The Wildhearts, Endless Nameless (Mushroom-1997)
Yeah I know the band did sort of make it. Plenty of top 20 singles and a ton of touring in the UK and Europe placed this band into rock royalty. But there is a missing link and an album that splits fans so much even now 15 years later the album is still hated by diehard fans.
I think that hate is unfair, more intensive dislike is what I have felt from fans. But I really love this album. At the time it was a new start after the shambles of the East West record deal they signed a new contract with Mushroom records and done it in fashion on the entrance to East West records in London.
The band toured before the release of the album and one or two songs were played. Sounded good to most but in the studio they seem to up the levels on everything. I mean EVERYTHING the drums and bass got the same treatment. My stereo at the time just could not handle this one and the only way to hear it was on my headphones.
With the band in a drug fueled frenzy and an album needed by the record label I think they just did not have time to do anything that was well polished so they made the album all bands want to make. Plug in, play and fuck off. Simple but here the songwriting took a turn, the bass player wrote and sung on the first single. Sill charted as well and a Top of the Pops performance to eclipse anything was done.
I remember at the time looking at the screen in shock, it was just not anything like I have heard or ever heard. Noise that could make you vomit but rock out at the same time. The industry in 97 was very boring. Many indie bands had sunk without trace and the whole charts were dance and pop music only. Thank fuck for this album!
The drugs took the main spot in writing as well with titles like 'Junkenstine' and cover 'Heroin' making sure more singles were not possible even if the music could get radio play 'Pissjoy' has a chorus that has kids singing 'pissjoy na na na na na'. Singles 'Anthem' and 'Urge' were the most like a rock song but the heaviness of the music was just way too much for most. But for people like me who love new music and who were fed up with the crap on the charts it was like walking through a field on a summers day.
After a few listens and the shock of the production passes the tunes come through, mind you singing along and humming are things you just cant do with this album.
It is at the end of the day a riff album and any rock and metal fan should be able to tell a riff from noise. The band managed to record more than ten tracks here in this style. All B sides were the same and with some real stand out songs as well. Jason and the Scorchers cover 'White Lies' is as nearly as good as the original and the house shaking Zomboid will be played when the world ends.
Witness an album split the fans and critics and then wait a few years and see the many other bands jumping up and down with Nu Metal (Overproduced noise) hit the charts and make a mint.
As the first single goes,
I'm in love with the rock and roll world.
Endless Nameless is easily available via download and CD but a reissue in 2010 adds all the b side tracks as well. Worth it for Zomboid alone I say.
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