The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time 1955 to 2005: Number 426

Number 426

Primal Scream

"Rocks"

(1991)

Genre: Alt Rock

"Piha" art by Ildefonse

I love old films, yanno, the ones, from "Ted Turner Classics" et al, classics from the 1930's 40's and 50's. But yet, when I accidentally tune into a radio station while driving and come across a station that plays those tunes from the time period .... I'm just not interested in listening to it. So, I was driving today and that very "thing" happened and I asked myself why is it I like old films and most times enjoy the music that accompanies the film but not listen to the golden oldies of a time gone and enjoy it like i do with the films?

So I thought about it.

And the answer was obvious, i grew up in a time of Rock N Roll. You see, the music from the 30s, 40s n' early 50s is all about visual perception [to me because it was before my time and that is what i visually relate to the films] and not about the art of listening to "crafted" [studio produced even?] music that is full of sound.

Still doesn't explain why I like old films .... Oh well. (There is always the theory of reincarnation and ah ... nevermind)

art by armogeden

There's no overestimating the importance of Screamadelica, the record that brought acid house, techno, and rave culture crashing into the British mainstream -- an impact that rivaled that of Nirvana's Nevermind, the other 1991 release that changed rock. Prior to Screamadelica, Primal Scream were Stonesy classic rock revivalists with a penchant for Detroit rock. They retained those fascinations on Screamadelica -- one listen to the Jimmy Miller-produced, Stephen Stills-rip "Movin' on Up" proves that -- but they burst everything wide open here, turning rock inside out by marrying it to a gleeful rainbow of modern dance textures. This is such a brilliant, gutsy innovative record, so unlike anything the Scream did before, that it's little wonder that there's been much debate behind who is actually responsible for its grooves, especially since Andrew Weatherall is credited with production with eight of the tracks, and it's clearly in line with his work.

Primal Scream

Even if Primal Scream took credit for Weatherall's endeavors, that doesn't erase the fact that they shepherded this album, providing the ideas and impetus for this dubtastic, elastic, psychedelic exercise in deep house and neo-psychedelic. Like any dance music, this is tied to its era to a certain extent, but it transcends it due to its fierce imagination and how it doubles back on rock history, making the past present and vice versa. It was such a monumental step forward that Primal Scream stumbled before regaining their footing, but by that point, the innovations of Screamadelica had been absorbed by everyone from the underground to mainstream. There's little chance that this record will be as revolutionary to first-time listeners, but after its initial spin, the genius in its construction will become apparent -- and it's that attention to detail that makes Screamadelica an album that transcends its time and influence. ~ [Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide]

For Nirvana see Number 480

For Rolling Stones see Number 689 & #767

For Stephen Stills see Number 660

Does Rolling Stone give a monkeys bum?

Yes, Virginia, there were rock & roll-meets-club culture collisions before the electronica boomlet. Take Primal Scream's 1991 masterpiece, Screamadelica, a soulful, druggy expansion of rock's possibilities – the Odelay of its time, perhaps, but where Beck digs Bob Dylan and the Beasties, Primal Scream leadman Bobby Gillespie looked to Al Green and the Stones. Those influences dominated Primal Scream's 1994 retrojammy Give Out but Don't Give Up so much that the album suggested a Brit Black Crowes.For two-plus decades, primal scream have been some of British rock's most ardent shape-shifters, diving into English acid house for 1991's great Screamadelica, then exploring psychedelic dub rock, Stooges-style mayhem and even reggae mysticism. ~ [Source: Rolling Stone]

For Bob Dylan see Number 491, #841 & #929

For Al Green see Number 472

For Black Crowes visit MM Vol 1 #001

For The Stooges see Number 980

Rolling Stone magazine deemed their '426th Song of all Time' was "Smoke On The Water" by Deep Purple. Deep Purple has appeared in The Definitive 1000 @ #686

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at (John Lennon did it in '71?) and the Album ranked at Number (A famous painting? no?)

This song has a Definitive 1000 rating of 77.7 out of 108