The Charlatans - Taurus Moaner (1991)

The Charlatans were formed in the West Midlands by bassist Martin Blunt, who recruited fellow West Midlanders Rob Collins on keyboards, Jon Brookes on drums, Jon Day (aka Jonathan Baker) on guitar, and singer-guitarist Baz Ketley. Ketley left the band and was replaced by singer Tim Burgess, who had supported the Charlatans with his previous band, the Electric Crayons. Although the Charlatans would later become popularly associated with the Madchester scene, the band's early demos were recorded in 1988 in Birmingham and Dudley, and their signature sound was already established, dominated by Collins's Hammond organ, but underpinned by the driving rhythm section of Blunt's powerful running bass and Brookes's drumming. Their sound fused 1960's soul, R&B and garage rock, and the band saw themselves firmly in the West Midlands tradition of hard-edged soul and R&B that included Birmingham bands such as The Spencer Davis Group and early Dexys Midnight Runners. Their debut single 'Indian Rope' was released on their own Dead Dead Good Records label, proving to be a huge indie hit, and the group soon found themselves signed to a major label in Beggars Banquet offshoot Situation Two, just in time for the release of 'The Only One I Know', which reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. One more single 'Then' preceded their debut album 'Some Friendly' later that year, and it was around this time that the band were forced to add UK to their name for an American tour, due to the US band of the same name claiming ownership of it. Day left the band after 1991's 'Over Rising' single, to be replaced by Mark Collins, and they brought in producer Flood for the recording of their second album. Right from the start of their career the band have treated their fans well, and have added new compositions to the flips of their singles, and so in the first of a series of posts of non-album tracks, here are all the songs from their singles from 1990 and 1991. 

Track listing

01 Indian Rope (from the 'Indian Rope' 12" single 1990)
02 You Can Talk To Me (from the 'Indian Rope' 12" single 1990)
03 Who Wants To Know (from the 'Indian Rope' 12" single 1990) 
04 Everything Changed (b-side of 'The Only One I Know' 1990)
05 Taurus Moaner (b-side of 'Then' 1990)
06 Opportunity Three (b-side of 'Sproston Green' 1991)
07 Happen To Die (promo only single 1991)
08 Over Rising (single 1991)
09 Way Up There (b-side of 'Over Rising')
10 Me. In Time (single 1991)
11 Occupation H. Monster (b-side of 'Me. In Time')

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