In 1982, The Dream Syndicate started their own record company, Down There Records, to release their self-titled four-song twelve-inch EP, which included the first versions of ‘When You Smile’ and ‘That’s What You Always Say’. They went on to sign with Slash for The Days of Wine and Roses, followed by A&M for the Medicine Show album. After years, the band has earned the right to reissue Medicine Show as a 42-song, 4xCD set featuring 29 unreleased recordings from the 1983 to 1984 era. For this special occasion, The Dream Syndicate are resurrecting their Down There label, which will be distributed by Fire Records.
Medicine Show has always been a controversial album, even before it was recorded. The indie rock darlings became the first Paisley Underground band to sign to a major label, hire a mainstream rock producer, change bass players, and spend months recording the album - after having banged out their previous one, The Days of Wine and Roses, in mere hours.
What this new box set reveals is that, as a live band, they were on fire. For the first time ever, the complete WXRT radio broadcast from the original reel-to-reel master tape is included. This is accompanied by rehearsal and live tapes of Kendra, recorded just before her departure.
It’s all part of the story: early, primitive versions of original songs, plenty of cover versions that the band mangled into something new, and a journey of finding themselves along the way. Thankfully, shows from venues like CBGB’s, Zaders, and Soap Creek reveal some incendiary magic. Beyond the live audio, the album itself has now been remastered from the original analog tapes.
Like many psychologically complex albums, Medicine Show took time to truly settle into listeners’ minds. It’s long overdue, but it has finally arrived.
TRACK LISTING
LP Tracklisting
1 Still Holding On To You
2 Daddy’s Girl
3 Burn
4 Armed With An Empty Gun
5 Bullet With My Name On It
6 The Medicine Show
7 John Coltrane Stereo Blues
8 Merrittville
CD Box Set Tracklisting
Disc One: Medicine Show + Unreleased Bonus Tracks
1 Still Holding On To You
2 Daddy’s Girl
3 Burn
4 Armed With An Empty Gun
5 Bullet With My Name On It
6 The Medicine Show
7 John Coltrane Stereo Blues
8 Merrittville
9 John Coltrane Stereo Blues (Album Out-Take)
10 The Medicine Show (Solo Acoustic)
11 John Coltrane Stereo Blues (Live At WMMS, June 1983)
Disc Two: This Is Not The New Dream Syndicate Album... Live!
1 Tell Me When It’s Over (Live At The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 1984)
2 Bullet With My Name On It (Live At The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 1984)
3 Armed With An Empty Gun (Live At The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 1984)
4 The Medicine Show (Live At The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 1984)
5 John Coltrane Stereo Blues (Live At The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 1984)
6 Burn (Live At The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 1984)
7 The Days Of Wine And Roses (Live At The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 1984)
8 John Coltrane Stereo Blues (Live In Lund, Sweden, 1984)
9 Bullet With My Name On It (Live At The Stone, San Francisco, 1984)
10 Witness (Live At The Stone, San Francisco, 1984)
11 Weathered And Torn (Rehearsal Recording, 1983)
Disc Three: The Road To Medicine Show
1 Still Holding On To You (Live At CBGBs,1983)
2 Armed With An Empty Gun (Live At CBGBs, 1983)
3 Let It Rain (Live At CBGBs, 1983)
4 The Medicine Show (Live At CBGBs,1983)
5 Bullet With My Name On It (Live At CBGBs,1983)
6 John Coltrane Stereo Blues (Live At CBGBs, 1983)
7 Burn (Live At CBGBs, 1983)
8 Morning Dew (Live At CBGBs, 1983)
9 Burn (Rehearsal Recording With Kendra Smith,1983)
10 John Coltrane Stereo Blues (Rehearsal Recording With Sandy Pearlman, 1983)
Disc Four: What Is And What Should Never Be
1 Susie Q (Live At Club Zadar, New Hope, PA, 1983)
2 Evil Ways (Live At Club Zadar, New Hope, PA, 1983)
3 Don’t Fear The Reaper (Live At Club Zadar, New Hope, PA, 1983)
4 Bullet With My Name On It (Live At Club Zadar, New Hope, PA, 1983)
5 Still Holding On To You (Live At Soap Creek Saloon, Austin, TX, 1983)
6 Born On The Bayou (Live At Soap Creek Saloon, Austin, TX, 1983)
7 Don’t Fear The Reaper (Live At Soap Creek Saloon, Austin, TX, 1983)
8 Still Holding On To You (Rehearsal Recording With Kendra Smith, 1982)
9 Armed With An Empty Gun (Rehearsal Recording With Kendra Smith, 1982)
10 Witness (Live In Japan, 1984)