Rattlesnakes (album)
Encyclopedia
Rattlesnakes was the debut album by Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
and was released in 1984. The album reached #13 in the UK record charts and included the hit singles "Perfect Skin" (#26 in UK), "Forest Fire" (#41 in UK) and "Rattlesnakes" (#65 in UK, #31 in the Netherlands).
, who formed the band while a student at the University of Glasgow
. Cole cites Bob Dylan
and Booker T. & the MGs as major influences, but also notes the impact of his studies in English
and philosophy
on both the album's title, a reference to the novel Play It As It Lays
by Joan Didion
, and its lyrics, which also reference Renata Adler
, Simone de Beauvoir
and Norman Mailer
.
, except where noted.
The "Bonus Tracks" CD also included "Forest Fire (extended version)" which is 45 seconds longer than the original release. The de luxe edition released in 2004 reverted to the shorter version.
reunion tour to commemorate the album's 20th anniversary. At the same time, a deluxe edition of the album was released on Universal International and Capitol
. The deluxe edition includes the 10 original album tracks, the four tracks from the bonus edition and 14 additional tracks, including demos, concert and radio performances.
The album was recorded and produced at The garden Studio in Shoreditch, owned by John Foxx
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions were a British pop band that formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1982. Between 1984 and 1989, the band scored four Top 20 albums and five Top 40 singles in the UK...
and was released in 1984. The album reached #13 in the UK record charts and included the hit singles "Perfect Skin" (#26 in UK), "Forest Fire" (#41 in UK) and "Rattlesnakes" (#65 in UK, #31 in the Netherlands).
Influences
The bulk of the album was written by frontman Lloyd ColeLloyd Cole
Lloyd Cole is an English singer and songwriter, known for his role as lead singer of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions from 1984 to 1989, and for his subsequent solo work.-Early life:...
, who formed the band while a student at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. Cole cites Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and Booker T. & the MGs as major influences, but also notes the impact of his studies in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
on both the album's title, a reference to the novel Play It As It Lays
Play It As It Lays
Play It as It Lays is a 1970 novel by the American writer Joan Didion. Time magazine included the novel in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005. The book was made into a 1972 movie starring Tuesday Weld as Maria and Anthony Perkins as B.Z...
by Joan Didion
Joan Didion
Joan Didion is an American author best known for her novels and her literary journalism. Her novels and essays explore the disintegration of American morals and cultural chaos, where the overriding theme is individual and social fragmentation...
, and its lyrics, which also reference Renata Adler
Renata Adler
Renata Adler is an American author, journalist and film critic.-Background and education:Adler was born in Milan, Italy, and grew up in Danbury, Connecticut. After gaining a B.A. in philosophy and German from Bryn Mawr, Adler studied for an M.A. in Comparative Literature at Harvard under I. A...
, Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone-Ernestine-Lucie-Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir, often shortened to Simone de Beauvoir , was a French existentialist philosopher, public intellectual, and social theorist. She wrote novels, essays, biographies, an autobiography in several volumes, and monographs on philosophy, politics, and...
and Norman Mailer
Norman Mailer
Norman Kingsley Mailer was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, poet, playwright, screenwriter, and film director.Along with Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Hunter S...
.
Track listing
All songs were written by Lloyd ColeLloyd Cole
Lloyd Cole is an English singer and songwriter, known for his role as lead singer of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions from 1984 to 1989, and for his subsequent solo work.-Early life:...
, except where noted.
- "Perfect Skin" – 3:16
- "Speedboat" – 4:37
- "Rattlesnakes" (Cole, Neil ClarkNeil Clark (guitarist)Neil Clark is a Scottish guitarist, known for his work with Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. He has regularly worked and toured with Lloyd Cole post-Commotions including playing on and touring in support of Cole's 2006 album, Antidepressant...
