previously been considered "college rock" or "underground" or whathaveyou.

DING DING DING DING DING!

Yeah, it was a very much mid to late 80s corporate term... it unfortunately got de-flatlined for a bit when Nirvana became popular but went back to the grave just as quickly... the nails in the coffin were Steve of 90210's positive comment about the Flaming Lips' "She Don't Use Jelly" on that episode.

― donut debonair (donut), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:46 (twenty-one years ago)

If the Billboard "Modern Rock Chart" pre-Nirvana is supposed to be believed, stuff like FYC, Peter Gabriel, Crowded House, Richard Thompson, and Michael Penn was what college students were listening to. Maybe they were.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Sunday, 8 May 2005 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

That's sort of what I remember 'older people' listening to when I was a kid at that time. Midnight Oil! Timbuk 3! Johnny Clegg!

― Sundar (sundar), Sunday, 8 May 2005 20:41 (twenty-one years ago)

What college students listen to and what underground radio stations play are two VERY differnt things.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Sunday, 8 May 2005 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

two years pass...

revive!

"don't let it get you down" is such a jam! i second barry bruner's advice upthread. shoulda been a single.

― andrew m., Monday, 31 December 2007 20:05 (eighteen years ago)

I still love the first album. timeless classic.

― nicky lo-fi, Monday, 31 December 2007 20:20 (eighteen years ago)

any views on the 'raw and the remix' versions?

― Bob Six, Monday, 31 December 2007 20:57 (eighteen years ago)

one month passes...

I love this thread.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 12 February 2008 01:54 (eighteen years ago)

Timely revive...good Dolly Parton cover version here.

― dabug, Tuesday, 12 February 2008 02:10 (eighteen years ago)

one month passes...

Revive again.

I heard "Good Thing" on my way to Citarella yesterday, and it made the clouds part. Great stuff.

― Alex in NYC, Sunday, 23 March 2008 22:37 (eighteen years ago)

did they do anything better than that?

― El Tomboto, Sunday, 23 March 2008 22:42 (eighteen years ago)

I like "the Flame" as well. And "Tell Me What". And "Johnny Come Home" is flawless.

― Alex in NYC, Sunday, 23 March 2008 22:47 (eighteen years ago)

WEIRD. I've been listening to "Blue," "Johnny Come Home," and the glorious "Don't Look Back" all week, "Don't Look Back" is a 12-string cousin to the Beat's "Best Friend."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 23 March 2008 23:33 (eighteen years ago)

'blue' is amazing

― electricsound, Sunday, 23 March 2008 23:51 (eighteen years ago)

The Raw & The Cooked was being advertised, on pink & grey posters, on bus stops in February 1989. It is for the memory of those days, and the prominence they had then in British life, that I have what fondness I have for the band. And 'She Drives Me Crazy', surely a #1 45 back then, will do as the musical emblem.

― the pinefox, Sunday, 23 March 2008 23:54 (eighteen years ago)

As I said upthread, it's still remarkable that they scored two #1 hits and adlbum stateside.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 23 March 2008 23:58 (eighteen years ago)

They are rated quite highly on amg

Now I can groove to FYC when the mood strikes and all, d then there's this: Then, and I actually really respect Jo-Ann Greene as a critic, but there are bold, unqualified proclamations, anof course, there's "She Drives Me Crazy," which features the most unique, and instantly identifiable, beat/riff combination of the decade.

― Pillbox, Monday, 24 March 2008 00:54 (eighteen years ago)

Whoa - that post got all sorts of fucked up. I'll try again

They are quite highly rated on amg

Now I can groove to FYC when the mood strikes and all, and I actually really respect Jo-Ann Greene as a critic, but there are bold, unqualified proclamations, and then there's this: Then, of course, there's "She Drives Me Crazy," which features the most unique, and instantly identifiable, beat/riff combination of the decade.

― Pillbox, Monday, 24 March 2008 00:58 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfdIAbHzxmg

lol awesome dancing

― gff, Monday, 24 March 2008 01:06 (eighteen years ago)

ten months pass...

god, "Don't Look Back"

― The Screaming Lobster of Challops (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 00:58 (seventeen years ago)

ten months pass...

"I'm Not The Man I Used To Be" is absolutely killer.

