Joe Crow

by Eugene ChadbourneA member of bands such as The Nightingales and The Prefects, this performer attracted critical attention in the early '80s, not all of it positive, with recordings on the fashionable British indie label Cherry Red and songs such as "Compulsion"--not to be confusedwith the film of the same name in which Orson Welles defends a pair of notorious kidnappers. Wood's history on the British music scene datesback to second half of the '70s, many relevant details combined in semi-biographical tour diaries: "We got pissed, trashed our equipment and the party ended with five police cars on the doorstep." The Pillows and Prayers compilation series collects many vintage performances which originated as 45s or EPS during the format splatter of the'80s, perfect for listeners with the "Compulsion" to hear Crow alongside his peers such as Kevin Coyne, Tracey Thorn, Eyeless in Gaza or The Marine Girls. Singer Martin Gore has covered "Compulsion". Crow is sometimes name-checked as an influence on the Radiohead band.