The highs and lows of a drug trip - the story behind Spacemen 3's classic sophomore album The Perfect Prescription. Rugby's very own neo-psychedelia quartet consisted of a genius paring, Jason Pierce and Peter Kember. They were backed up by bassist Pete Bain and drummer Rosco, for what was an eventful 1987. It was during Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" five weeks chart topping stint, that saw the release of The Perfect Prescription. But first, here's the back story.
Influenced by garage rock, noise rock, and psychedelic rock; Pierce and Kember started re-creating music. Two decades in particular, the psychedelic 60s - The Red Krayola / The 13th Floor Elevators, and the punk 70s - Suicide / MC5. I'll go as far to say that Spacemen 3's influence on modern music is far greater than the influences on their formation. Today, bands from all around the world cite Spacemen 3 above My Bloody Valentine. The Fender Telecasters and Rickenbackers of Spacemen 3's past opened up the technophobe's obsession with equipment, and as Spacemen 3 progressed, so did the guitars and the shoegaze scene they were ever so close to - Fender Jaguar. The Perfect Prescription was released before Daydream Nation and Loveless, it's a pinnacle rock album that paved the way for Ride, Loop, Galaxie 500, and Mercury Rev.
The Perfect Prescription is a concept album from start to finish. It
never sways from its core musical and lyrical interests - drugs. The drug trip
has been expressed through 60s psychedelic music, and Spacemen 3 were not
afraid to discuss their use of recreational drugs. It splashed down on their
debut album Sound of Confusion with "Losing Touch With My Mind". The use of hard-core drugs has always been associated with Spacemen
3, and by referencing drug use on The Perfect Prescription, they answered
the soft core critics with an experience. Driving suits out of venues as the
decibel levels reached new highs. It was intensified by the album opener,
"Take Me To The Other Side" - still performed by Spiritualized to
this day. The four and a half minutes of pure psychedelic passion introduced The
Perfect Prescription to the concept, it starts with the want, the need for
drugs, to take them to the other side. Pierce sings: "I have a
passion sweet Lord, and it just won't go away. I have it each and every day
Lord, sure as the sun comes up each day." Pierce's obsession with
a spiritual being is no coincidence, his drug talking "Take Me To The
Other Side" was envisioned two decades prior to its conception - "When
I'm rushing on my run, and I feel just like Jesus' son." / "Heroin,
be the death of me. Heroin, it's my wife and it's my life, because a mainline into
my vein, leads to a centre in my head, And then I'm better off than dead." - "Heroin" from The Velvet Underground & Nico.
Spacemen 3 elevates the listener, as the drug trip continues. "Walkin' With Jesus" begins with a stark two chord organ, repeating itself
throughout in a holy manner. The organ has forever been associated with church,
the perfect instrument to take the listener through Pierce/Kember's trip. This
track, in particular the organ, influenced Palma Violets, who took the powerful
two chord organ riff for "Step Up For The Cool Cats". An influence to
many, it’s easy to see why Spacemen 3 are noted as a key band in 80s
alternative rock. Theirs a cool edge, a sigh of relief when listening to
Spacemen 3. Then there’s the angst, powerful distortion that features from time
to time. The Perfect Prescription features all aspects of Spacemen 3's
sounds, outlining them with the concept, like a bar chart. "Walkin' With
Jesus" is the melodic high ground, the beginning of their trip. It's aligned
with "Ode To Street Hassle", referencing Lou Reed's album of the same
name. Kember sings, which is more spoken word than anything. Again, it's a
possible reference to Reed, who has used spoken word techniques throughout his
career. Kember talks of "Walkin With' Jesus", in a vision like
manner. Quoting the previous track, Kember makes "Ode To Street
Hassle" sound like the beginning to a dream.
With the nine minute "Ecstasy Symphony / Transparent Radiation (Flashback)" you get that dream. It's one of Spacemen 3's optimum
recordings, finding itself tracked perfectly on The Perfect Prescription
- right at the heart of the story. Reaching the high of their trip, Spacemen 3
evoke this sensual feeling by covering The Red Krayola. The nine minute piece
is like a predecessor to post-rock. The gentle violin has been used to show a
peaceful setting. Everything about this thrilling peace is spectacular. Theirs
eerie synthesizers, reverberated rhythm guitar, and a simplistic cover, all
conveying the underlining power and energy of being high. It marks a change on The
Perfect Prescription, from the taking of drugs to the passenger.
