The Mekons battled ennui and convention with the deconstructionist punk high jinks of this art school entertainment. Formed in 1977 at the University of Leeds by Jon Langford, Kevin Lycett, Mark White, Andy Corrigan and Tom Greenhalgh. They took their name from the villain in the Dan Dare comic and released their first single 'Never Been In A Riot' as a cheeky response to The Clash's 'White Riot'.
Never Been in a Riot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-K0bRlJEsE
32 Weeks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec3ChH5uAuQ
Heart and Soul
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUILIHISgz8
Where Were You?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71s-T8oUTQs
"I'll Have To Dance Then (On My Own)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqYXfGiwsjA
Lanford looks back: "The original idea of the Mekons was that we were a band that couldn't play, but the ideas would be strong enough that you could sustain it without being technically proficient. That rock 'n' roll could be made by people that can't play really, really well. What was wrong with rock 'n' roll in the '70s was that it was being made by people who could play too well for their own good. I We came from a fine art background, but it wasn't much of a fine art background because we formed the band when we were nineteen. Basically you could say we came from a high school background. (laughs)... It suddenly made complete sense that a lot of things were really boring. The reasons they were bor-ing was because they were so very complacent. There was a rigid class structure to popular culture-you had to pay your dues before you could become a rock 'n' roll millionaire. Punk was like 'This is pretty point-less.' It was suddenly exciting again-you had a bunch of little bands playing on a Friday night. Suddenly it was like your favorite band would be the band that was playing around the corner. You could go and see your favorite band play, rather than waiting for...It wasn't like there was a rigid manifesto saying what punk rock should be, It was more about what you shouldn't be. You shouldn't do this and you shouldn't do that,-and so you do what's left. It's a bit like DaDaism or something like that-an instance where you have to say 'this is all fucking shit'."
After releasing a series of singles on different labels, they secured a deal with Virgin Records. The lineup for their full length debut was Andy Carrigan and Mark White on vocals; Kevin Lycett and Tom Greenhalgh on guitar; Ross Allen on bass; and Jon Langford on drums. It was recorded at The Manor with producer Bob Last and engineer Richard Manwaring using the borrowed instruments of fellow University of Leeds students in another band Gang of Four. Virgin Records mistakenly put a picture of Gang of Four on the back of the record. The iconic cover of 'The Quality of Mercy Is Not Strnen' features a chimpanzee at a typewriter approximating Shakespeare.
http://www.mekons.de/mekonhom.htm
'The Quality of Mercy Is Not Strnen'
full album:
https://myspace.com/the.mekons/music/album/the-quality-of-mercy-is-not-strnen-19965437
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT_aBs9pjfFZBxHfOs2GcysyhjyKAiTMU
Like Spoons No More 02:05
Join Us In The Countryside 02:05
Rosanne 02:34
Trevira Trousers 04:05
After 6 04:35
What Are We Going To Do Tonight 01:48
What 02:08
Watch The Film 03:18
Beetroot 04:12
I Saw You Dance 02:17
Lonely And Wet 05:03
Dan Dare 02:32
bonus tracks:
Teeth 3:27
Guardian 4:15
Kill 4:40
Stay Cool 4:02
Work All Week 3:16
Unknown Wrecks 3:13
John Peel, 1978
1. What Are We Going To Do Tonight (0:10)
2. Trevira Trousers (3:28)
3. Roseanne (7:26)
4. Like Spoons No More (9:50)
5. I'll Have To Dance Then (On My Own) (12:03)
John Peel, 1979
1. I Saw You Dance (0:09)
2. Beetroot (3:12)
3. After Six (7:14)
4. Watch The Film (11:55)
'Revenge of the Mekons' trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Hk_c6e7gv0
PORTIA
The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes
The thronèd monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings,
But mercy is above this sceptered sway.
It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings.
It is an attribute to God himself.
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this—
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy,
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea,
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.
The Merchant of Venice, Act 4, Scene 1
https://myspace.com/mekons/music/album/punk-rock-18581984
NOT the mekons
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