Discogs
McCarthy Biography
by Michael Sutton
The British band McCarthy is probably
remembered more for their left-wing politics than their jangly sound.
Formed in Barking, Essex, England, in 1985, McCarthy consisted of
Malcolm Eden (vocals, guitar), Tim Gane (guitar), John Williamson
(bass), and Gary Baker (drums). Gane was originally a drummer, but Eden
taught him how to play a number of chords on a guitar. Both musicians
were influenced by British punk groups such as the Sex Pistols, the
Clash, and the Buzzcocks, and they covered their songs in small gigs. By
the time Eden completed his studies at a university, his Marxist
beliefs had grown deeper, reflected in his lyrics for McCarthy. In 1987,
McCarthy released their debut LP I Am a Wallet. The album was virtually
ignored by U.K. radio programmers, except for legendary British DJ John
Peel. Because of Eden's political views, the band was often lumped in
with less pop-oriented acts like Billy Bragg and the Redskins,
comparisons that upset the group. The band's second album, The Enraged
Will Inherit the Earth, appeared in 1989. However, after the group
recorded their third full-length, 1990's Banking, Violence and the Inner
Life Today, Eden felt there was no need to continue; he believed that
McCarthy's creativity peaked with that LP. Moreover, he was burned out
from touring. Consequently, the group split up and Gane formed Stereolab
with his girlfriend Laetitia Sadier, who also sang on McCarthy's last
album. Eden released material with Herzfeld.
Tracklist
| A |
| Get A Knife Between Your Teeth |
| B1 |
| Nobody Could Care Less About Your Private Life |
| B2 |
| With One Eye On Getting Their Pay |
| B3 |
| Can The Haves Use Their Brains? |
