The Jesus and Mary Chain - Head On
The Jesus and Mary Chain are an
alt. rock band, formed in 1983 in East Kilbride, Scotland by brothers Jim and William Reid, who were always the main songwriting force in the group. They began playing music together in the late '70s, as punk was beginning to explode in the UK, and formed their own group, though by the early '80s, they wanted to explore new ideas, and incorporate more original elements into their songs. Their live shows were apparently incredibly unique, as the band, deep in amphetamine use, would play incredible fast, short sets, usually lasting no more than 20 minutes, with their backs turned towards the audience, never acknowledging them. This, of course, stopped as the band grew, and as they became more popular. (Wikipedia - The Jesus and Mary Chain)
Listen to Head On by The Jesus and Mary Chain here.
This song is the second single
from the band's 1989 album Automatic. The brothers are the only musicians on most of the album, as they utilized a drum machine throughout. I first discovered this song from the cover version by the Pixies, and, like many covers, thought it was one of their songs for a long time. The original version is very similar, though it has a different vibe; the heavy drum machine sound gives the whole song a really big feeling, despite the relatively simple guitar parts, and the melodies are incredibly catchy. This song, is without a doubt, an earworm, so expect it to get stuck in your head (on) after listening.
