New York - On The Road 86 - 87

Editor's info:
Released by ROIR as cassette-only in 1987 under the title Mekons New York, this completely remastered CD, with 2 bonus tracks, is a musical sound document of the Mekons 1986-1987 road tour of the USA. This recording includes mostly live club date songs, ad libs, vaudeville sound-bytes and back of the van ribaldry and banter. New York drew amazing plaudits from the press and fans.

Originally founded in Leeds, UK in 1977 at the same time fellow townies Gang Of Four emerged in the punk scene, the Mekons today, after 23 years of trials, tribulations and triumphs have become a prominent cult band with legions of fans and a growing base of international recognition, admiration and commercial attention. They have recorded for Virgin, A&M, Twin Tone, Blast First, CNT, Sin Records, Quarterstick, Rough Trade, Fast and ROIR. It would be hard to find a well-stocked record store that didn't have at least one Mekon record.

Their fans have a community feeling of personal relationship with the band and its members that borders on adoration, a sense of possessiveness and one-to-one bonding. This cult is approaching the dimensions of a small but growing loyal army, exponentially expanding, steadily increasing sales of their records!

To ROIR
From Jon Langford
October 5, 2000

Dear Neil here are the two tracks we selected (bonus tracks) for the CD re-release. They are noisy, shamblin, drunk 1987 versions of our first two singles back in the dark days of punk rock. Those should be the final tracks on the CD.

(Editors Note: Bonus tracks Where Were You? and Never Been In A Riot were the band's first singles on Fast Product UK label in 1978. They directly confronted and answered the Clash's White Riot and the Sex Pistols Anarchy In The UK. These tracks are regarded as punk classics by Mekon fans. They are live versions on this CD by the band from 1987.)


"Last Spring the band hacked their way through the soft underbelly of the American heartland. They were drunk, they ached, they were beautiful. A unique soundtrack to a life style of unending parody" -SPIN

"More than any band that came out of the late 70s England, the Mekons have perhaps the most devoted fans of any band even remotely connected to punk rock. They have produced some of the best rock-n-roll on the planet. They have done it all with style, grace and a ribald sense of humor. The have continually re-invented themselves great, great music. There is no good reason not to possess this recording." -All Music Guide To Rock

"A Minus!" -Robert Christgau, Christgaus Guide The 80s Recordings

"Punk drunk, cockney, folky, Cajun, rockabilly, hippie protest blues music. This tape captures them at their sloppiest most raggedy assed and devil-may-care, which for true fans means at their best." -John Strausbaugh, Baltimore City Paper

"This qualifies as a great live album because it makes you wish you were there." -New Musical Express UK

"The Mekons have grown into one of the most venerable and entertaining post punk institutions." -Trouser Press Guide To Records

"Now this is my kind of roots music raw, irreverent, loud and rocking." -Alternative Press

"The performances captures the band in fine form and contains some of their most exciting material to date. Jon Langfords wit is at an all time high." -Reflex

"The vital embodiment of just what a touring record should be, with all the smells, pungency a coast-to-coast gig entails. Dignity in the face of complete drunken ineptitude. Nobody does it any better." -Record Mirror UK

"The Mekons Madcap American caravans are caught in a dada documentary collage. Live tracks, studio outtakes, stage blather and road fatigue add up to a lively portrait of life as a Mekon." -Puncture