The Jesus and Mary Chain

United Kingdom, 1983–now

Scottish band of the Reid brothers. Psychocandy (1985) set melodic pop songwriting against sustained guitar feedback, an approach that established noise pop.

MusicRoots documents 6 artists who influenced The Jesus and Mary Chain and 4 artists The Jesus and Mary Chain influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced The Jesus and Mary Chain?

• The Velvet Underground — The Reids' feedback gospel is 'Sister Ray' scripture — the VU were their stated model of noise as beauty.
• Phil Spector — 'Just Like Honey' opens with the 'Be My Baby' drumbeat — Psychocandy is Spector's wall of sound rebuilt from feedback, by the band's own formula.
• The Beach Boys — The Reids' stated equation: Beach Boys melodies inside the noise — the pop half of Psychocandy's chemistry.
• The Stooges — The abrasive guitar squall of Psychocandy is the early Stooges electrified — the proto-punk noise the Reids wrapped their pop songs in.
• The Ronettes — 'Just Like Honey' opens with the 'Be My Baby' drumbeat — the Ronettes are the pop heart Psychocandy buried in feedback.
• The Shangri-Las — The Reids named the Shangri-Las' teenage melodrama among the 60s girl-group pop beneath their noise.

Which artists did The Jesus and Mary Chain influence?

• The Telescopes — JAMC's noise-pop equation was the other documented parent of the Telescopes' early records.
• My Bloody Valentine — Shields has named hearing JAMC the pivot that turned MBV from jangle to noise — the You Made Me Realise turn.
• Pale Saints — The squall half of The Comforts of Madness follows the JAMC's noise-pop equation.
• The Radio Dept. — The pop-inside-the-fuzz equation of the Jesus and Mary Chain is the other documented parent of the band's sound.