90s INDIE ICONS, CARTER THE UNSTOPPABLE SEX MACHINE REISSUE THEIR CLASSIC SINGLES COMPILATION ‘STRAW DONKEY… THE COMPLETE SINGLES’ ON CD AND VINYL THROUGH CHRYSALIS RECORDS
REMASTERED AND FEATURING THE BANDS PROMOTIONAL SINGLES FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE DOUBLE LP AND CD/DVD IS OUT NOW
“Carter USM wrote some terrific singles in their time; scathing, witty, poignant records that still bring to mind the era they were written in. These were rousing, but unconventional and uncompromising pop songs, about the sort of people and places that barely anyone else would ever talk about. The observations were pitch perfect, the puns clever and pointed. I still miss them, even now.” – Steve Lamacq
“One of that era’s most scintillating live acts, with an extraordinary light show and a presence belying their onstage minimalism. They were (and still are) adored by their fans.” – God in in The TV
One of the most unique and influential bands of the early 90s, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine give their fans reason to rejoice as they today reissue their classic singles compilation ‘Straw Donkey… The Complete Singles’
Forming out of the ashes of jangle-pop outfit Jamie Wednesday, Carter USM came together in 1987 when singer Jim ‘Jim Bob’ Morrison and guitarist Les ‘Fruitbat’ Carter decided to create a new project that would mix their beloved pop-punk hooks with hip-hop, samples and the rhythmic drum machine beat of the nascent acid house scene. Alongside acts like Pop Will Eat Itself and Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, the band helped define the “grebo” scene, a loose collective of bands who freely mixed-up genres and ideas in the post-Thatcher era when rules and genre boundaries no longer seemed to matter. With their eclectic sound and strong ear for pop hooks, the band went on to rack up 12 top 40 singles and 4 top 10 albums (including one at the Number 1 spot), headline Glastonbury and build a dedicated fanbase that remains loyal to this day.
First released in 1995, ‘Straw Donkey…’ is an essential introduction to Carter USM, featuring the U.K. Top 20 singles ‘The Only Living Boy In New Cross’, ‘After The Watershed (Early Learning The Hard Way)’, ‘Rubbish’, and ‘Lean On Me I Won’t Fall Over’, along with classics such as ‘Sheriff Fatman’, ‘Anytime Anyplace Anywhere’ and ‘Bloodsport For All’.
This newly expanded edition of ‘Straw Donkey’ also gathers up the band’s promotional singles for the first time: ‘Road Rage’, ‘Stuff The Jubilee! (Extra Special Radio Only Version)’, ‘Airplane Food’, ‘And God Created Brixton’, and ‘The Undertaker And The Hippy Protest Singer’.
Newly remastered by Phil Kinrade at AIR Mastering, the LP edition will be pressed on two 140g black vinyl, housed in a gatefold Sleeve featuring an obi-strip and new track-by-track sleeve notes by Jim Bob and Fruitbat, while the CD edition includes a DVD featuring a restored edition of the original 'Straw Donkey' video collection, enhanced with a brand-new audio commentary by Jim Bob and Fruitbat.
2026 looks set to be a banner year for Carter fans, as not only is the reissue of ‘Straw Donkey…’ coming in March, but Jim Bob will be setting out on a solo tour of the UK in the same month, as well as supporting the Undertones for select dates on their 50th Anniversary tour later in the year.
All this means there’s no better time to dive back into this iconic music.
We have THREE COPIES on vinyl to give away!
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