Goodbye Mr MacKenzie has reissued their 1989 titled ‘Good Deeds and Dirty Rags’ as well as the single titled ‘The Rattler’. They say that good things do not age and the proof is in the music of MacKenzie. I’ve played this track to three people here at Jammer Direct HQ and all three said something along the lines of ‘This is a great new track.’. After the initial stun of the truth that was told, it became apparent that Goodbye Mr MacKenzie was either ahead of their time or the world has caught up with them.
Featuring the early career of Shirley Manson of Garbage, Goodbye Mr MacKenzie has helped define what would later be called the alternative music scene by the mid-nineties. With a sonically diverse sound of guitars and synth combined with a heavy rhythm and beat, Goodbye Mr MacKenzie delivers memorable hooks and melodies that mean as much now as they did back in 1989.
The album ‘Good Deeds and Dirty Rags’ will be released via Neon Tetra Records on November 1. While some of the tracks off of the original release are streamable on Spotify, the new extended and remastered version is available exclusively from the band’s store.
After a series of sold-out recent shows, Goodbye Mr MacKenzie will be playing more gigs later this year in Scotland and England. Until then, The Filthy Tongues shows will also be playing a handful of shows in September.
About Goodbye Mr MacKenzie
One of Scotland’s most iconic rock bands, Goodbye Mr MacKenzie will be re-reissuing their seminal album ‘Good Deeds and Dirty Rags’. Inspired by the massive success of their 30-year anniversary tour, they are doing a vinyl and CD reissue of the album that started it all. The long-play has been remastered for both formats. The CD version will include 3 additional tracks from those early years, not previously included in the original edition.
@gbmrmackenzie/a> [rotatingtweets screen_name=’gbmrmackenzie’]The band’s key line-up consisted of Martin Metcalfe on vocals, John Duncan on guitar (previously of The Exploited), Fin Wilson on bass guitar, Shirley Manson and Rona Scobie on keyboards and backing vocals, and Derek Kelly on drums.
“This re-issue of Good Deeds was as big a surprise to us as anyone. A quick decision to reform in January and it’s been a fairground ride touring ever since. Getting the rights to re-issue was protracted but now that it’s here we are really pleased. At gigs the fans have been bringing the house down, singing along with every word,” says Martin Metcalfe.
“Thirty years Is half a lifetime ago but we feel lyrically it’s still relevant. Two songs ‘Good Deeds’ and ‘Goodwill City’ end with rants based on the received (false) knowledge of the era and seem relevant with the current ‘fake news’ obsession. Other songs look at the then rise off the Christian Right in the USA and how the media pay their bills by exploiting a tragedy. All this stuff is still happening now. We live in scary times and the LP’s apocalyptic landscape seems to reflect that.”
‘Good Deeds and Dirty Rags’ was Goodbye Mr MacKenzie’s first album, released in 1989. It entered the UK charts at No.16 and the band quickly attracted a large, loyal support north of the border. Incredible live shows and singles like the top 40 hit ‘The Rattler’, in particular, further cemented a fond place in many hearts.
A colorful and varied career followed, involving releases of 2 more albums through major labels, further UK singles chart positions, working and recording with members of Talking Heads, and touring and playing with bands like Blondie, The Ramones, B.A.D., Afghan Whigs, Aztec Camera and the late great Vic Chesnutt, amongst others.
As The List noted in their 50 Greatest Scottish Bands feature, “The MacKenzies left behind the most complex and fascinating footprint of any Scottish band. Live they were stunning. Lead singer Martin Metcalfe looked like the MC of a, particularly debauched cabaret troupe. While their Scottish counterparts were looking at soul and Steely Dan for inspiration the MacKenzies were taking theirs from the Pixies and the Birthday Party.”
Formed in Bathgate, near Edinburgh, Goodbye Mr MacKenzie came to prominence in the late 1980s after being signed to Capitol Records on the strength of their first two independent label singles. Never standing still, they released 6 albums in total before morphing into Angelfish in the US with the line-up of Manson, Metcalfe, Wilson and Kelly and Manson taking over lead vocals. They continued to recorded music at that time.
Goodbye Mr Mackenzie played their final live show at the end of 1995 and Shirley Manson went on to enjoy huge success with Garbage, while Martin Metcalfe, Derek Kelly and Fin Wilson returned to Scotland to form Isa and The Filthy Tongues. It is now just The Filthy Tongues, a trio that still thrives today. Big John Duncan became a backline and guitar technician for Nirvana and played guitar with them during their 1993 concert in Roseland Ballroom, NYC, also having worked with Twisted Sister, the Foo Fighters and Ministry.
[table caption=”UK Tour Dates” width=”100%” colwidth=”100|200|100″ colalign=”left|left|left|left|left”]
Date,City,CountryVenue,Notes
Sept 12,Aberdeen, Scotland,The Tunnels,(as The Filthy Tongues)
Sept 13,Edinburgh, Scotland,The Voodoo Rooms,(as The Filthy Tongues)
Sept 15,Dundee, Scotland,Church,(as The Filthy Tongues)
Sept 19,Dunfermline, Scotland,PJ Malloys,(as The Filthy Tongues)
Sept 20,Glasgow, Scotland,Oran Mor,(as The Filthy Tongues)
Nov. 02,Middlesbrough, England,Westgarth
Nov. 08,London, England,Dingwalls,(with The Cesarians & Seil Lein)
Nov. 09,Corby Northamptonshire, England,The Raven
Dec. 20,Glasgow, Scotland,Barrowlands,SOLD OUT
[/table]
LINKS:
http://www.goodbyemrmackenzie.com
https://blokshok.bigcartel.com/category/goodbye-mr-mackenzie
https://www.facebook.com/GoodbyeMrMackenzie
https://twitter.com/gbmrmackenzie
https://www.instagram.com/thefilthytongues
https://www.youtube.com/user/filthytongues/videos
