By 1992 things were going really really well for New York’s Living Colour. With the exception of original bass player Muzz Skillings leaving the band. They had a few hits, two top ten albums, a couple Grammy’s and a newly founded merch deal. This dream was happening and it was real. But the music climate was changing dramatically. And Living Colour saw an opportunity to write the album they’ve always wanted to do. A darker, heavier album. One that reflected not simply the times they were in, but the times that were to come.
It’s a prophetic album. Tackling issues such as sexual orientation, fake news, refugee crisis’ and our self imposed social walls. Those are all subjects that in late ’92/early ’93 were seen as somewhat controversial. Or in the least not very palatable. And while the record suffered some sales loss due to that direction, ‘Stain’ is now regarded by many to be Living Colour’s finest hour. And it’s not just the subject matter of the tracks that makes the album so good.
It’s also the production. It just sounds amazing. It’s soooo phat! Will Calhoun’s drums are simply monstrous. His snare hits with the force of 100,000 megatons. Doug Wimbish’s bass fills the speakers. And Vernon Reid’s guitar tone is in league more with a Pantera or Prong sound than the previous two Living Colour albums. All that one needs to listen to to understand this is the opening track ‘Go Away’. Which is one of my favorite Living Colour songs. The relative subject matter in the lyrics is simply a bonus. But when you listen to the lyrics it’s scary how the subject matter holds up. ‘I see the starving Africans on T.V.. I feel it has nothing to do with me. I sent my 20$ to Live Aid. I paid my guilty conscious to go away. NOW GO AWAY!’ It’s just, wow, that really still resonates with what’s going on in the world currently.
Then comes the one, two punch of ‘Ignorance Is Bliss’ and ‘Leave it Alone’. It doesn’t funkier and more metal while still keeping melody than this. With the exception of King’s X of course. Then the controversial ‘Bi’ comes next. A very David Bowie influenced sounding track. It’s about Vernon Reid’s first love who came out as Bi. And the lessons she taught him about life. ‘Mind Your Own Business’ slams the speakers right from the get go. A song that combines punk and blues perfectly. While covering the subject matter of fake news and rumors. A subject that is perhaps more prominent than ever. I would love blast the song at the White House 24/7.
‘Auslander’ brings in the industrial metal sound. An element in rock and metal that Living Colour helped to cultivate. And it covers the subject matter of being a refugee. A citizen from a beautiful country that’s forced to relocate to a foreign land. Sound like a familiar topic people? Then ‘Never Satisfied’ brings back the mega-groove laden, classic Living Colour sound. The song address the subject of success. And what one does with it after it’s achieved. The notion that success does not necessarily mean happiness as many people in modern society think. A lot people think ‘Oh, if I just had this or made it with my art then I would happy.’ Well, what happens when you get there and then you’re not? Nothingness is an amazing ballad written by drummer Will Calhoun, about his late grandfather. And the thought that when we die we all go to nothing. So what matters is what you do here and now. Because that’s what stays behind.
‘Nobody Knows/Postman’ is one of the darkest moments on the album. And it embodies the direction that band was taking. ‘WTFF’ is a short little industrial instrumental before going into one of the sickest intro’s ever on ‘This Little Piggy’. Which of course is about police brutality. Then another short instrumental with ‘Hemp’ before going into one of Living Colour’s signature songs ‘Wall’. About or self imposed social limitations we put on each other. ‘The Walls between us all must fall.’ Sounds like something John Lennon would write.
But that’s just it. That’s what makes ‘Stain’ such a unique album. It’s subject matter is not common in the metal world, give or take a few bands. And I think that combined with the darker, more intense sound of the record is why it didn’t sell as well as it’s two predecessors. It didn’t bomb, but it didn’t crack the top 20 either. And of course, the record company wasn’t to pleased. After the tour Living Colour would release a greatest hits album ‘Pride’ and do one tour. Until their emergence in 2003.
But as far as today is concerned ‘Stain’ holds up really really well. It still sounds just as fresh as it did on the day of it’s release. An album that was 25 years ahead of it time. Almost out of it’s time really. And that’s why Living Colour has experienced an uptrend in fandom lately. So crank it this weekend!!
A darker sound indeed.
Tackling subject matter ahead of its time.
Fake news! It’s everywhere. ‘Don’t you hate when those facts interrupt?’
Dealing with a refugee’s point of view.
And the signature ‘Wall’.
What’s your favorite moment from Living Colour’s ‘Stain’ album?
