The Menace
Encyclopedia
The Menace is the second album by English alternative rock
group Elastica
, released via Deceptive Records
in April 2000.
and Ireland
at the end of 1996, but internal problems caused the departure of members (including vocalist/guitarist Donna Matthews
and bassist Annie Holland
) and the temporary dissolution of the group.
Leader Justine Frischmann
, who had recently broken up with boyfriend Damon Albarn
of Blur
, started to work on Brian Eno
-influenced mood music with flatmate Loz Hardy of Kingmaker
, resulting on tracks like "Miami Nice" and "My Sex", which ended up on the album. Frischmann reconnected with Annie Holland in early 1999 and formed a new line-up of the band, including keyboardist/vocalist Mew, formerly of Heave, guitarist Paul Jones
(Lineoleum's former member) and keyboardist Dave Bush, formerly of The Fall.
The band listened to previous recordings of the material and decided to re-do it all in four weeks, in September 1999. Bush's ex-bandmate Mark E. Smith
participated in the writing and recording process of two songs in the album, "How He Wrote Elastica Man" - (a play on the title of the Fall's 1980 single "How I Wrote Elastic Man"), and "KB". The album also features two early sessions with Donna Matthews ("Image Change" and "How He Wrote Elastica Man") and a Trio
cover, "Da Da Da", featuring the keyboards of Damon Albarn, under the anagram
alias Norman Balda.
The cover photo was taken by visual artist and musician Maya Arulpragasam
, who also directed the video for "Mad Dog God Dam" and designed the cover for the band's last single "The Bitch Don't Work."
unless otherwise noted.
Additional musicians
Technical personnel
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
group Elastica
Elastica
Elastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...
, released via Deceptive Records
Deceptive Records
Deceptive Records was a British independent record label formed in 1992 by Steve Lamacq, Tony Smith and Alan James, which concentrated on rock and alternative rock. The most famous group signed to the label were Elastica....
in April 2000.
Background
After the release of their eponymous debut record in 1995, the band started touring and in the process started partying ferociously and dabbling in drugs. The first attempt to record their second work was in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
at the end of 1996, but internal problems caused the departure of members (including vocalist/guitarist Donna Matthews
Donna Matthews
Donna Matthews was the lead guitarist of the Britpop band, Elastica.Matthews left Elastica in 1999. In May 2004, Matthews' new band, Klang, released their debut album, No Sound is Heard...
and bassist Annie Holland
Annie Holland
Annie Holland was the bass guitarist for the Britpop band Elastica.The quietest and perhaps most enigmatic of the group, Holland had an Elastica song named in her honour...
) and the temporary dissolution of the group.
Leader Justine Frischmann
Justine Frischmann
Justine Elinor Frischmann is an English singer and guitarist, best known for being the lead singer of the now defunct band Elastica...
, who had recently broken up with boyfriend Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
of Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
, started to work on Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
-influenced mood music with flatmate Loz Hardy of Kingmaker
Kingmaker (band)
Kingmaker were a British indie rock group, founded in Kingston upon Hull in 1990.-Formation:Teenage schoolmates Loz Hardy and Myles Howell formed the group during their year off after school. They placed an advertisement for a drummer, and eventually recruited the significantly older John Andrew...
, resulting on tracks like "Miami Nice" and "My Sex", which ended up on the album. Frischmann reconnected with Annie Holland in early 1999 and formed a new line-up of the band, including keyboardist/vocalist Mew, formerly of Heave, guitarist Paul Jones
Paul Jones
Paul Jones may refer to:*Paul Jones , Australian politician*Paul Jones , American Episcopal Bishop*Paul Jones , British former professional boxer...
(Lineoleum's former member) and keyboardist Dave Bush, formerly of The Fall.
The band listened to previous recordings of the material and decided to re-do it all in four weeks, in September 1999. Bush's ex-bandmate Mark E. Smith
Mark E. Smith
Mark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
participated in the writing and recording process of two songs in the album, "How He Wrote Elastica Man" - (a play on the title of the Fall's 1980 single "How I Wrote Elastic Man"), and "KB". The album also features two early sessions with Donna Matthews ("Image Change" and "How He Wrote Elastica Man") and a Trio
Trio (band)
Trio was a German band. It formed in the small German town of Großenkneten in 1980. The band is most noted for the song "Da da da, ich lieb dich nicht du liebst mich nicht aha aha aha" which was a hit in 30 countries worldwide. Trio was a product of the Neue Deutsche Welle...
cover, "Da Da Da", featuring the keyboards of Damon Albarn, under the anagram
Anagram
An anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...
alias Norman Balda.
The cover photo was taken by visual artist and musician Maya Arulpragasam
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
, who also directed the video for "Mad Dog God Dam" and designed the cover for the band's last single "The Bitch Don't Work."
