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 on the original edition.
The band's keyline-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 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 colourful 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.
'Good Deeds and Dirty Rags' will be released via Neon Tetra Recordson November 1. While some of the tracks off 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.
Listen to "The Rattler" below.
TRACKLIST
01 Open Your Arms
02 Wake It Up
03 His Masters Voice
04 Goodwill City
05 Candlestick Park
06 Goodbye Mr Mackenzie
07 The Rattler
08 Dust
09 You Generous Thing
10 Good Deeds
11 Open Your Arms (1987 Demo) - bonus track
12 Diamonds (1987 Demo) - bonus track
13 You Generous Thing (1987 Demo) - bonus track
