aka The Vinyl Villain incorporating Sexy Loser
#088: The Screaming Tribesmen – ‘Igloo’ (Citadel Records ’83)
Dear friends,
for today’s single we have to go back to Australia again – and don’t you just love it there?
The thing is with Australian underground: its origins are rather complicated, at least they are for me. I know this is a vast generalization, of course, but the scene has not been the biggest one some 40 years ago and by and large there were just three important cities anyway. Perhaps these were the reasons that many bands, excellent as they may have been then, had a rather short life, who knows?
Not so The Screaming Tribesmen! I’m willing to bet you have never heard of them (and if you have, I’m sure you’ll only know their fabulous ‘Date With A Vampyre’) – although they played together for several years, toured the USA and Europe with some of the ‘big’ names (Damned, Cult, Dictators, Pursuit Of Happiness, Jane’s Addiction).
Originally from Brisbane, the Tribesmen relocated to Sydney, because that’s where they finally found a label which would release their stuff: Citadel Records. And today we have the first single for the label, recorded in ’82 and released a year later – ‘Igloo’.
Its roots date back to 1979 when Tribesmen singer/guitarist Mick Medewand still played in the 60’s garage rock band The 31st. Some folk left (to join Died Pretty and The Hoodoo Gurus), others came, and in ’81, The Screaming Tribesmen were born.
What I always loved about ‘Igloo’ is that in my mind it never fails to create a chilling landscape, making me feel like I am there, sheltering from the storm, while an arctic wind whips outside. This and its message of isolation, loneliness and despair combined with the melodic guitar sound makes the song so wonderful.
But to me it always reaches its peak with the line „I felt so lonely when my Samoyed died/I felt my tears freeze when I finally cried”. Now, how many of you know what a Samoyed is? I surely didn’t. A Samoyed is a breed of dog that is suited for colder climbs, originating from North-West Siberia. Find a picture, and you’ll see one of the happiest looking dogs ever. If this dog died, I’d cry too!!
And while I’m in my smart alec-mode: towards the end of the song comes the refrain “listen to The Shoeshine Boys”: this in fact was a black 50s doo-wop band from Alabama.
mp3: The Screaming Tribesmen – Igloo
One of my all time favourites, this: I do hope it meets with your approval as well!!
Enjoy
Dirk
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 