Drums: A. Lainey
Bass: Rob Turnbull
Guitar: Richard Eric Hammond
Guitar/Vocals: Frankie N.W. Stubbs

Recorded 17, 18, 20 March 1990 on 16 track at 'Project UK'. Engineered by Ian McKie.

"Fill Your Boots" is in many ways a big step up from Leathface's previous album, "Cherry Knowle". The production isn't particularly slick, but it is clearer sounding which is good, because there's a lot more going on. The song structures and lyrics are less straightforward, and the guitars in particular are more complicated and interesting. Don't get the wrong idea: there's still a lot of energy here, it's just tempered with a depth of songwriting that was somewhat absent on the earlier record.

Click on the song title for lyrics...

1. New York State (Hammond/Stubbs) Contains the line "In Washington DC, there's music and conspiracy", which is kind of funny if you've been around the music scene here in DC.
2. Razor Blades and Aspirin (Raymond/Hammond/Stubbs) A live version of this song appears on "Live In Oslo".
3. Speak in Tongues (Stubbs)
4. Fate (Stubbs)
5. Peasant in Paradise (Stubbs)
6. The Bastards Can't Dance (Hammond/Stubbs) The lighter side of a fairly serious band: this song is about seventies fashion revival (they're against it). "The bastards can't dance, and no-one seems to care. We are survivors...of that seventies tragedy, and the designers are beyond belief."
7. Our Father (Stubbs) This is the raging-est song on the album, AND the first line is "I don't need no United Nations, it's just like the League of Nations."
8. Leatherface (Hammond/Stubbs) This is their other instrumental (the first was "Ghoulash", on "Cherry Knowle"). I guess since the song is actually CALLED "Leatherface", that would make it the band's "theme".
9. All I Wanted (Hammond/Stubbs)
10. Here Comes the Judge (Stubbs) This was first done on the "Beerpig" 7", and that version was reissued on "Discography, Part 2".
11. In the Ghetto (Mac Davis) This was originally an Elvis song, if you can believe that. Not the skinny rock n'roll Elvis, either. Strictly cabaret-Vegas. I don't know if it was ever a big hit, but they had it at the radio station I worked at, and it's a truly funny song in its own right, mainly because of the spangly-jumpsuit factor. Not surprisingly, the Leatherface cover is faster, and lacks the original's syrupy string section. It also appears on the " Cherry Knowle" album.
12. Candle in the Wind (John/Taupin) Leatherface's tribute to Princess Diana.

Smokey Joe
Teichiku Records TECP-25971 (1991). Originally on Roughneck Recordings (1990).

Bass: Rob Berwick
Drums: Andy Laing
Guitar/Vocals: Frankie Stubbs

Recorded 25-26 August at Hi Level Recording Studio. Engineered by Dave Mander. Produced by Iain Burgess.

"Smokey Joe" sounds a lot like "Fill Your Boots". The production is a bit more echoey, the guitars are a bit sharper sounding, and the singing is a bit rougher. Beyond that, the two records are very, VERY similar, which I've always thought was surprising since "Smokey Joe" was recorded without longtime member Dickie Hammond on guitar.
Three of the five songs on "Smokey Joe" got re-recorded and released on the CD version of "Mush", so if you liked "Mush", you should pick this up if you get a chance, because these versions are much less polished sounding. Actually, you should pick it up on principle, because it's very, VERY difficult to find; if you don't want it I know a couple of people who would.

Click on the song title for lyrics, if I've typed them up...

1. How Lonely (Stubbs) One of the songs that ended up on "Mush". This older version is worth checking out, if only because some band called "Scared to Say No" does the backup screams ("wuhHAAHHAHHH!") on this one and they're very, um, screamy.
2. You Wanted Everything (Stubbs)
3. Trenchfoot (Stubbs) Unlike the "Mush" CD version, this one has a Clockwork Orange sample in the middle. It's from the part towards the beginning of the movie where Alex and his "droogs" are beating up the old drunk who was singing in the gutter.
4. The Scheme of Things (Stubbs) This version has a different ending from the one on the "Mush" CD. To tell the truth, I kind of like the second one better.
5. Ideal World (H. Priestman/M. Herman) Well, I finally figured it out, sort of...a very helpful reader tipped me off that "Ideal World" was originally done by a band called the Christians. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to follow up on this tidbit just yet.