He’s a musical law unto himself, producing some of the most luscious, wayward rock ‘n’ roll in years. So why shouldn’t Spiritualized’s JASON PIERCE have his own ten rock commandments? Words: Mark Robertson
1. Thou shalt sound like no other rock band in my worldly kingdom.
“i ( )‘N‘ “CW “‘9 hii—‘l—‘cst rock ‘n‘ roll band of the 9()s. Spirituali/ed were the biggest sounding. Soll as a kitten wrapped in posh loo roll one minute. sounding like your telly”s been untuncd and turned up hill the next. .lason Pierce tipped the ante tor indie rock. .-\nd so he’s back and doing it all over again.
2. Thou shalt follow the path less travelled. Pierce spent many years exploring the world of psychedelic drone rock with the much maligned Spaccmen 3. l'orming Spirituali/ed as a side project in I990. In this post—baggy environment. Pierce was playing l'rail. spaced-out covers of 'l'roggs songs. For those in the know. it was the perfect blissed-out post-party soundtrack.
l.u:er (inn/ed .lIe/m/ies. their debut long player. appeared in I992. Twelve slivers oil-ls/m/ il'eeks meets ll'ln'le [lg/n ll'lll'le lieu! space rock which hittth at Pierce‘s vision btlt never fully realised it. l’ure l’/Iu.\e t‘ollowed in I995. a flawed. but engrossing musical experiment that pushed the sonic. il‘
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The true illustration of Pierce‘s skills catne with the release of Luz/(es .l/It/ (ienI/emen lie .'ll‘(’ Hunting In Space in 1997. l'tiivet‘sally acclaimed. the album took all ol‘ Piercc’s musical obsessions and bound them together into one immense bale. lipic in scale and scope. it is a record soaked in sadness one moment. revelling in ecstasy the next. The release ot. the double live album recorded at the Albert Hall in October ot~ I997 was evidence that studio alchemy could be represented with absolute clarity live.
In another perverse twist. Pierce got to play the 'highest show on earth~ at the top of the ’l'oronto (‘.\' Tower and collaborated in a number ol‘one-oll' projects with composers. one. an orchestral work with American minimalist pioneer [a Monte Young and another with Steve .\lartland at the 1999 l’lux liestival in lidinburgh.
Pierce disappeared from public view mid- I999 and has brought his head above the rock ramparts only now to present let I! ('mne Down to its.
3. Thou shalt make one of the albums of the year. No argument mate. There were huge expectations for Let It ('ume Dunn. It took four years to put together and the legacy of Ladies .lnd (ienI/emen . . . was huge. Named album of the year in several polls. it was a fixture in almost everyone’s best of 97 lists: hence the reason Pierce took his time to cral’t its successor.
Listening to Ladies And (:‘enI/emen . . . there are times when you think. '\\'here the fuck is he going to go from here'."
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' THE LIST 19