Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine (also known as Carter USM or simply Carter) were an English indie rock band formed in 1987 by singer Jim "Jim Bob" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter. They made their name with a distinctive style of power pop, fusing samples, sequenced basses and drum machines with rock 'n' roll guitars and off-beat wordplay-loaded lyrics. They reached the height of their fame in 1992–1993. Over the following years the band took on new members, reaching a six-piece. They initially split up in 1998 after releasing seven albums.
In 2007, Carter USM reformed and continued to perform a small number of shows annually, without releasing any new material, until amicably splitting again at the end of 2014.
History
Starting out: 1987–1990
Based in Lambeth in South London, England, Carter and Morrison originally played in an indie band called Jamie Wednesday, which released two singles: "Vote For Love" and "We Three Kings of Orient Aren't". Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine were formed on 6 August 1987 when Carter and Morrison were the only band members to turn up for a charity gig at the London Astoria, and went on stage to perform as a duo with backing tapes. The debut single, "A Sheltered Life", was released later in 1988 on the Big Cat label, but it was not until the second single, "Sheriff Fatman", was released in 1989 that the band began to receive recognition.
Members
- James Morrison (Jim Bob) - vocals, guitar (1987–1998, 2007–2014)
- Lesley Carter (Fruitbat) - guitar, vocals, keyboards, programming (1987–1998, 2007–2014)
- Wez - drums (1994–1998)
- Steve - guitar (1996–1998)
- Ben Lambert - keyboards, programming (1996–1998)
- Salvatore Alessi (Salv) - bass (1996–1998)
Timeline
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id:V value:red legend:Vocals
id:G value:green legend:Guitars
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id:Lines value:black legend:Studio_album
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at:15/01/1990 color:black layer:back
at:18/02/1991 color:black layer:back
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at:01/01/1998 color:black layer:back
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bar:Jim text:"Jim Bob"
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width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Jim from:06/08/1987 till:10/01/1998 color:V
bar:Jim from:06/08/1987 till:10/01/1998 color:G width:3
bar:Jim from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2014 color:V
bar:Jim from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2014 color:G width:3
bar:Les from:06/08/1987 till:10/01/1998 color:G
bar:Les from:06/08/1987 till:10/01/1998 color:KP width:7
bar:Les from:06/08/1987 till:10/01/1998 color:V width:3
bar:Les from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2014 color:G
bar:Les from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2014 color:KP width:7
bar:Les from:01/01/2007 till:01/01/2014 color:V width:3
bar:Wez from:01/01/1994 till:10/01/1998 color:D
bar:Steve from:01/01/1996 till:10/01/1998 color:G
bar:Salv from:01/01/1996 till:10/01/1998 color:B
bar:Ben from:01/01/1996 till:10/01/1998 color:KP
</timeline>
Discography
Studio albums
{|class="wikitable"
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2" width="250"| Title
!colspan="3"| Chart positions
!rowspan="2"| Certifications<br /><small>(sales thresholds)</small>
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"|UK <br />
! width="35"|AUS <br />
! width="35"|SWE <br />
|-
| 1990
| 101 Damnations
- Released: 1990
- Labels: Chrysalis
|align="center"| 29
|align="center"| 185
|align="center"| –
|
|-
| 1991
| 30 Something
- Released: February 1991
- Labels: Chrysalis
|align="center"| 8
|align="center"| 138
|align="center"| –
|
- UK: Gold
|-
| 1992
| 1992 – The Love Album
- Released: May 1992
- Labels: Chrysalis
|align="center"| 1
|align="center"| 89
|align="center"| 35
|
- UK: Gold
|align="center"| –
|align="center"| –
|
|-
|}
Compilation albums
{|class="wikitable"
!width="35"| Year
!width="250"| Title
!width="35"| <small>UK</small><br />
!width="35"| US Alt <br />
|-
| 1988
| <small>Oct</small>
| "A Sheltered Life"
|align="center"|153
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
| chart position of 1994 reissue
|-
| 1989
| <small>Nov</small>
| "Sheriff Fatman"
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
| 101 Damnations
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1990
| <small>Jun</small>
| "R.u.b.b.i.s.h"
|align="center"|111
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
| —
|-
| <small>Oct</small>
| "Anytime Anyplace Anywhere"
|align="center"|83
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|rowspan="2"| 30 Something
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1991
| <small>Jan</small>
| "Bloodsport for All"
|align="center"|48
|align="center"|165
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|-
| <small>Jun</small>
| "Sheriff Fatman" <small>(Reissue)</small>
|align="center"|23
|align="center"|164
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|29
| 101 Damnations
|-
| <small>Oct</small>
| "After the Watershed (Early Learning the Hard Way)"
|align="center"|11
|align="center"|124
|align="center"|21
|align="center"|–
|rowspan="2"| —
|-
|rowspan="4"| 1992
| <small>Jan</small>
| "R.u.b.b.i.s.h" <small>(Reissue)</small>
|align="center"|14
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|13
|align="center"|–
|-
| <small>Apr</small>
| "The Only Living Boy in New Cross"
|align="center"|7
|align="center"|70
|align="center"|18
|align="center"|26
|rowspan="3"| 1992 – The Love Album
|-
| <small>Jun</small>
| "Do Re Me So Far So Good"
|align="center"|22
|align="center"|136
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|-
| <small>Nov</small>
| "The Impossible Dream"
|align="center"|21
|align="center"|185
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1993
| <small>Aug</small>
| "Lean on Me I Won't Fall Over"
|align="center"|16
|align="center"|187
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|rowspan="2"| Post Historic Monsters
|-
| <small>Oct</small>
| "Lenny and Terence"
|align="center"|40
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1994
| <small>Feb</small>
| "Glam Rock Cops"
|align="center"|24
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
| Starry Eyed and Bollock Naked
|-
| <small>Nov</small>
| "Let's Get Tattoos"
|align="center"|30
|align="center"|201
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|rowspan="2"| Worry Bomb
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1995
| <small>Jan</small>
| "The Young Offender's Mum"
|align="center"|34
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|-
| <small>Sep</small>
| "Born on the 5th of November"
|align="center"|35
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
|align="center"|–
| Straw Donkey
|-
|}
References
External links
- Official Carter USM website – Maintained by Fruitbat
- [ Carter USM's AMG entry]
- An essay on Carter from Freakytrigger
- An interview with Fruitbat about the 2008 shows from Culturedeluxe