Carter USM

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine
Background information
Also known as Carter USM
Origin England
Genre(s) Alternative Dance
Alternative rock
Dance-pop
Years active 1988 - 1998
Label(s) Cooking Vinyl
Associated
acts		 Abdoujaparov
Website http://www.carterusm.co.uk/

Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine (frequently shortened to 'Carter USM') were formed in 1987 by singer Jim "Jim Bob" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter. Playing along to tapes, samples, sequenced basses and drum machines as well as rock 'n' roll guitars they would be referred to as 'The Punk Pet Shop Boys', and travelled around Europe in a small hire car playing for petrol money on the pub and club circuit, where they built up a small but loyal following.

Contents

[edit] Starting out

Based in Lambeth in South London, England, Fruitbat and Jim Bob originally played in an indie band called Jamie Wednesday, which released two singles - 'Vote For Love' and 'We Three Kings of Orient Aren't'. On discovering they had a gig booked but no-one else to play there, they quickly formed Carter USM, reputedly named for Fruitbat's diligence, aptitude, and stamina. They recorded the backing track of drums, synths and samples, fused Fruitbat's guitar antics with JimBob's lyrics. The debut single A Sheltered Life was released later in 1988 on the Big Cat label, but it wasn't until the classic second single Sheriff Fatman in 1989 that the band began to receive real recognition. The song was written about a South London slumlord and was followed by the album 101 Damnations - a critical account of life South of the river, full of black humour, cynicism, wordplay and puns. The album went straight to the top of the Indie charts.

[edit] Rough Trade

In 1991 - having signed to Rough Trade - Carter released the album 30 Something which, thanks to non-stop touring, went into the official UK chart at number eight. One of the singles released from the album, Bloodsport For All, an attack on racism and bullying in the army, was released at the start of the Gulf War and consequently banned by the BBC. Spurred on by infamy, Jim Bob and Fruitbat toured Japan, Yugoslavia and the U.S.A. (with EMF) and made a second-on-the-bill appearance at the Reading Festival, completely stealing the show from nominal headliners James. There was also the first Top Of The Pops appearance with the single After the Watershed (Early Learning The Hard Way), a song about child abuse that would become more famous for its subsequent legal battle with The Rolling Stones' publisher over the use of the lyrics 'Goodbye Ruby Tuesday' in the chorus. The band also hit the headlines with Fruitbat rugby tackling children's TV presenter Phillip Schofield in front of millions of television viewers at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party in 1991.

[edit] Chrysalis Records

The demise of Rough Trade records necessitated a change of label, and Carter made the switch to Chrysalis Records to work on their third album. That album, 1992 The Love Album, went straight to number one in the pop charts, instantly propelling the band to pop stardom. The band were unhappy though and this came across in the anger and cynicism of their next record, Post Historic Monsters.

In 1994, Carter's friend Wez joined the band on drums and the newly inspired trio played America, Japan and Europe, including a major concert in Croatia which was recorded and later released on video. The recording was also given away as a free live album with Carter's fifth studio L.P. Worry Bomb - a punk-pop album with upbeat material such as Let's Get Tattoos and slow poignant acoustic songs like My Defeatist Attitude.

[edit] Cooking Vinyl

In 1996 Carter left Chrysalis Records and joined Cooking Vinyl. With Salv from the band S*M*A*S*H on bass, Wez's brother Steve on guitar, and teenager Ben Lambert on keyboards, Carter became a 6-piece band.

After signing to Cooking Vinyl they released a mini-album, A World Without Dave, and started their longest ever UK tour. The band then went back to Canada and the US for what would turn out to be their final expedition - they decided to split shortly after their 10th anniversary. The final Carter studio album I Blame The Government was released in January 1998. Two further albums, Live! and BBC Sessions, were released in the same year, in June and October respectively.

[edit] Post-USM Projects

Rarities compilation The Good, The Bad, The Average And Unique
Enlarge
Rarities compilation The Good, The Bad, The Average And Unique

Les Carter now plays with new band Abdoujaparov as well as appearing as a presenter on the Brentwood radio station Phoenix FM. James Morrison's projects include bands Jim's Super Stereoworld and solo albums including Angelstrike!. He has also written a book 'Goodnight, JimBob', detailing his experiences on the road with Carter USM.

EMI records released Anytime Anyplace Anywhere, a Best Of record featuring tracks from the band's birth until their switch to Cooking Vinyl. This annoyed the band somewhat as they weren't consulted or even made aware of the release of the record. In 2004 two new Carter CDs were released, a live album of BBC concerts from the early 1990s and Brixton Mortars, a compilation album of tracks from their final two studio albums. In 2006, Carter released a new compilation of unreleased tracks and rarities called The Good, The Bad, The Average And Unique. Echoing the earlier Starry Eyed And Bollock Naked, the sleeve features a Volkswagen Beetle - this time a bright green new model convertible.

[edit] Who's The Daddy Now?

In 2001 and 2002, ex-Carter members Jim Bob and Fruitbat toured as Who's The Daddy Now?. The pair's two bands Jim's Super Stereoworld and Abdoujaparov would play a set each, and then the pair would combine at the end of the show to perform a number of Carter USM songs. Who's The Daddy Now? is the closest there has been to a Carter USM regrouping after their split in 1997.

[edit] Trivia

Their self-confessed "Worst Gig of All Time" was at Kidderminster Market Tavern where the drum machine broke down and they were forced to continue the show without any percussion. Fruitbat suffered a back injury whilst cleaning the bath, leading to an interesting in-chair performance at the Reading Festival in 1995.

[edit] Discography

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../c/a/r/Carter_USM_96a0.html"