Wednesday, March 17, 2010

You Two

Island Label Sampler 1980 feat.
Side 2 track 4: The Distractions - Boys Cry;
Side 2 Track 5: The Distractions - Waiting For Lorraine.
(c) eil.com.

A classic rumour surrounds The Distractions leaving Island Records. In his 2009 review of Factory Records Communications 1978-92, Mick Middles drops in an intriguing line: "Factory couldn't hold them and they departed to make one shockingly produced album for Island before being dropped, legend tells, in favour of a certain Irish rock band [1]".

In the Reformation webzine piece on Stuff The Superstars, Paul Hanley expands on this rumour slightly: "Legend has it that there was once a cash crisis at Island Records and a last minute meeting was called to decide whether to drop The Distractions or U2. (They went with The Distractions by the way) [2]."

In his his recent Q&A session, Steve Perrin added: "It was interesting being signed to Island Records at the same time as U2 and seeing how a group who really wanted to take over the world operated. I think we just wanted to escape from the boring lives we had been born into, and to that extent, I suppose we were successful [3]".

U2 en route to Britain in 1980 (to sign for Island and inadvertently but ultimately spell the end of The Distractions' time on Island?). (c) Threechordsandthetruth.


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