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reWRITING THE INDIE CONSTITUTION

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Jacob's Mouse

Hello.
I'm back for a brief time.
I've just read John Robb's marvelous "Death To Trad Rock" book (for which I designed the cover and within which I am interviewed. Me? Blowing my own trumpet? Of course!).

Anyhow, while reading it I was listening to a bunch of records that it related to.
And then I started pondering about where everything went.
I've mentioned the filthy noise of Silverfish somewhere else in this blog, but so far I don't think I've ever touched on Jacob's Mouse.

Do you remember Jacob's Mouse?
They were the pop end of the Wiiija (You do know what Wiiija is don't you? What it means? Think about it) early 90's noise fest that centered around The Camden, Silverfish, Terminal Cheesecake axis.

I first saw them one evening in a funny little club in Derby city centre.
I can't remember what the club was called but I'm sure Karen Ablaze was there too - she (or someone pretending to be her) gave me a 7" split single:

bivouac/truman's water/jacob's mouse/cornershop | split.jpg

Anyhow, I thought Jacob's Mouse were terrific. Deep and dark as the grave bass rumblings, high as possible trebled out guitars and a singing squealing drummer.

"Good" was and is my favourite JM song and one of my favourite 7" singles.

jacob's mouse | good.jpg

That first sighting of Jacob's Mouse in the flesh was probably around 1990/91.
The following year they played The English Bridge Centre in Shrewsbury (where I'd put on the 14 Iced Bears show a few years earlier where they were so loud they blew out the windows).
The weekend prior to Jacob's Mouse playing I'd decided to buy a dress.
Yes.
A dress.
It was an ankle length long sleeved black dress which I wore with black leggings and para boots.
I didn't wear it often - the idea of it was far better than the execution - but I did wear it to go and see Jacob's Mouse.
Tey were tremendous and, sitting in the back room chatting with them both before and after their set, they were a very nice bunch of chaps.
Were they posh?
I remember them to have 'proper' accents.
But then I was sitting there in a dress so who can say.

jacob's mouse | no fish shop parking.jpg

A year or so later I saw them again.
Once again it was in Derby.
I have no idea why.
They were doing their "Group Of 7" period stuff (the last record I really liked by them) and once again they were a truly terrific live act.
By this time I'd ditched the dress.
In fact I'd had my dreadlocks cut off and was sporting a Terrie Ex crop and a pyjama top.

So, Wiiija.
You know what it means don't you?
Come on.

W11 1JA

Just off Portobello Road there's a record shop out of which a whole musical movement sprang forth and Wiiija was is it's post code.