Track listing
All tracks written by ElasticaElastica
Elastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...
unless otherwise noted.
- "Mad Dog God Dam" – 3:16
- "Generator" – 1:50
- "How He Wrote Elastica Man" (Elastica, Mark E. SmithMark E. SmithMark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
, Julia Nagle) – 2:02 - "Image Change" (Donna Matthews, Elastica) – 3:27
- "Your Arse My Place" (Elastica, Adam AntAdam AntAdam Ant is an English musician who gained popularity as the lead singer of New Wave/post-punk group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring ten UK top ten hits between 1980 and 1983, including three No.1s...
- uncredited) – 2:15 - "Human" (Donna Matthews, Elastica, Gilbert, Gotobed, Lewis, NewmanWire (band)Wire are an English rock band, formed in London in October 1976 by Colin Newman , Graham Lewis , Bruce Gilbert , and Robert Gotobed...
) – 3:29 - "Nothing Stays The Same" (Donna Matthews, Elastica) – 2:44
- "Miami Nice" (Elastica, Loz Hardy) – 3:21
- "Love Like Ours" (Donna Matthews, Elastica) – 2:22
- "KB" (Elastica, Smith, Nagle) – 3:12
- "My Sex" (Elastica, Loz Hardy) – 4:10
- "The Way I Like It" – 2:39
- "Da Da Da" (Krawinkel, Remmler) – 3:52
Personnel
Elastica- Justine FrischmannJustine FrischmannJustine Elinor Frischmann is an English singer and guitarist, best known for being the lead singer of the now defunct band Elastica...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, 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...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, toy keyboard, photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film... - Mew – 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...
, vocals - Paul Jones – guitar
- Annie HollandAnnie HollandAnnie Holland was the bass guitarist for the Britpop band Elastica.The quietest and perhaps most enigmatic of the group, Holland had an Elastica song named in her honour...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Dave Bush – keyboards, programming
- Justin WelchJustin WelchJustin Steven Welch is an English musician, best known as the drummer in the Britpop band, Elastica....
– 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 ....
Additional musicians
- Donna MatthewsDonna MatthewsDonna Matthews was the lead guitarist of the Britpop band, Elastica.Matthews left Elastica in 1999. In May 2004, Matthews' new band, Klang, released their debut album, No Sound is Heard...
– vocals, guitar (tracks 3, 4) - Mark E. SmithMark E. SmithMark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
– vocals (track 3) - Sheila ChipperfieldSheila ChipperfieldSheila Chipperfield was, from 1996–1998, the bassist in the London based rock band, Elastica.Chipperfield joined the band in early 1996 a year after original bassist Annie Holland left, and she became an especially close collaborator of Donna Matthews during a period when Matthews became a more...
– bass (track 4) - M. Box – bass (track 11)
- Norman BaldaDamon AlbarnDamon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
– keyboards (track 13)
Technical personnel
- ElasticaElasticaElastica were an English alternative rock band that played punk rock-influenced music. They were best known for their 1995 album Elastica, which produced singles that charted in the US and the UK.-History:...
– performer, arranger, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Marc Waterman – producer
- Alan MoulderAlan MoulderAlan Moulder is one of Britain's premier alternative rock record producers. He has worked with such artists as Depeche Mode, Erasure, Elastica, Gary Numan, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Curve, Ride, Lush and My Bloody Valentine, Lostprophets, Shihad, Ivyrise and Placebo, as well as with many American...
– producer (track 4) - Bruce Lampcov – producer (track 11)
- N. Stuart – photography
- D. Titlow – photography
- Maya ArulpragasamM.I.A. (artist)Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
– cover photography - Steve LamacqSteve LamacqSteve Lamacq , sometimes known by his nicknames Lammo or "The Cat" is an English disc jockey, currently working with the BBC radio stations BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2.-Early career:He was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire...
– A&RA&RArtists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
Songs
- "Mad Dog God Dam" is the result of Justine Frischmann's first stint at programming on Cubase.
- "Your Arse My Place" is a twisted 12-bar-blues which was made for the sake of a fillerFillerIn general, a filler is something that is used to fill gaps. Specialized meanings of the word "filler" include:* Filler , dietary fiber and other ingredients added to pet foods to provide bulk...
at a John PeelJohn PeelJohn Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
session recording. Its main riff is "borrowed" from Adam and the AntsAdam and the AntsAdam and the Ants were a British rock band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The original group, which existed from 1977 to 1980, became notable as a cult band marking the transition from the late-1970s punk rock era to the post-punk and New Wave era...
' "It Doesn't Matter" - a song which, fittingly, was recorded by the Ants for a John Peel session in 1978. - "The Way I Like It" was written for Damon Albarn.