Monday 17 March 2014

The Mekons -"The Quality of Mercy is not Strnen" plus Fast Product Singles (1978-79)

There comes a point in any "movement"s life span that it flirts with the mainstream. Like communism, Beatniks, Dada , and it happened here for DIY........the Mekons released a DIY "sounding" album on Virgin!? And worst of all, its fantastic. Rudimentary musicianship, great lyrics, terrible vocals, what seemed like a no-sell out situation, corrupting the media from within(which was Bob Last of Fast Products main aim with getting them signed up in the first place). It seemed that we could take over, but then of course they went clever/clever and made country and western records in a desperate act of obtuseness to swerve a creative impasse.
Yes their later records were the stuff of bank managers coffee tables,but their earlier work for virgin and Fast Product verged on the unsurpassable.

Tracks:
01. Like Spoons No More
02. Join Us in the Countryside
03. Rosanne
04. Trevira Trousers
05. After 6
06. What Are We Going to Do Tonight
07. What
08. Watch the Film
09. Beetroot
10. I Saw You Dance
11. Lonely and Wet
12. Dan Dare
13. Teeth
14. Guardian
15. Kill
16. Stay Cool
17. Work All Week
18. Unknown Wrecks

Also included in the download are the Mekons' first three singles which are works of outstanding non-beauty.
Namely, the first two fantastic Fast product singles,and the first Virgin Single "Work All Week".

A Never Been In A Riot 1:45
B1 32 Weeks 1:38
B2 Heart And Soul 2:38


A Where Were You 2:42
AA I'll Have To Dance Then (On My Own) 3:05

 

A Work All Week 3:16
B Unknown Wrecks 3:13

DOWNLOAD the Mekons when they were good HERE!

7 comments:

cuorediformaggio said...

Can you please reup the mekons stuff?
Thanks

Jonny Zchivago said...

re-upped as of 20/05/2015

cuorediformaggio said...

Got it!
Thank you so much!

Ben Wardle said...

Huge thanks for this. Now begins the task of finding the album on vinyl...

Anonymous said...

The "quality of mercy" vinyl LP was just reissued this summer by superior viaduct/stranded records. Last week they also reissued "fear ans whiskey" and "edge of the world". Both also reissued on vinyl.

Prof. Mouton said...

Thanks tons for this!

JeuserV said...

Thanks!!!