Formed in 1983 in the famous Tennants Bar in Glasgow, they built a reputation for studenty, jangly and thoughtful guitar-pop.
Listening to the vignettes on The Commotions’ debut LP it is easy to figure that Lloyd Cole fancied himself as Norman Mailer but quickly abandoned every idea he had.
The evidence is all over Rattlesnakes, in a whirlwind of “wanna come back and check my bookshelves, babe?” references set to a luxuriant pop score. Imagine Leonard Cohen locked in a room with The Beatles and forced to come up with a hit, and that’s Rattlesnakes in a nutshell. Sensual massage oil for literate student poseurs.
Lawrence Donegan subsequently left the band to become a journalist.
Cole went solo in the early 90s – declaring his intentions in time-honoured fashion by sprouting facial hair – and started to produce his best work, especially the singles No Blue Skies and She’s a Girl and I’m a Man.
Lloyd Cole Vocals, guitar Neil Clark Guitar Blair Cowan Keyboards, vocals Lawrence Donegan Bass Stephen Irvine Drums
Related Posts
Chilliwack Chilliwack formed in Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada) in 1970 from the ashes of a band called The Collectors. Named after…
Sisters Of Mercy These Leeds second-wavers (named after a track from 1968's Songs Of Leonard Cohen) formed in 1980 and became the sour…
Liverbirds, The One of the very few Merseybeat bands with female members and possibly the first 'girl group' of all time, The Liver Birds…
Ups And Downs Brisbane band Ups and Downs played a brand of ethereal, well-crafted, jangly guitar pop that called to mind Australian post-punk…
Leonard Cohen Born in Canada, Leonard Cohen was already a published novelist and prize-winning poet before he started singing and songwriting, but…
Larry Williams Larry Williams, though born in New Orleans in 1935, recorded in Los Angeles for Art Rupe's Specialty label - the…
Off Broadway This late-'70s power pop group came together in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1977 with a line-up of Cliff Johnson (who…
Screaming Blue Messiahs, The The Screaming Blue Messiahs came preachin' out of London in 1983 with a bible full of blues, rock 'n' roll,…
