23 November 1989. The Stone Roses and the Happy Mondays (with Kirsty MacColl) appear on Top of the Pops, thanks to them having new entries on the singles chart. Fool’s Gold had come in at #13 while the Manchester Rave On EP, with Hallelujah as the lead track was at #30.
There was a movement brewing in the north-west of England. What else could a new and emerging band do but jump aboard the bandwagon?
I suggested last week that I Know, one half of Blur‘s debut single was perhaps the most Madchester song ever to come out of London, some twelve months after the Roses and Mondays and many other others had grabbed and kept the attention of the youth of the nation. Well, they kind of kept the tune while changing the lyrics for their second single, released in April 1991
mp3: Blur – There’s No Other Way (7″)
A-listed by Radio 1, the single entered the charts at #20 and then inched its way upwards over the next three weeks to peak at #8. Possibly aided by the reaction to their debut appearance on Top of The Pops.
Legend/rumour has it that Damon Albarn and Alex James took ecstasy prior to the performance.
I don’t think the song has aged all that well, but there’s no question that Graham Coxon‘s guitar playing and Dave Rowntree‘s drumming did suggest they were perhaps worth keeping an eye on.
It was released on 7″, 12″, CD and cassette, while a remix 12″ was also issued by Food Records. I didn’t buy anything at the time, so it would be many many years before I got to hear the various b-sides.
mp3: Blur – Inertia (issued on the 7″, 12″, CD and cassette)
mp3: Blur – Mr Briggs (issued on the 12″ and CD)
mp3: Blur – I’m All Over (issued on the 12″ and CD)
mp3: Blur – There’s No Other Way (extended version) (issued on the 12″)
Inertia is one which goes some way to illustrate that the band weren’t a one-trick pony; Mr Briggs suffers badly from a second-rate lyric and just a bit too much noodling on the guitar. I’m All Over is all done and dusted in two minutes and while of its time, it’s one which kind of offers a template for Blur’s future fast songs on the early albums.
I’m not sure how many folk actually went out and bought the 12″ remix of There’s No Other Way, but I’m guessing most would have been wanting to hear the baggy side of things. It actually turns out to be a bit of a non-event:-
mp3: Blur – There’s No Other Way (12″ remix)
Far more interesting and quite different are its b-sides.
mp3: Blur – Won’t Do It (issued on the 12″ remix)
mp3: Blur – Day Upon Day (live) (issued on the 12″ remix)
I think, with the benefit of hindsight, that Blur, as musicians, weren’t really quite sure of which direction they wanted to head in, albeit the record label bosses very much wanted them to stay hooked to the baggy bandwagon as will be seen with the next single.
JC