Never has a record been so aptly titled, or so perfectly descriptive of a band's particular vision of the universe. For all that, the original appearance of
Taking Drugs
was in fact a bootleg on the semi-legendary/semi-notorious
Father Yod
imprint in 1990, later supplemented with contemporary outtakes and cuts for the
Bomp
reissue in 1994 and one further song for the
Space Age
version in 2000. The original seven tracks, dated January 1986 and the first recordings to feature
Pete Bain
on bass, are collectively known as the Northampton Demos, understandably named for the recording location in a studio outside said English city. Both
Sonic
and
Pierce
have been on record as long preferring these takes to the eventual versions that surfaced for the most part on
Sound of Confusion
. Certainly it's a fine set of performances, showing a definite step toward the more familiar sound of the group and away from the rougher takes on
For All the Fucked Up Children of the World
.
"The Sound of Confusion,"
aka
"Walkin' With Jesus,"
rips along with fierce energy,
's singing and the rampaging, primitive wail and rumble of the band just wonderful.
"Losing Touch With My Mind"
takes things to an even higher level, a huge wallop of feedback and beat (
Natty Brooker
's drumming in particular delivers just what the doctor ordered),
delivering the lines with a flat, cutting drawl. On the slightly lighter tip,
"Come Down Easy"
is more or less fully in place (aside from singing about it being 1986!), possessing a more upfront but less vocally distinct feel than the
Perfect Prescription
take. The tracks that surfaced on the later reissues come from a variety of different sessions, including the original take on
"Feel So Good"
and a good live version of
"Things'll Never Be the Same,"
one of several cuts featuring
Brooker
's drumming replacement
Rosco
. ~ Ned Raggett