The Vaselines

The music coming out of Scotland in the mid '80s was a primitive force that could be just as naive as it was brilliant. The Vaselines were no exception to this rule. With roots in fellow Scottish bands like the Shop Assistants and the Pastels, the Vaselines brought Eugene Kelly's edgy, scratchy guitar work together with Frances McKee's poetic melancholia. Their vocals were a shining light with Eugene's dry, monotone voice trading off with Frances' more charming, off-key sound. Not a serious band by any means, their carnal obsessions were given as much time as their off-kilter pop experiments. As Eugene Kelly went on to form the equally great Captain America a.k.a. Eugenius, the Vaselines were championed by then nascent alt-icons Nirvana, which saw a huge, much deserved resurgence of interest and virtually worldwide availability of their music.