The Vaselines
Encyclopedia
The Vaselines are an alternative rock
band from Glasgow
, Scotland
. Formed in 1986, the band was originally a duo between its songwriters Eugene Kelly
and Frances McKee
, but later added James Seenan and Eugene's brother Charlie Kelly on bass and drums respectively from the band Secession
. McKee had formerly been a member of a band named The Pretty Flowers with Duglas T. Stewart
, Norman Blake
, Janice McBride and Sean Dickson. Eugene Kelly had formerly played in The Famous Monsters.
, which featured a cover
of Divine's "You Think You're a Man" on its B-side, and Dying for It
, which featured the songs "Molly's Lips
" and "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
," both of which Nirvana
would later cover. In 1989 they released their first album, Dum-Dum, on 53rd and 3rd Records. The band broke up shortly after its release.
They briefly reformed in 1990 to open for Nirvana when they played in Edinburgh
.
Though they were not widely known outside of Scotland during their short career, their association with Nirvana brought exposure to the band. Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain
once described Kelly and McKee as his "most favorite songwriters in the whole world". With their songs "Son of a Gun" and "Molly's Lips" covered on Nirvana's album Incesticide
and "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" covered on MTV Unplugged in New York
, the band gained a new audience. At the 1991 Reading Festival, Kelly joined Nirvana on stage for a performance of "Molly's Lips." In 1992, Sub Pop
released The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History
, a compilation that contained The Vaselines' entire body of work.
Kelly went on to found the band Captain America (later renamed Eugenius
after legal threats from Marvel Comics
), supporting Nirvana on their U.K. tour. Following solo performances Kelly released the album Man Alive in 2004. McKee founded the band Suckle along with Seenan and released her first solo album, Sunny Moon
, in 2006.
In the summer of 2006, McKee and Kelly took to the stage together for the first time since 1990 to perform a set of Vaselines songs, as part of a joint tour to promote their individual solo albums.
The Vaselines reformed (minus the old rhythm section) on the April 24, 2008 for a charity show for the Malawi Orphan Support group at Glasgow's MONO venue. Invitation was by word-of-mouth with no press announcements and the band played to a packed, enthusiastic audience.
The Vaselines performed on May 16, 2008 at Scotland's Tigerfest. Members of Belle & Sebastian
supported their live set. The band then played their first-ever U.S. performance at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ on July 9. The band also performed at Sub Pop
Records' 20th Anniversary SP20 music festival on July 12 at Marymoor Park
just outside Seattle WA.
On March 27, 2009, they played their first London date in 20 years at the London Forum
.
On May 5, Sub Pop released Enter the Vaselines
. A deluxe-edition reissue of the 1992 Sub Pop release, it includes remastered versions of the band’s two EPs (Son of a Gun and Dying for It), and their sole album (Dum-Dum), as well as demos and live recordings from 1986 and 1988. The band toured the U.S. in May 2009, playing six dates, starting in Los Angeles on May 10, then heading up the west coast to San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. Dates for Chicago, IL and Brooklyn, NY would end the tour on May 18. The band finished their May tour at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona.
On 19 July 2009, The Vaselines played the Uncut Arena at the Latitude Festival
in Suffolk.
On 9 October 2009, The Vaselines made a long awaited return to Edinburgh to support Mudhoney
at HMV Picture House.
The band were chosen personally by Belle & Sebastian
to perform at their second Bowlie Weekender
festival presented by All Tomorrow's Parties
in the UK in December 2010.
The band have recently announced they will perform a cover version of the Nirvana song "Lithium" as part of a tribute album.
The Vaselines second studio album, Sex With an X, was released in September 2010.
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...
band from Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Formed in 1986, the band was originally a duo between its songwriters Eugene Kelly
Eugene Kelly
Eugene Kelly is a Scottish musician who is a member of the group The Vaselines, a founding member of the now disbanded Eugenius and has had a number of solo releases....
and Frances McKee
Frances McKee
Frances McKee is a singer and songwriter known best for her work in the Scottish indie band The Vaselines.The Vaselines formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1986. Following the release of two EPs, Son of a Gun and Dying for It, the first and only full length album, Dum-Dum, in 1989, the band split up...
, but later added James Seenan and Eugene's brother Charlie Kelly on bass and drums respectively from the band Secession
Secession (band)
Secession was a Scottish synth pop band that existed between 1983 and 1987. The original incarnation comprised Peter Thomson , Jack Ross , Jim Ross and Carole L. Branston...
. McKee had formerly been a member of a band named The Pretty Flowers with Duglas T. Stewart
Duglas T. Stewart
Duglas T. Stewart has been leader and the main composer of Glaswegian indie pop band BMX Bandits since they formed in 1985....
