Sonic Boom's Revolution: Part Four

Click here for
part three

My '91 Wire in-
terview with Pete
"Sonic Boom" Kem-
ber continues.

***** ***** *****

Wire: Is it true that Perfect Prescription is a concept album about drugs?

Sonic: I think Spacemen 3 is a concept...

Wire: About drugs?

Sonic: [laughs] Yeah, well, my motto from the start
was "Taking drugs to make music to take drugs to."

Wire: I've got the record with that title, the "demos" record.

Sonic: Right, another bootleg.

Wire: For a bootleg, the sound quality is actually very good.

Sonic: That was the first thing...that was when I
chose to outline what we were—our manifesto.

Wire: What can you tell me about your song "Angel." Is that a true story?

Sonic: Yes, about a friend
of mine who overdosed.

Wire: Lyrically, it's something that stands out to me.

Sonic: Musically, it's inspired by Lou Reed's "Street Has-
sle," which "Ode to Street Hassle" was inspired by, and is a continuation. In the same way, "Angel" is a continuation of where "Ode to Street Hassle" left off. It's basically...what can
I say? It's about a friend of mine who died. It encapsulates
the thoughts and feelings I felt when that happened.

Wire: I'm also curious about "Revolution." What
spurred you to write a song like that? It's different
lyrically from what Spacemen 3 usually does.

Sonic: Well...not particularly. Thematically, not lyrically, but
thematically, it's more political or sociopolitical even though it's
not political-politics. It was basically [that] I wasn't very happy
at that time. I could see that what I'd felt over the previous few
years was...a negative social situation amongst what I'd consider
my peer group...or social group. And I felt that there needed to be
some changes and that a lot of people were looking to make chang-
es. To a certain extent, I was talking about a drugs revolution. The
normal thing in England is for people just to go out and drink five
pints of beer every night. People start to realize that there are
more beneficial ways of raising their consciousness and there
are a whole load of levels of consciousness worth experien-
cing that had far more to offer than alcohol.



Revolution
(lyrics: Spacemen 3)

Well look out

Well I’m sick
I’m so sick
Of a lot of people
Tryin’ to tell me
What I can and can’t do
With my life

And I’m tired
I’m so tired
Of a lot of people
In a lot of high places
Don’t want you and me
To enjoy ourselves

Well I’m through with people
Who can’t get off their arse
To help themselves change this government
And better this society
‘Cos it’s shit

But hold on a second
I smell burning
And I see a change
Comin’ ‘round the bend
And I suggest to you
That it takes
Just five seconds
Just five seconds
Of decision
To realise
That the time
Is right
To start thinkin’ about
A little…
Revolution!

Click here for part five

Endnote: Spectrum plays Neumos on 5/2. Im-
ages from Rhapsody, words from Lyrics Time.