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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZPRIMAL SCREAMUK rock band with an uneven career. The defining moment came with the release of album Screamadelica '91, which fused '60s psychedelic rock with the rhythmic pulse of '90s dance music to create an enormously influential dance/rock hybrid. The album was a UK no. 8 hit, earning Primal Scream many accolades and winning the Mercury Music Prize '92. But the group's earlier work had not been distinguished. Starting out in Glasgow '84 their constantly shifting personnel was based around the shifty personality of singer and ex-Jesus and Mary Chain drummer Bobby Gillespie (b 22 June '64). Debut single 'All Fall Down' was released '85 on their manager Alan McGee's fledgling Creation label, to which the band still remain signed. Debut album Sonic Flower Groove '87 and follow- up Primal Scream '89 were both energetic efforts, but reflected the shambolic working practices of Gillespie and the core lineup of Robert Young (guitar) and Andrew Innes (guitar). After the pioneering success of Screamadelica, for which they were joined by Martin Duffy (keyboards), the Rolling Stones- influenced Give Out But Don't Give Up '94 was widely criticized as a retreat to the band's derivative trad.-rock roots; but after another spell away from the spotlight, during which they were joined by ex-Stone Roses bassist Gary 'Mani' Mounfield and drummer Paul Mulreany, they returned to favour with Vanishing Point '97, another free-ranging, experimental project combining the sounds of rock and dance, redolent of Screamadelica but without mimicking it. Echo Dek the same year was a companion to Vanishing Point, described as a 'big, pneumatic, airy, dubbed- up reworking' of its songs by top producer Adrian Sherwood. |