, Norman Blake
Norman Blake (Scottish musician)
Norman Blake is a singer-songwriter in the Glasgow based band, Teenage Fanclub.Blake and Sean Dickson were in The Faith Healers together, which also contained various members at different times Stevie Gray, Hugh McLaughlin, Brian Carson and Colin Murray to name but a few.Blake and Carson were...
, Janice McBride and Sean Dickson. Eugene Kelly had formerly played in The Famous Monsters.
History
The band formed in 1986, and released two short EPs, Son of a GunSon of a Gun (EP)
Son of A Gun was the debut extended play single by Glasgow alternative rock group The Vaselines. The title-song of this EP came to a wider audience after Nirvana covered it, along with "Molly's Lips", on their compilation album Incesticide...
, which featured a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Divine's "You Think You're a Man" on its B-side, and Dying for It
Dying for It (EP)
Dying for It was the second release by Glasgow alternative rock group The Vaselines, like its predecessor an extended play single. The EP was later included on their career retrospective collection The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History....
, which featured the songs "Molly's Lips
Candy/Molly's Lips
"Candy"/"Molly's Lips" is a vinyl-only split-single from the American rock bands The Fluid and Nirvana. It was released in January 1991 on Sub Pop records and includes the live versions of "Candy" by The Fluid, and "Molly's Lips" by Nirvana....
" and "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
"Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" is a song originally recorded by Scottish alternative band The Vaselines for their EP Dying for it. It is a parody on the Christian children's hymn, "I'll Be a Sunbeam", which has the opening line "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam".The song was a hit only in indie-pop and...
," both of which Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
would later cover. In 1989 they released their first album, Dum-Dum, on 53rd and 3rd Records. The band broke up shortly after its release.
They briefly reformed in 1990 to open for Nirvana when they played in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Though they were not widely known outside of Scotland during their short career, their association with Nirvana brought exposure to the band. Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
once described Kelly and McKee as his "most favorite songwriters in the whole world". With their songs "Son of a Gun" and "Molly's Lips" covered on Nirvana's album Incesticide
Incesticide
-Personnel:All sessions:*Kurt Cobain – vocals, guitar*Krist Novoselic – bass guitarSeattle, WA: Reciprocal Recording Studios Nirvana's first studio demo tape...
and "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" covered on MTV Unplugged in New York
MTV Unplugged in New York
MTV Unplugged in New York is a live album by the American rock band Nirvana. It features an acoustic performance taped at Sony Music Studios in New York City on November 18, 1993 for the television series MTV Unplugged. The show was directed by Beth McCarthy and first aired on the cable television...
, the band gained a new audience. At the 1991 Reading Festival, Kelly joined Nirvana on stage for a performance of "Molly's Lips." In 1992, Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
released The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History
The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History
The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History is a compilation album by the indie rock band The Vaselines, released May 1992 on Sub Pop Records, catalogue SP145b. The album compiles every previous release by the band, the two EP's Son of A Gun and Dying For It, as well as their only long-playing...
, a compilation that contained The Vaselines' entire body of work.
Kelly went on to found the band Captain America (later renamed Eugenius
Eugenius (band)
Eugenius was an indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland that existed from 1990–1995, centred around former Vaselines singer/guitarist Eugene Kelly and featuring members of BMX Bandits and Teenage Fanclub.-History:...
after legal threats from Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
), supporting Nirvana on their U.K. tour. Following solo performances Kelly released the album Man Alive in 2004. McKee founded the band Suckle along with Seenan and released her first solo album, Sunny Moon
Sunny Moon
Sunny Moon is the first solo album by Frances McKee. Containing a much softer and more mellow style of music than her previous days in the Vaselines, the music is more reminiscent of her work in Suckle. All songs were written by McKee except "You Know Who I Am"...
, in 2006.
Reformation
The Vaselines reformed (minus the old rhythm section) on the April 24, 2008 for a charity show for the Malawi Orphan Support group at Glasgow's MONO venue. Invitation was by word-of-mouth with no press announcements and the band played to a packed, enthusiastic audience.
The Vaselines performed on May 16, 2008 at Scotland's Tigerfest. Members of Belle & Sebastian
Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
supported their live set. The band then played their first-ever U.S. performance at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ on July 9. The band also performed at Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
Records' 20th Anniversary SP20 music festival on July 12 at Marymoor Park
Marymoor Park
Marymoor Park, located on the north end of Lake Sammamish in Redmond, Washington, is King County's largest, oldest, and most popular park, with more than 3 million annual visitors coming to roam its . Among recreational activities available are various sports facilities, rock climbing, a dog park...
just outside Seattle WA.
On March 27, 2009, they played their first London date in 20 years at the London Forum
London Forum
The London Forum, or sometimes Kentish Town Forum is a well-known venue for concerts in Kentish Town, London, United Kingdom owned by the MAMA Group. The venue was built in 1934 and was originally used as an art deco cinema. After the closure of the cinema, The Town & Country Club was established...
