Therapy?'s career has been one long series of ill-timed moves and contrary decisions.
When the three Irish lads - Andy Cairns, Michael McKeegan and monstrous drummer Fyfe Ewing first burst onto the scene in 1990 with the relentless groove of 'Meat Abstract', released on their own Multi F**kin' National label, they seemed almost gothic in their dark intensity.
Both that single and the two Wiiija mini-albums that followed 'Baby Teeth' and 'Pleasure Death' had a chilling passion, one that sounded almost Prodigy-like in its heavy beats.
No one attending a festival round this period could forget the immortal line "James Joyce is f**king my sister" from the latter album's 'Potato Junkie'. The same year (1991) grunge began to break big. So what did Therapy? do? Cut their hair and begin to sound post-punk brittle as their major label debut 'Nurse', and its awesome singles 'Teethgrinder' and 'Nausea' proved.
Why they never broke MASSIVE round 1994's 'Troublegum' album is still a mystery. They toured with Ozzy, released a barrage of incredible pop songs 'Screamager', 'Die Laughing', the anthemic 'Nowhere' and appeared on Top of The Pops. Perhaps singer Andy Cairns' facial hair really was that off-putting: perhaps Kurt Cobain's suicide meant that anything as out-and-out rock as Therapy? was no longer in fashion.
A real shame. Without a doubt, the band was cruising on easy. The cello-saturated acoustic Husker Du cover 'Diane' (from the following year's 'Infernal Love') may have broken the Top 10 but it probably alienated more fans than it won over.
Still, that's Therapy?'s contrary nature for you. By the time 1998's unfocused 'Semi Detached' appeared, Fyfe had left to be replaced by two new members, and the band's record company A&M was dissolving.
It didn't matter: Cairns and McKeegan bounced back immediately by returning to their roots, with 1999's fierce uncompromising 'Suicide Pact'. And now, just when everyone is catching up with the electronica/rock sound Therapy? pioneered a decade ago, they're turning to the classic rock of the Stooges. Bloody-minded brilliance!
This compilation is a perfect introduction to Therapy? Initial quantities even come with a free six track rarities CD, including the wonderful 'Bloody Blue' 1990 demo.