― Euler, Monday, 21 December 2009 17:40 (sixteen years ago)

Can't argue with that.

― when i was your age i was thinking about how to kill people (Noodle Vague), Monday, 21 December 2009 18:19 (sixteen years ago)

one year passes...

good thread, good band

― Cunga, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 23:13 (fifteen years ago)

one of the first tapes i ever owned

― cop a cute abdomen (gbx), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 23:24 (fifteen years ago)

checked.
i do have the finest on my hard disc (so i can drop various tracks onto my wifes mp3 player as she loves'em). so, thats today sorted.
i actually got the 2 cd edition of the finest that came with an extra disc of time stampled remixes.
one track i seem to recall featuring the cookie crew !?!
classics : the flame, good thing, blue, don't look back, i'm not the man i used to be, funny how love is (the echo'd trumpet opening is very sweet), etc.

― mark e, Thursday, 5 May 2011 07:19 (fifteen years ago)

one year passes...

It's a tragedy that this song has more or less fallen into obscurity when it should've been, like, the biggest single of that year and on the radio for years to come:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THD_vY2-AXA

Also:

i wonder if i will always be obsessed with pop music from 1987-1992

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, April 6, 2004 2:53 PM (8 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Cosigning as hard as I can. The only era that's any competition for '70s AM gold in my heart.

― You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Monday, 7 May 2012 05:25 (fourteen years ago)

I remember making my dad listen to The Raw and The Cooked when we were driving somewhere and that's when he explained to me what falsetto was. Good album, but also educational.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 7 May 2012 05:41 (fourteen years ago)

And the videos were super instructive on the Kubrick stare. Educational band all 'round.

― You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Monday, 7 May 2012 13:01 (fourteen years ago)

god, "Don't Look Back"

― The Screaming Lobster of Challops (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, February 10, 2009

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 7 May 2012 13:20 (fourteen years ago)

It peaked at #11 in the States but it's better than "Good Thing." Not many bands stapling 12-string Beat guitar and sequencers in 1989's top 40.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 7 May 2012 13:21 (fourteen years ago)

So I just went ahead and made this happen:

Forgotten late-'80s/early-'90s pop singles

― You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Monday, 7 May 2012 13:44 (fourteen years ago)

two years pass...

god, "Don't Look Back"

― The Screaming Lobster of Challops (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, February 10, 2009

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, May 7, 2012 1:20 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

― Toni Braxton-Hicks (Turrican), Monday, 12 May 2014 23:48 (twelve years ago)

seven years pass...

I wonder why this band hasn't gone on reunion tour like so many other acts of the era. They were really popular! People would show up! Maybe they all put their earnings in index funds and are comfortably retired and don't need the money, who knows.

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 20 April 2022 19:44 (four years ago)

Yeah, it looks like they're all still alive and pretty much toiling in obscurity. Surely they couldn't hate each other that much.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 20 April 2022 19:48 (four years ago)

Here's a Guardian interview with Roland Gift in 2020. Sounds like he just pulled the plug.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/dec/03/fine-young-cannibal-roland-gift-i-went-back-to-where-being-pretty-didnt-matter

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 20 April 2022 19:54 (four years ago)

I kind of wished FYC would tour as an opener for the (English) Beat, similar to how Camper Van Beethoven would usually open for Cracker on their recent tours. (FWIW, I'm a bigger fan of the Beat than FYC, but I like them both. Also a big fan of CVB but not so much with Cracker.)

― birdistheword, Wednesday, 20 April 2022 21:45 (four years ago)

Seem to recall that there was a big fallout between Cox and Steele - according to Roland Gift, the first time the two of them had spoken to each other in ages was at Saxa's funeral in 2017.

― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Thursday, 21 April 2022 00:02 (four years ago)

three years pass...

Apparently they're doing two reunion shows this fall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjeg8I_V2B4

― birdistheword, Monday, 28 April 2025 21:00 (one year ago)

A couple years ago, I saw a “for your consideration” poster for the show Yellowjackets, and on a lot of posters, they shorten it to FYC, but at the time it wasn’t a very common thing or at least I hadn’t seen it, so I thought it was a play on fine young cannibals and the cover of “the raw and the cooked”

― omar little, Monday, 28 April 2025 21:55 (one year ago)

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