Marjory Razorblade

Marjory Razorblade
Studio album by Kevin Coyne
Released October 1973
Genre Rock
Length 78:40
Label Virgin VD 2501
Producer Steve Verroca
Kevin Coyne chronology
Case History
(1972)		 Marjory Razorblade
(1973)		 Blame lt On The Night
(1974)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link

Marjory Razorblade is a double-LP by artist Kevin Coyne and was one of the earliest releases on Virgin Records, which had launched four months earlier in 1973. The double album includes the track Marlene, which was issued as a single, and Eastbourne Ladies, which was featured among the selection of tracks played by John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten at the height of the Sex Pistols notoriety on the Capital Radio show A Punk & His Music, broadcast in London in summer 1977.[1]

The gatefold album sleeve was designed by prominent graphic artist Barney Bubbles utilising photographs of Coyne by Phil Franks; Bubbles also designed the distinctive logo carrying the album title and credit, though was content not to receive a credit.[2]

In 1998 Virgin's financial director Ken Berry recalled that on his first day at the company's west London offices he was presented with artist royalty statements scrawled on the back of Bubbles' invoice for the Marjory Razorblade design.[3]

Reviewing the album for the BBC in 2010, Mike Diver described the album as "a synthesis of individual ability into one effective, enchanting end product ".[4]

Reception

Awarding the album a B+, Robert Christgau wrote:

Another British eccentric with a voice scratchy and wavery enough to make Mick Jagger sound like Anthony Newley, only this one can write songs. The annoying kid-stuff tone of the perversity here purveyed is redeemed by the fact that there isn't a chance it will sell, not even with the Brit double-LP condensed down to one. Also, "House on the Hill" is as convincing a madman's song as I know."[5]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Kevin Coyne except where indicated.

Side 1
  1. "Marjory Razorblade"
  2. "Marlene"
  3. "Talking to No One"
  4. "Eastbourne Ladies"
  5. "Old Soldier"
Side 2
  1. "I Want My Crown" (Traditional)
  2. "Nasty"
  3. "Lonesome Valley" (A. P. Carter)
  4. "House on the Hill"
  5. "Cheat Me"
Side 3
  1. "Jackie and Edna"
  2. "Everybody Says"
  3. "Mummy"
  4. "Heaven in My View" (A. P. Carter)
  5. "Karate King"
Side 4
  1. "Dog Latin"
  2. "This Is Spain"
  3. "Chairman's Ball"
  4. "Good Boy"
  5. "Chicken Wing"

Personnel

US release

The record was also released, as a single LP, in the US (Virgin VR 13-106) with a truncated track listing of: "Eastbourne Ladies", "Old Soldier", "Marlene", "Everybody Says", "Lovesick Fool", "House On The Hill", "Nasty", "Talking To No One", "Dog Latin", "I Want My Crown" and "Marjory Razorblade".

References

  1. ↑ "Music - Review of Kevin Coyne - Marjory Razorblade". BBC. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  2. ↑ Reasons To Be Cheerful: The Life & Work Of Barney Bubbles, Paul Gorman (Adelita 2008) ISBN 978-0-9552017-3-8
  3. ↑ "Reasons to be Cheerful» Blog Archive » Virgin's world domination – blame Barney Bubbles!". Barneybubbles.com. 2010-01-31. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  4. ↑ "Kevin Coyne, Marjory Razorblade, Review: A trove of largely forgotten delights ready for rediscovery", by Mike Diver, 2010-01-15, at bbc.co.uk
  5. ↑


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