Interestingly, the lyrical content from Kevin Shields and vocalist Bilinda Butcher is mostly charged, intimate and fragile, but often obscured by the maelstrom and brutality of the anamorphic musical background. Its bombastic, immersive experimentation using unorthodox production techniques – a multi-layered form, taking in detuned guitar washes, walls of sound, obfuscated vocals, abstract loops and defiant atmospherics. However, Shield’s dogged perseverance and obsession in achieving the ultimate sonic guitar fabric more than paid off. It’s often quoted that the album cost around £250,000 to make and nearly bankrupted the band’s independent record label, Creation Records. Loveless is the result of a band tirelessly working in 19 different studios over a two year period on a quest to record the perfect vision of sound, as set out by the band’s leader Kevin Shields. I’ve got Matthew, the kid who collected lawn mowers. You might have a radio station, a club or sibling to thank for your first time with the remarkable Screamadelica. Meanwhile, the beautiful last track ‘Shine Like Stars’ not only closes the album up but also makes listening to the whole album all over again irresistible.Īnd that’s exactly what happened on the night of Matthew’s party. ‘Come Together’ played as raves were coming up - it was a hymn for 90s club culture. It’s a piece of work that evokes real passion. It seamlessly crossed previously defined genre boundaries. From the trippy, psychedelic opener ‘Movin’ On Up’ to “E-generation” anthem ‘Higher Than The Sun’, Primal Scream made a record that topped countless end of year polls and that sounds as amazing now as it did back then. With its Peter Fonda sample from the film The Wild Angels incredible mix of indie and dance, producer Andrew Weatherall created a monster. The album’s first single, ‘Loaded’, had been released a year earlier. It played on repeat all night and it sounded brilliant. I’m not sure exactly what he asked for but I can imagine him requesting, 'The best latest one please… something popular and groovy' (thinking back, he actually looked like Austin Powers). With an eye for mowers rather than an ear for music, Matthew knew he would need tunes for the party so he went to the only music shop in town, Our Price, and the assistant recommended Screamadelica. Matthew’s party was the following weekend.

Then, on my birthday, 23 September 1991, Primal Scream released Screamadelica. I remember choosing to make something out of clay, just so that I could work in the pottery room where there was a CD player. It was a year of massive albums by Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and R.E.M., whose Out of Time was the soundtrack to my GCSE art lessons. However, the summer before sixth form in 1991 was key for me. As a kid growing up in rural north Shropshire, exposure to music scenes (or any kind of scenes) and live music was limited.

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