) – 3:28 - "Down on Mission Street" – 3:49
- "Forest Fire" – 4:39
- "Charlotte Street" – 3:55
- "2cv" – 2:52
- "Four Flights Up" (Cole, Lawrence DoneganLawrence DoneganLawrence Donegan , is a musician and journalist, currently Golf Correspondent at The Guardian.Donegan was educated at St Modan's High School and the University of Glasgow, where his musical career began. He was the bassist in The Bluebells, whose biggest hit was "Young at Heart," and Lloyd Cole and...
) – 2:37 - "Patience" (Cole, Blair CowanBlair CowanBlair Cowan is a Scottish musician, formerly a member of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Following the breakup of that band, he continued to collaborate with Lloyd Cole early in the singer's solo career, playing and co-writing on 1990's Lloyd Cole and 1991's Don't Get Weird on Me Babe.He has since...
) – 3:40 - "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?" (Cole, Clark) – 3:06
1985 bonus tracks
In 1985, Polydor released a "Bonus Tracks" edition of the album, including all the original tracks and four additional songs:- "Sweetness" – 2:48
- "Andy's Babies" (Cole, Donegan) – 2:50
- "The Sea and the Sand" – 3:02
- "You Will Never Be No Good" (Cole, Cowan) – 2:41
The "Bonus Tracks" CD also included "Forest Fire (extended version)" which is 45 seconds longer than the original release. The de luxe edition released in 2004 reverted to the shorter version.
2004 anniversary
In 2004, the band reformed for a brief EuropeanEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
reunion tour to commemorate the album's 20th anniversary. At the same time, a deluxe edition of the album was released on Universal International and Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. The deluxe edition includes the 10 original album tracks, the four tracks from the bonus edition and 14 additional tracks, including demos, concert and radio performances.
Performance
- Neil ClarkNeil Clark (guitarist)Neil Clark is a Scottish guitarist, known for his work with Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. He has regularly worked and toured with Lloyd Cole post-Commotions including playing on and touring in support of Cole's 2006 album, Antidepressant...
– guitar - Lloyd ColeLloyd ColeLloyd Cole is an English singer and songwriter, known for his role as lead singer of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions from 1984 to 1989, and for his subsequent solo work.-Early life:...
– vocal, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Blair CowanBlair CowanBlair Cowan is a Scottish musician, formerly a member of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. Following the breakup of that band, he continued to collaborate with Lloyd Cole early in the singer's solo career, playing and co-writing on 1990's Lloyd Cole and 1991's Don't Get Weird on Me Babe.He has since...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Lawrence DoneganLawrence DoneganLawrence Donegan , is a musician and journalist, currently Golf Correspondent at The Guardian.Donegan was educated at St Modan's High School and the University of Glasgow, where his musical career began. He was the bassist in The Bluebells, whose biggest hit was "Young at Heart," and Lloyd Cole and...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Stephen Irvine – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
Production
- Paul HardimanPaul HardimanPaul Hardiman is a British record producer noted for his work with Lloyd Cole and the Commotions , and Lloyd Cole solo. More famously he also produced the worldwide hit "Lady in Red" by Chris De Burgh and the critically acclaimed Soul Mining by The The.- External links :...
– producer - Ric OcasekRic OcasekRic Ocasek is an American musician and music producer. He is best known as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band, The Cars....
– remixing (on "Perfect Skin", "Four Flights Up", and "Patience") - Anne DudleyAnne DudleyAnne Dudley is an English composer and pop musician, and was the first BBC Concert Orchestra's Composer in Association in 2001. She has worked in both the classical and pop genres. She is perhaps best known, however, as one of the core members of the synthpop band Art of Noise and also as a film...
and the Commotions – string arrangements - Derek MacKillop - management
The album was recorded and produced at The garden Studio in Shoreditch, owned by John Foxx
John Foxx
John Foxx is an English singer, artist, photographer and teacher. He was the original lead singer of the band Ultravox before being replaced by Midge Ure, when he left to embark on a solo career in 1979...