EIGHT TRACK LP ON ROUGH TRADE. CAT NO. RTM155.
Side a- Helicopter Of The Holy Ghost, Michael Murphy, Love Your Enemies, Fiction Land.
Side b- Pink Skinned Man, Patrick Moore Says You Can't Sleep Here, Hello Rascals, Pretoria Quickstep.

ELEVEN TRACK CD RE-ISSUE ON REV-OLA (CREATION). CAT NO. CREV042CD.

Tracklisting as LP with 'In the World' 12 Inch as bonus tracks- Loftholdingswood, Teddy Dogs, 464.

Technically their second LP, this was a compilation of the first two singles and several unreleased songs from their early time in Southern Ireland. The CD re-issue also contained the 'In The World' 12 Inch.

Of the previously unreleased songs, three tracks are instrumentals- a very pleasant 'Michael Murphy' and equally tuneful 'Patrick Moore Says You Can't Sleep Here'. Both stand on their own two feet and show Sean O'Hagan's ability to craft a stand-alone piece of music. The other instrumental 'Pretoria Quickstep' is much more eerie with the vinyl version looping continuously on the run off groove (a hippie thing if ever there was). To me, it feels more like soundtrack material than a song in its own right and seems out of place among the other gems.

'Love Your Enemies' was the only previously unreleased song to have vocals. A heavily sarcastic song fits perfectly with the original title and leaves people in little doubt as to where Microdisney stood on forgiveness of people still engaged in atrocities. Here was an sign that Microdisney were much more than just a pleasant pop band.

Being a compilation. the songs are more mix and match than its predecessor. Some songs maintain the atmospheric beauty of the first LP, others are much more disjointed. Despite this, and despite being an LP born out of the need to release something it still holds up in its own right.

The album title was renamed for the re-release CD. In some ways it was a shame to re-name the best album title in history but understandable given the nature of the newly free and democratic South Africa and the desire shown by its leaders for 'reconciliation'. Press at the time of the original release suggested lobbying to amend the title to 'We hate you WHITE South African Bastards'. Perhaps this was just a misconstrued in-house joke (Microdisney constantly confusing the press in interviews and thereby confusing the end reader) but no doubt the irony appealed to a Microdisney already fed up with being misinterpreted. For those who still haven't got the message this was the original cover from the LP.

On the subject of best song titles, my personal faves are:

1. Flux Of Pink Indians- 'The Fucking Cunts Treat Us Like Pricks'
2. Church Police- 'The Oven Is My Friend'
3. Millions of Dead Cops- 'John Wayne Was A Nazi'
4. McCarthy- 'Use A Bank I'd Rather Die'
5. Happy Flowers- 'If This Gun Were Real I Could Sleep In The Big Bed With Mommy'
6. Slaughter and the Dogs- 'Where Have All The Bootboys Gone?'
7. Mekons- 'Never Been In A Riot'
8. Bubby Girl- 'Roll Around In The Mud Like The Pig You Are'

If you want to read about my 2002 holiday to South Africa you can click on the badges. This has nothing at all to do with the band- you can come back to this when you're bored.

IF NOT, THEN BACK TO HISTORY

OR... ALTERNATIVE (AND BETTER) REVIEW.