Main Stage - Live at Primavera Sound 2010

Charlatans

Cooking Vinyl, UK

Formed in the West Midlands at the tail end of the eighties, The Charlatans were seen as part of the Madchester scene in their early days. Less manic than the Happy Mondays and less prone to long groove explorations than The Stone Roses, they never really fitted the bill, though. Instead they focused on songs that relied heavy on gutsy organs, with a love for the soulful side of The Rolling Stones and a general fascination with classic American songwriting always shining through. Their second single 'The Only One I Know' cracked the British top ten, with their debut album 'Some Friendly' going straight to the top of the charts. Since these early days they have had a career as varied as it was exciting, with high points including the success, after years of struggling, of their self titled record in '95 and low points including the loss of their kayboard player Rob Collins to a car accident in '96. Through it all they persevered, and at Primavera 2010 they celebrated the twentieth anniversary of their debut record by playing it all the way through - with some variations thrown in.