Carter USM Reunite

We hear so many comments these days of bands getting back together because they're 'strapped for cash'. I often like to think that perhaps their social relevance has crept around again. Certainly becoming reknowned for recurring themes in their music, Carter USM's  decision to put entertaining takes on issues like corrupt landlords, corrupt governments, corrupt society bear much of the charged feeling they are surrounded with today as they did in the 80's. Converting this into songs of weight in alternative pop it is perhaps more impressive to think that they happened completely by accident.

They began in 1988 after their pop group Jamie Wednesday ended. Approached to play a charity gig at the London Astoria singer and guitarist Jimbob teamed up with fellow guitarist Fruitbat and recorded some backing tracks to hurriedly get the show over and done with as a duo. An undeniable success at the gig, it pointed towards a longer future as a two piece. They renamed themselves based on Fruitbats surname and an amalgamation of the many sexual conquests they were attaining at the time. Lucky them.

They vented their anger of everything wrong with the society in which they lived and teamed with strung out guitar rhythms, palpitating dance beats and punk attitudes. They were unhappy with late 80's regimes and their approach was to make some noise about it-and that they certainly did! Capturing a Britain that was heavily brutalised by economic and political turmoil, their constant touring and revered releases such as "30 something" saw them have thier first top ten chart success. The outbreak of the Gulf War saw their single "Bloodsport For All" banned from record stores throughout the country. Their first hit single Sheriff Fatman hit the charts in 1991 and spanned a future run of Top 40 sucesses. The Love Album topped the charts in 1992 and saw Carter USM create astonishing fanbases all over the globe. 

The release of 'The Worry Bomb' sported some of their most famous singles to date such as "The Young Offenders Mum" and "Senile Delinquint", and took its place in the UK Top 10.  Now a fully fledged 6 piece band, a CARTERBREAKSAMERICA tour was scheduled on the back of their UK touring. Perhaps its best to quit while your ahead, indeed it makes way for more credible comebacks. For Jimbob and Fruity decided Carter had its day, little did they know their London and Machester dates twenty years later would sell out to fans that couldn't silence their love. Leaving many disappointed fans with no tickets, Jamm sees it fit to pay tribute to one of the most influential bands in UK chart history. 

A mere 5 minute walk from O2 Academy Brixton, Jamm will be rammed with dedicated delinqints to witness a night dedicated to Jimbob and Fruity, the worlds most unlikely popstars.  With tribute band Clinton USM set to play an incredible set, Jamm becomes a space fans can  continue to relive the last 20 years in! They left a generation with hope, if they could do it, so could you-for Carter really are the stuff that dreams are made of.