Primal Scream

United Kingdom, 1982–now

Glasgow band around Bobby Gillespie, who has spent forty years lurching between two records: the Stones-and-Stooges rock one and the dance one. Screamadelica (1991) is what happened when the second won — a rock band handing its songs to Andrew Weatherall and getting back gospel, dub and acid house.

MusicRoots documents 5 artists who influenced Primal Scream and 0 artists Primal Scream influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Primal Scream?

• The Stooges — The half of the band that never left 1969. Gillespie describes touring the country playing high-energy rock and roll before the house tapes in the van took over.
• MC5 — Named in the same breath as the Stooges, and by Gillespie himself: 'we were touring the country, playing these high-energy MC5 rock'n'roll songs, but it was house tapes in the van.'
• The Byrds — The jangle of the first record, before the band turned. Gillespie founded Primal Scream on this and the Velvet Underground.
• The Velvet Underground — Gillespie drummed standing up in the Jesus and Mary Chain before this band, which is the Velvets' posture as much as their sound.
• Love — The Arthur Lee end of 1967 — orchestrated, unsettled psychedelia rather than the blissful kind.