1988: My ramp to with The Jesus and Mary Chain began the way so many did in the late 80s, with a cassette shoved in my hand on the way to class and a mandate to "check this out." The tape was Barbed Wire Kisses, their collection of B-Sides, outtakes, and rarities. Like so many other bands before and after them, this, too, had been swiped borrowed from a friend's older sibling. 

It was love at first listen. 

Playing it felt like being in a wind tunnel of sonic chaos. There's plenty of feedback, rockabilly riffs (and a Bo Diddley cover), and just enough surf rock (“Surfin' USA”) to keep you coming back again & again, which I did. 

Looking back, part of that appeal came from thinking the band wasn't long for this world. No way it would work. They were too volatile to be around for the long haul.

Or so I thought.

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