Released in 1991, Screamadelica was undoubtedly a breakthrough album, finally catapulting Primal Scream into mainstream critical and commercial success – just 9 years, two albums, and a plethora of line-up changes after their formation in Glasgow.
In their early days, the group arguably struggled with their brand and identity, having undergone multiple shuffles in personnel and shifts in sound throughout the 1980s. Screamadelica was a distinct departure from Primal Scream’s first two releases (which were, bear in mind, quite differing already). Up to now, their work had received mixed reviews, being labelled as generally quite mediocre.
Screamadelica, Primal Scream’s third studio release, signalled a third change in sound. And as they say, the third time’s the charm.
There were two key individuals (and a truckload of narcotics) who inspired and drove this evolution, and the subsequent success of the record.
Firstly, Alan McGee: co-founder and manager of Primal Scream’s record label, Creation Records, who introduced the group to acid house music, and, perhaps more importantly, DJ Andrew Weatherall.
It was when the band met Weatherall at an acid-house party near Brighton in 1989 – where he was DJing – that the wheels would be set in motion for the creation of an album which would change the trajectory of Primal Scream’s legacy forever. As the story goes, the group gave Andrew the track “I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have”, and £500 to remix it.
What Weatherall produced (on his second attempt, mind, as the first still sounded too much like the original), was a complete upheaval of the original, quite dull rock track. At the start of the track, he added an audio sample from the 1966 film The Wild Angels ‘Just what is it that you want to do?’ and the Emotions, Edie Brickell, and Robert Johnson were all sampled or covered too, to create a labyrinth of melodic, groove-infused layers. The result? Screamadelica’s first single, Loaded. It was a new dawn for Primal Scream, and Loaded was just a hint of what would be to come.
Weatherall would go on to have an invaluable role in the production and subsequent success of Screamadelica, alongside co-producer Hugo Nicolson, and they both contributed to most of the tracks on the record.
If you want an idea of just how strong Weatherall’s contribution was, compare his 10-minute album version of Come Together with the single release, mixed by DJ Terry Farley. Through the differences (or absences), you can hear the influence Weatherall has on the rest of the tracks he mixes. His ethereal, spacey sound, unparalleled creativity, and inspired samples are the beating heart of Screamadelica. Come Together is a perfect example; the most memorable words are not taken from Bobby Gillespie, but from a speech by Jesse Jackson, an American civil rights activist – ‘This is a beautiful day, it is a new day…And rhythm, and blues, and jazz’.
Screamadelica would go on to become a double platinum-certified, first-ever Mercury winning, phenomenal success. It is unbound by time and genre, surpassing eras and outwitting boundaries to remain relevant and fresh more than thirty years later. To this day, it remains an absolute classic.
Waxing Lyrical 