Forgotten 90's TS: "Blacker Than Black" by Goodbye Mr.MacKenzie vs. "Paradise" by Birdland

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Neither band ended up amounting to much (well, GMM"s Shirley Manson went onto frong Garbage)...but I think both of these singles are fucking amazing. While I like the frantic, trebley guitar romp of the latter, I think I might just have to go with the former, if only for its gloomy sentiment. Plus, Big John Duncan on guitar trumps all.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 15 October 2005 04:44 (twenty years ago)

She went onto FRONT Garbage, though I suppose the possibility that she fronged them also exists. She could be fronging them right now. A good, bracing fronging from Shirely.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 15 October 2005 04:45 (twenty years ago)

I predict that this will be the loneliest thread in ILM's troubled history.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 15 October 2005 04:58 (twenty years ago)

My prediction, it seems, has come true.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 15 October 2005 05:22 (twenty years ago)

I won't even ask who they are. I don't think I want to.

― Voodoo Child, Saturday, 15 October 2005 05:23 (twenty years ago)

christ those are some artifacts you got yourself there Alex.

How about some YSIs for encouraging debate?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Saturday, 15 October 2005 05:24 (twenty years ago)

Well, sadly, I'm at the office and have neither here as MP3's. I'll try to fix that later.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 15 October 2005 05:26 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I'd take sides if I knew either of those songs. Will await supplemental media.

― gspm (gspm), Saturday, 15 October 2005 15:35 (twenty years ago)

"The Rattler" is obv the quintessential GMM song

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Saturday, 15 October 2005 17:34 (twenty years ago)

...to you, maybe.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 15 October 2005 20:07 (twenty years ago)

Well, yeah

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Sunday, 16 October 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

I'm glad we got that settled.

A real taking sides -- Angelfish vs. Birdland 1993.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 16 October 2005 16:14 (twenty years ago)

ainyc's love for birdland and his regular mention of them has always been one of the more baffling aspects of life. i just remember the fantastic hype that they received from the nme and then i heard them and then even worse i saw them and it was all pretty foolish and stupid, two things i thought it was in the charter that alex must point out.

― keyth (keyth), Sunday, 16 October 2005 16:16 (twenty years ago)

It's kinda weird to say that a band had its thunder stolen by the Manic Street Preachers but there ya go.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 16 October 2005 16:17 (twenty years ago)

Does the name of the band derive from the incredibly great and ultra-depressing novel "After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie" by Jean Rhys? If so, points for them.

― Drew Daniel (Drew Daniel), Sunday, 16 October 2005 17:13 (twenty years ago)

Not sure where Goodbye Mr. MacKenzie's name came fron, but that's as good as guess as any. I interviewed Martin Metcalfe once -- ages ago -- and he didn't strike as that literate a fellow, but who can say, really? He had a very lovely pinky ring with a watch-face in it, which I found rather nifty. They were actually on the same label, Stateside as Birdland (the publicist gave me an implausibly huge Birdland poster on the way out the door. The poster has never graced any wall I've ever paid to live alongside).

I think my appreciation for Birdland stems from this single and "Hollow Heart". The whole album, meanwhile, was....how do you say? Ah yes,....a bit crap. They indeed were completely upstaged by the Manic Street Preachers, as weird as that sounds. At the end of the day, apart from the guitar player, Birdland really didn't have a thing going for them, yet thought they could get by on their immense hubris.

Live, they were dreadful as well. How does one get pogoing wrong? They lept about, but it couldn't have possibly have looked wronger or sillier.

Anyway, "Paradise" was still a great single.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 16 October 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

I also think I like them because they remind me of a specific period in my life (one where I had more time to worry about silly British indie bands, I suppose).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 16 October 2005 17:20 (twenty years ago)

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