I always thought this CS band pick and the cover of the first FM album shared this “gritty” aesthetic, which was ironic, since these white Brits knew next to nothing of the Black American experiences that engendered authentic blues. So, all the grit was ”strapped on,” for effect. FM did this with conviction—and a fair share of Green’s brooding songs ring with genuine truth. Likewise, Christine’s songs are convincing examples of the blues genre. But both CS and FM were authentically comic, too—and the ribald antics of both bands was, I think, a far less studied part of their identities.
The cover to the first CS album says a lot about the semi-deranged sensibilities that they were exploiting. And look at the album art for Mr. Wonderful, Pious Bird, and English Rose. Jeremy Spencer was filthy. Stan Webb was a high-strung goofball.
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