Released on 19th September 1994, the fifth album by The Poppies, also known as PWEI, “Dos Dedos Mis Amigos” bring to the surface a more industrial face of the band. Also, PWEI’s political stance became more explicit with the release of the single “Ich Bin Ein Auslander”, a collaboration with Asian group Fun-Da-Mental, song which was based on the uprise of racial tension throughout Britain during 1994 and reached the UK Top 30.
The album peaked at #11 in the UK Albums Chart and the single “Everything’s Cool” became the band’s ninth Top 30 UK hit.
PWEI found some new popularity after signing with Trent Reznor’s Nothing Records in the US, and touring with Nine Inch Nails, as well as having their songs used on the PlayStation game Loaded. In the same year they featured on The Prodigy’s album “Music for the Jilted Generation”, on the song “Their Law”.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76wSk1j02_4&w=545&h=307]
“Listen to the victim, abused by the system
The basis is racist, you know that we must face this.
“It can’t happen here”. Oh yeah?
“Take a look around at the cities and the towns.”
See them hunting, creeping, sneaking
Breeding fear and loathing with the lies they’re speaking
The knife, the gun, broken bottle, petrol bomb
There is no future when the past soon come.
And when they come to ethnically cleanse me
Will you speak out? Will you defend me?
Or laugh through a glass eye as they rape our lives
Trampled underfoot by the right on the rise
“You owe us…”….Ich Bin Ein Auslander
(“You owe us everything”)… Ich Bin Ein Auslander
Welcome to a state where the politics of hate
Shout loud in the crowd “Watch them beat us all down”
There’s a rising tide in the rivers of blood
But if the answer isn’t violence, neither is your silence
If they come to ethnically cleanse me
Will you speak out? Will you defend me?
Freedom of expression doesn’t make it alright
Trampled underfoot by the rise of the right
Ich Bin Ein Auslander”
Noisy, still absolutely danceable and with a charming oriental aroma, “Ich Bin Ein Auslander” introduced PWEI for a larger audience. And PWEI discovered their own secret formula to create something timeless and forever fresh. Excellent grooves, catchy melodies and the perfect blending of the 80’s and early 90’s techno with the rawer and darker industrial sound introduced by Reznor and Nine Inch Nails. Still, PWEI never really get highly popular… Well, good bands rarely get.
Track list:
01. “Ich Bin Ein Auslander” – 3:59
02. “Kick to Kill” – 3:24
03. “Familus Horribilus” – 4:03
04. “Underbelly” (Mansell, Pance) – 3:58
05. “Fatman” – 3:17
06. “Home” – 3:36
07. “Cape Connection” – 4:59
08. “Menofearthereaper” – 6:27
09. “Everything’s Cool” – 4:17
10. “R.S.V.P.” – 3:32
11. “Babylon” – 5:04
In March 1995 the band released the Dos Dedos Mis Amigos remix album Two Fingers My Friends! which featured remixes by The Orb, Apollo 440 and Renegade Soundwave.
The band continued recording and touring until 1996. The band split in 1996, March and Townshend went on to form the big beat band Bentley Rhythm Ace, while Crabb concentrated on his ambient side project Golden Claw Musics. Townshend also released two solo albums and Mansell wrote a number of film scores, including “Requiem for a Dream”, “Ï€”, “Doom”, “The Fountain”, “The Wrestler”, “Moon”, and “Black Swan”.
The band reformed to play their first gigs in eight years, in in January 2005.
On Cooking Vinyl, after a 17 years gap, PWEI will release their sixth studio album, “New Noise Designed By A Sadist” on 3rd October 2011.
PWEI – Official Site
PWEI – (Official) Fan Site
PWEI @ Facebook
PWEI @ Twitter
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL5pvkBm0Co&w=545&h=307]
