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Never before
had a group so embraced consumer culture and retained the irrepressible
spirit of rock'n'roll. Transvision Vamp praised Warhol and Blondie
and in the next breath eulogized Charles Bukowski and Sam Shepard.
Transvision vamp were the post-modernist ideal, and, cooler than
that, pretended they didnīt know what it meant. Wendy staunchly
refused refused to be labeled a bimbo by the tutting tabloids.
"I
always wanted to be five foot eight with long dark hair, really
beautiful and perfect,"
she sighed,
in between berating the C and those tabloids. "The two worst inventions
of humankind are religion and politics."
Often accused
of overplaying her sexuality, Wendy retorted: "Anything thatīs a
faction canīt be good. When women proudly say, 'Iīm a feminist',
thatīs just another faction - one thatīs anti-male. Surely the strength
of women should lie in taking each individual on his or her own
merits. Itīs whatīs in your mind that matters, not whatīs between
your legs. Itīs how you go about fulfilling the things you care
about."
"A lot of girls
in pop seem to despise me. I donīt know wheather they feel threatened
by me or just think Iīm crap. Iīm not sure I care either way..."
Transvision
Vamp toured Britain again, with audiences alternately adoring or
exasperated, then recorded the second album. 'Velveteen' was released
in the U.K. on June 26th (with 'Pop Art' still high in the charts).
It entered at number one, no less, on July 3rd. It stayed in the
top ten for ten weeks and became a top twenty L.P. in virtually
every country (itīs released in America on October 3rd). The band
have been touring Japan, the U.S.A., Europe and Australia, where
'Velveteen' went to number one on August 1st. Eighty seven shows
in six months, and so far theyīve never played a gig which wasnīt
sold out. Two new members, Drummer MALLET and guitarist JAZZ, both
from London, were recruited at the beginning of April to flesh out
the live sound.
Single life
continues to flourish - 'Baby I Donīt Care' ripped up the top three,
'The Only One' chasing at its heels. 'Landslide Of Love' revealed
a more sensuous side to Transvision Vampīs energy. On October 16th
'Born To Be Sold', a wry wiry cut from 'Velveteen', will be released,
backed with two live tracks recorded at Glasgow Barrowlands last
June.
"'Velveteen'
is a more focussed album," claims Wendy. "The title trackīs about
obsession, about life rolling from the inside, about all the bad
things in human nature coming to the surface..."
An adventure.
Reality and fantasy. Elvis and Marylin. Iggy Pop and Edie Sedgwick.
Somewhere in between or a satellite of both. Transvision Vamp have
clawed their way to the summit of Sugar Mountain with dauntless
self-belief and a disarming wiggle and smile. Recently described
in Melody Maker as "the very best pop band weīve got going at the
moment", they now continue their world travels with a mammoth British
tour which takes them through to mid-November. Embracing the globe.
Motivating, captivating.
"NOW all I know
is all I see. And what I am I choose to be. I donīt need no-one
to bleed for me. Iīm gonna make my own history."
As the media
compete to see who can come up with the most ludicrous fabrications
about Wendy Jamesī personal life, she and The Vamps strive to remain
both approachable and larger than life. Which is what theyīre all
about. Which is what the records are all about. Which is what pop
is all about. ...in the nineties, Transvision Vamp, with their kaleidoscopic
kalashnikovs of spectacular style will go as far and as high as
your imagination allows.
Stars are stars.
They say love is blind but here comes a supernova..... Viva vivacity.
Viva The Vamp
Chris Roberts
Back
to previous Velveteen Tourbook section...
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