United by the following track "Feel So Good", with its highly
applicable title. Pierce and Kember sing a duet, both singing the same lyrics,
but with Kember taking over the sharper vocals: "Lord I feel so
fine, takes me out of my mind." When rock musicians implement
brass instruments it's usually somewhat of faux pas. Spacemen 3 included a
trumpet on "Feel So Good" and it wraps the track together. It's a
slow, relaxing track that denotes the 'quiet before the storm' feeling that's
inevitable.
"Thing'll Never Be The Same" marks the abrasive turn. It opens
with a brash guitar solo, with meaningful connotations. This represents the
harsh reality of a fairy tale drug saga turned sour. It's the moment Spacemen 3
revel in - noise. This track is the most distorted and vigorous on The
Perfect Prescription, still nothing compared to their past and future
releases. Pierce sings: "We'll put some love deep in our veins,
somewhere in our hearts, things won't be the same." His vague drug
tolerating descriptions sway from reality, this empowering track turns the tide
in Spacemen 3 history.
Think of Bob Dylan now as we continue on our journey through space rock.
Yes, that may be confusing and slightly arousing to some, however when Spacemen
3 paid homage to Dylan's "In My Time of Dyin'" on the seventh track
"Come Down Easy", I’m sure they never had folk in mind. The glorious
sound of a shimmering acoustic guitar has long been associated with the
Southern folk / blues - Lead Belly, Charley Patton, and Robert Johnson. Dylan's
twang influenced Spacemen 3 for their easing off track. Opening with a slippery
bass lick, "Come Down Easy" commands the blues. "In 1987
all I wanna do is fly All I want for you to do is reach up to the sky," Pierce
sings, opening the proceedings. He goes on to sing: "In 1987 all I
wanna do is get stoned, all I want for you to do is take my body home." Pierce's
vocal has been layered, creating this cave-esque echo. It's Pierce searching
for his soul - as there lyrics suggest: "Lord I'm gonna shake it,
lord I'm gonna make it, sure I'm gonna take it, ‘cos I feel, yeah I feel,
alright."
Shrouded in mystery and confusion, The Perfect Prescription ends with
"Call The Doctor". It doesn’t take a genius to realise
what this track is about. The dark reverberated rhythmic guitar signals the
sorry end to Spacemen 3's drug trip. Kember sings: "Call the doctor
pretty baby, you know I'm near to my last breath. You'd better hurry now honey,
or you're gonna be my death. You'd better throw away the spoons and all the
other dirty things, cos when the law arrives this evening, I don't think
they'll wait and ring." Like the psychiatric drug recovery scenes
in Trainspotting, "Call The Doctor" reveals a treacherous story of an
overdose and its social stigmas. It comes alive, as Kember sings the album
defining lyrics: "Hey there's the door now pretty baby, see who's on
the other side, tell them to back up with the wagon now, I think I'm going for
a ride." The reference to "Take Me To The Other Side" is
inverted. Kember's link to the opposite side of the album stands out as The
Perfect Prescription's coup de grâce. There's a tenacious stalemate between
figure A - the drugs, and figure B - Spacemen 3. No outcome is decided as
"Call The Doctor" closes with powerful lyrics: "Tell them
I did it to myself babe, and I lived a life of sin, tell them black ain't
always white babe, and without sure ain't within."
Every drug related angle is explored on The Perfect Prescription. Its
core focus is in no way hidden through obscure messages, Pierce / Kember have
truly written a psychedelic masterpiece. Reading the track titles will
tell you the story vividly, but the lyrics within are outstanding. Kember's
spoken word voice is menacing, whereas Pierce's, as with his Spiritualized
discography, sounds angelic. That's what Pierce / Kember wanted to get out of The
Perfect Prescription, which by the way is the best album title of the 80s.
They wanted to tear the album in half. Side A is the high, featuring simplistic
rhythms and organ riffs. Remember, the organ is related to religion - perceived
as the good / high. Then there's the complex and dissonant side B. No organ, no
sacred Pierce vocal, just the pure grit of a downward spiral drug trip. They
convey the perfect prescription drug, in the eyes of drug taking citizens. In
1987, Spacemen 3 released one of the best neo-psychedelia albums this country
has seen. 30 years on and The Perfect Prescription is still a
cult underground classic.
-Ed
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