Young Marble Giants. Everything about them was cool.
1. Welsh, like John Cale and Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci. Outside the mainstream and going their own way. Uninfluenced by other bands hanging out in Camden Town, say.
2. Only recorded one album, like Josef K, The Monks, Life Without Buildings, Madvillain and The Postal Service.
3. Everyone talks about Debbie Harry, Viv Albertine and Siouxsie Sioux but no one mentions Alison Statton. Possibly because she’s now a chiropractor.
4. Kurt Cobain’s favourite band (alongside The Vaselines).
5. Colossal Youth and Young Marble Giants refer to the massive kouroi statues of ancient Greece, most likely sculpted according to an original Egyptian design. Something to do with Apollo.
6. The lyrics are quite odd. What is noddemix?
7. They supported Cabaret Voltaire in Berlin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver and New York, then split up.
8. Stuart Moxham was a fan of Vini Reilly’s early work.
9. He was also very interested in dub reggae.
10. Your friend with the Unknown Pleasures t-shirt has never heard of them.
Playlist:
Brand new life, Young Marble Giants
So long, Fall of Saigon
My name is trouble, Keren Ann
The rip, Portishead
Credit in the straight world, Young Marble Giants
A nod on hold, Ms John Soda
Tears in the typing pool, Broadcast
Smoke and mirrors, The Magnetic Fields
Choci loni, Young Marble Giants
Ne m’oublie pas, Watoo Watoo
Three women, Stereolab
Season of the shark, Yo La Tengo
Constantly changing, Young Marble Giants
Fool, Frankie Cosmos
Red hot cheetos, Clairo
True killer, Sneaks
Final day, Young Marble Giants