music
'Bowie compared us to T Rex. Couldn’t get any better': the Mekons on how they made Where Were You?'
'It’s about loneliness, really. It was the total opposite of that “It’s Friday night, let’s have sex” macho mentality that was in most rock music at the time'
TL;DR
- The Mekons formed out of a shared fine art background with members of Gang of Four and The Mekons at Leeds University.
- The band's first single, 'Never Been in a Riot', was recorded in a living room, while 'Where Were You?' was recorded in a proper studio, Spaceward in Cambridge.
- 'Where Were You?' gained significant popularity after being played heavily by John Peel and was later championed by David Bowie, who compared the band to T. Rex.
- The song's lyrics, written by Mark White, focus on loneliness and represent a counterpoint to the aggressive, male-centric themes common in rock music at the time.
- Feminism was an important aspect of the band's ethos, with female musicians contributing to their work.
- The single's sleeve featured cut-up images from a Gary Glitter annual, with his name removed, intended as an ironic statement rather than a celebration of success.