.
On May 5, Sub Pop released Enter the Vaselines
Enter the Vaselines
Enter the Vaselines is a compilation album by the indie rock band The Vaselines. The release date is May 5, 2009, on the record label Sub Pop.The album is a deluxe reissue of their 1992 compilation The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History...
. A deluxe-edition reissue of the 1992 Sub Pop release, it includes remastered versions of the band’s two EPs (Son of a Gun and Dying for It), and their sole album (Dum-Dum), as well as demos and live recordings from 1986 and 1988. The band toured the U.S. in May 2009, playing six dates, starting in Los Angeles on May 10, then heading up the west coast to San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. Dates for Chicago, IL and Brooklyn, NY would end the tour on May 18. The band finished their May tour at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona.
On 19 July 2009, The Vaselines played the Uncut Arena at the Latitude Festival
Latitude Festival
The Latitude Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk, England. It was first held in July 2006....
in Suffolk.
On 9 October 2009, The Vaselines made a long awaited return to Edinburgh to support Mudhoney
Mudhoney
Mudhoney is an American alternative rock band. Formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988 following the demise of Green River, Mudhoney's members are vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison, and drummer Dan Peters. Original bassist Matt Lukin left the...
at HMV Picture House.
The band were chosen personally by Belle & Sebastian
Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
to perform at their second Bowlie Weekender
Bowlie Weekender
The Bowlie Weekender was a music festival curated by Belle & Sebastian at the Pontin's Holiday camp in Camber Sands, Sussex between Friday 23rd and Sunday 25 April 1999....
festival presented by All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
in the UK in December 2010.
The band have recently announced they will perform a cover version of the Nirvana song "Lithium" as part of a tribute album.
The Vaselines second studio album, Sex With an X, was released in September 2010.
Current members
- Eugene KellyEugene KellyEugene Kelly is a Scottish musician who is a member of the group The Vaselines, a founding member of the now disbanded Eugenius and has had a number of solo releases....
- vocals, guitar - Frances McKeeFrances McKeeFrances McKee is a singer and songwriter known best for her work in the Scottish indie band The Vaselines.The Vaselines formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1986. Following the release of two EPs, Son of a Gun and Dying for It, the first and only full length album, Dum-Dum, in 1989, the band split up...
- vocals, guitar - Stevie JacksonStevie JacksonStevie Jackson is a Scottish musician and songwriter. He plays lead guitar and sings in the Glasgow based indie band Belle & Sebastian. Jackson's guitar playing is distinctively retrogressive and melodic, with a heavy use of reverb and minimal effects...
- guitar - Bobby KildeaBobby KildeaBobby Kildea is a musician from Northern Ireland. He currently plays bass and guitar in the Scottish indie pop band Belle & Sebastian, after joining in 2001 to replace departing bassist Stuart David, and had previously been in V-Twin...
- bass - Michael McGaughrin - drums
Discography
| Year | Title | Label | UK Indie Chart UK Indie Chart The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Son of a Gun (EP) Son of a Gun (EP) Son of A Gun was the debut extended play single by Glasgow alternative rock group The Vaselines. The title-song of this EP came to a wider audience after Nirvana covered it, along with "Molly's Lips", on their compilation album Incesticide... |
53rd & 3rd | 26 |
| 1988 | Dying for It (EP) Dying for It (EP) Dying for It was the second release by Glasgow alternative rock group The Vaselines, like its predecessor an extended play single. The EP was later included on their career retrospective collection The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History.... |
11 | |
| 1989 | Dum-Dum | ||
| 1991 | The Vaselines / Beat Happening - Recorded Live In London, England 1988 | K Records | |
| 1992 | The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History is a compilation album by the indie rock band The Vaselines, released May 1992 on Sub Pop Records, catalogue SP145b. The album compiles every previous release by the band, the two EP's Son of A Gun and Dying For It, as well as their only long-playing... |
Sub Pop | |
| 1992 | All the Stuff and More... | Avalanche | |
| 2009 | Enter the Vaselines Enter the Vaselines Enter the Vaselines is a compilation album by the indie rock band The Vaselines. The release date is May 5, 2009, on the record label Sub Pop.The album is a deluxe reissue of their 1992 compilation The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History... |
Sub Pop | |
| 2010 | Sex with an X Sex with an X Sex with an X is the second studio album by the Scottish alternative rock band The Vaselines, which was released on September 14, 2010 on Sub Pop.The first single from the album, "I Hate The 80's" was released on June 10, 2010... |
Sub Pop |
Sources
- Ankeny, Jason. "The Vaselines Allmusic. Retrieved May 2, 2004.