tracks on LP: Grammar Of Misery / Bad News / I Ain’t No Miracle Worker / Be My Friend Again / Shades Of Today / Dead Skin / Middle Class Blues / You’ve Come A Long Way / Ballad Of A Liar / When I’m Gone / Eleventh Hour / Hear Me Calling
Closer Records CL 0001
Producer: Peter Gage
Recorded at Startling Studios, Ascot, Oct / Nov 1982
Jeremy Gluck: vocals
Robin Wills: guitar / vocals
Chris Wilson: guitars / vocals
Jim Dickson: bass / vocals
Terry Smith: drums / percussion
special guest: Peter Gage on keyboards
Released: 01/83
Purchased: 30/04/83
Although since the ‘EMI period’ (when the band played a national tour with the Stray Cats ) the Barracudas rarely performed in the UK outside of London, they were exceedingly well received in France (where other true rock ‘n’ rollers like the Flamin’ Groovies, Stooges and MC5 had been much revered in the past). So, having recruited drummer Terry Smith, the band headed south for a French tour – and in the process acquired a new deal with Les Havre label Closer.
Under the auspices of Closer they began to record what would become the ‘Mean Time’ album at Ringo Starr’s Studios in October 1982. The band were hoping the man might drop by and shake a tambourine, or something, but sadly it never happened.
Like its predecessor, the album ‘Mean Time’ (released in January 1983) consists almost entirely of original songs – with the exception of a riveting version of the Brogues 1965 B-side “I Ain’t No Miracle Worker”.
The Barracudas | Mean Time | Closer | 1983
Once again, most of the material was generated by Wills and Gluck. The diving “Grammar Of Misery” is one of the partnership’s best songs (originally demo-ed for EMI, and rejected, in 1980) and has served as a fine opening salvo in the band’s live sets practically ever since.
Of an even greater vintage is the seething “Dead Skin”, a song that the band could be heard performing in the late 70s, though here wisely kept to a tight three-minutes or so rather than the sprawling epic it could and sometimes did become onstage.
“Shades Of Today”, is the nearest the album comes to psychedelia, but although it vaguely echoes “Inside Mind” it is more uplifting, jangling pop. “Eleventh Hour” features Gluck wailing at his most impassioned and some mutant surf licks that would be right at home on a Sergio Leone soundtrack.
Producer Pete Gage contributes some swirling keyboards to the album’s last gasp closing rocker, “Hear Me Calling”, which is studded with Robin Wills‘ concise but enthralling lead guitar breaks.
Alongside the harder rock numbers are some fine Wills pop songs, notably “Bad News”, “You’ve Come A Long Way” and, perhaps best of all “When I’m Gone”, which is graced by ringing 12-string guitar and the album’s most compelling Chris Wilson lead vocal.
As a writer, Chris Wilson – who it should be remembered co-authored such Groovies classics as “Shake Some Action”, “I Can’t Hide”, “Jumping In The Night” and “First Plane Home” to name but the most obvious – is restrained, contributing only “Middle Class Blues”, a mid-tempo rocker co-written with Bobby Ronco and the ballad “Be My Friend Again” written with Jeremy Gluck.
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