Forever. The Singles. is a greatest hits album featuring selected singles released by the British band The Charlatans (known in the United States as The Charlatans UK) spanning their entire career from 1990 to 2006. The album was released on 13 November 2006. It is also available as a limited edition two-CD set containing a bonus CD of rarities as well as a separate DVD release featuring selected music videos and live performances.
The Charlatans Forever The Singl
Some Friendly is the debut studio album of British rock band The Charlatans that was released on 8 October 1990 through Beggars Banquet Records imprint Situation Two. After forming in 1988, the band went through line-up changes before settling on vocalist Tim Burgess, guitarist John Baker, bassist Martin Blunt, keyboardist Rob Collins and drummer Jon Brookes. The band wrote material at a prolific rate and released their debut single "Indian Rope" in early 1990. Soon afterwards, they signed to Beggars Banquet and began recording their debut album. Between March and August 1990, sessions took place with producer Chris Nagle at Strawberry Studios in Stockport and The Windings in Wrexham. Some Friendly is considered an acid-pop, baggy and dance-pop album that draws influence from The Beatles' psychedelic period.
In May 1990, "The Only One I Know" was released as the lead single from Some Friendly; it earned the Charlatans their first appearance on the BBC Television music show Top of the Pops and the band embarked on their first headlining tour of the United Kingdom. Following their first overseas show in August 1990, "Then" was released as the album's second single in September 1990. The band played several shows in the United States and were forced to amend "UK" to their name because of an identically named American band. The Charlatans ended 1990 with a tour of the UK and mainland Europe with support from Intastella. In early 1991, they went on their first full US tour, coinciding with the release of "Sproston Green" as a single in February 1991.
Some Friendly received mixed reviews from music critics, many of whom noted of the band's influences rather than their sound. Collins' keyboard work was highly praised but Burgess' vocals were negatively received. Retrospective reviews were more favourable, though some still pointed out the influences. The album peaked at number one the UK Albums Chart and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) certified it gold three days after its release. It also charted in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and the US. "The Only One I Know" and "Then" both reached the top 20 in the UK and number 11 in Ireland. Both Melody Maker and Sounds included Some Friendly on their lists of the year's best releases, being listed in the top 10 in the former and in the top 30 in the latter. "The Only One I Know" appeared on several singles-of-the-year lists and songs-of-the-decade lists in publications including The Face, Musikexpress and Pitchfork.
All of the members of The Charlatans were tired of their jobs; they practised as often as they could and wrote new songs at a prolific rate.[20] The first song the new line-up wrote together was "Flowers"; they played their first show together at the end of August 1989.[22] While Brookes was on holiday in Ibiza, the rest of the band wrote "Indian Rope", "The Only One I Know" and "Sproston Green" in a single weekend.[23] The Charlatans were unable to secure a recording contract so Harrison decided to form his own label, which he called Dead Dead Good.[20][24] Harrison signed The Charlatans to a contract for one album and three singles; they made a gentlemen's agreement in which the band could join another label should they receive an adequate offer.[24] They made a demo tape comprising "Indian Rope", "You Can Talk to Me" and "White Shirt", selling copies at gigs in October 1989.[25][26] Around this time, the Madchester and baggy scenes had risen to prominence with acts such as The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays after the release of "Fools Gold" and the Madchester Rave On EP, respectively.[20][27]
Nagle produced The Charlatans' debut single "Indian Rope", which was released in January 1990.[24] It peaked at number one on the UK Independent Singles Chart; the band sold all of the copies they had within a week, prompting[who?] to put his house up for payment so he could press more copies.[20][24] The band promoted the single with their first headlining UK tour, commencing January 1990.[35] During the tour the band received requests for radio interviews, including one from Key 103, Manchester's biggest station. While touring, the band discussed what to release as their next single; the band chose "Polar Bear" but Martin thought "The Only One I Know" was superior, as did other people, and told the band.[36] A&R staff from several labels, such as Island, Phonogram, PolyGram and Sire Records, attempted to sign the band.[37][38][39] A number of their contemporaries, including Intastella, the Mock Turtles and Paris Angels, were signed in quick succession.[40] Following a performance in London, The Charlatans met with representatives of Beggars Banquet Records, with whom they signed a six-album deal.[38][41] According to Dominic Wills in The Charlatans: The Authorised History (1999), the band had at least two reasons for the signing; Beggars Banquet were upfront about their deals with Omega Music and they were able to promote a band into the mainstream with The Cult.[42] Harrison stipulated the Dead Dead Good logo would appear on the band's next few releases.[43]
Shortly after signing their contract, The Charlatans were also considering "Flowers" for their second single.[44] When the band went to record "Polar Bear", a friend said they were recording the wrong song, alluding to "The Only One I Know". In the studio, the band found a fax from Beggars Banquet's A&R man Roger Trust asking them to record "The Only One I Know".[45][41] The song and its later-accompanying B-sides were recorded in one week in March 1990 at Strawberry Studios, Stockport. The band chose Nagle as their producer[46][47] for his modern approach to recording, which balanced the band's 1960s-esque sound.[30] Burgess had wanted to record his vocals as quickly as possible, but Nagle encouraged him to sing more.[48]
In April and May 1990, The Charlatans toured the UK, performing at 1,000-capacity venues.[43][92] The Beggars Banquet's imprint Situation Two released "The Only One I Know" as Some Friendly's lead single on 14 May that year.[46][93] The single includes "Everything Changed", "You Can Talk to Me" and an edit of "Imperial 109" as its B-sides.[94] Harrison's friend Kim Peters, who was a graphic designer with no prior experience of filming videos, directed the music video for "The Only One I Know".[95] The video depicts the band replicating a live show, and was recorded in Sandbach at a warehouse owned by a friend of Harrison. It was recorded in the evening with an audience comprising friends and fans. Police officers, having been informed that an illegal rave was happening at the venue, arrived[43] but recording continued after brief negotiations. Some of the police officers appear in the completed video.[96] The band played a session for BBC Radio 1 presenter Mark Goodier to promote the single, performing "You're Not Very Well", "White Shirt" and "The Only One I Know", as well as making their debut appearance on the BBC Television music programme Top of the Pops.[46][97]
Madchester's popularity continued to rise as The Stone Roses reached their zenith with a performance at Spike Island and Happy Mondays' performance at Glastonbury Festival.[98] In August 1990, The Charlatans played at Hultsfred Festival in Sweden; it was their first show abroad.[99] "Then" was released as the album's second single on 10 September 1990, with "Taurus Moaner", an instrumental version of "Taurus Moaner" and an alternative take of "Then" making up the release.[49][100][101] The choice of song for the single caused tension within the band, some of whom wanted to release "Polar Bear". Blunt, however, did not, citing overproduction on the song and threatening to quit if it was chosen. The band felt uncomfortable releasing a second single from the album; according to Wills: "Assuming that 'The Only One I Know' was to be on the album, this would make two singles from the same record, which they still regarded as ripping-off the fans". As a compromise, "The Only One I Know" was later removed from the vinyl edition of the album, which they saw as "the real" iteration of Some Friendly.[49] It was included on the CD versions at the label's request because CDs had become the dominant medium for consuming music.[70]
Some Friendly was released in the UK on 8 October 1990 through Situation Two; the vinyl version was packaged in a white plastic sleeve.[106] It was issued in the US through RCA on 23 October 1990.[107] The cover artwork includes an out-of-focus photograph of the band, chosen over a photograph of wax models of the members.[52] The Charlatans ended 1990 with a tour of the UK and mainland Europe with support from Intastella, who were offered the tour when their manager played Burgess a tape of their music.[106][108] In February and March 1991, The Charlatans embarked on their first full tour of the US; because The Stone Roses were unwilling to tour North America, The Charlatans became the most-popular baggy band there.[109][110] A side effect of this was The Stone Roses being compared to The Charlatans rather than vice versa.[110] "Sproston Green" was issued as a single in that market on 4 February 1991, the release featuring the album version and a remix version as well as an extended remix of "Opportunity".[109][110][111] A French release includes 7" and 12" edits of "Sproston Green" and "You're Not Very Well", and a remix of "Opportunity" by Flood titled "Opportunity Three".[112] Peters filmed a music video for "Sproston Green" consisting of live footage from the Apollo in Manchester.[113] 2ff7e9595c
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