Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine

Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine
Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine (1989)
Background information
Also known as	Carter USM
Origin	London, England
Genres	Alternative dance, grebo, indie rock, punk rock, alternative rock
Years active	1987–1998 2007–2014
Labels	Rough Trade Chrysalis Cooking Vinyl Major League Productions (MLP)
Associated acts	Jamie Wednesday Abdoujaparov Jim's Super Stereoworld Jim Bob Resque Keith TOTP
Website	www.carterusm.co.uk
Members	Jim Bob Fruitbat
Past members	Wez Steve Ben Lambert

Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine (frequently shortened to Carter USM) were an English indie rock band formed in 1988 by singer Jim "Jim Bob" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter. They made their name with a distinctive style of power pop, fusing samples, sequenced basses and drum machines with rock 'n' roll guitars and off-beat wordplay-loaded lyrics. They reached the height of their fame in 1992. Over the following years the band took on new members, topping out as a six-piece, but struggled to regain their earlier popularity. They initially split up in 1998 after releasing seven albums.

Based in Lambeth in South London, England, Carter and Morrison originally played in an indie band called Jamie Wednesday, which released two singles - "Vote For Love" and "We Three Kings of Orient Aren't". Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine was formed in 1987, when Fruitbat and Jim Bob were the only band members to turn up for a charity gig at the London Astoria, and went on stage to perform as a duo with backing tapes. The debut single "A Sheltered Life" was released later in 1988 on the Big Cat label, but it was not until the second single "Sheriff Fatman" in 1989 that the band began to receive recognition. The song was written about a South London slumlord and was followed by the album 101 Damnations – a critical account of life south of the River Thames, full of black humour, cynicism, wordplay and puns. The album went straight to the top of the indie charts.

The band's gigs became well known for a wall of white stage lights that threw off enormous heat and contributed to the sweaty, stage-diving crowd scenes that became part of the band's image. Such scenes are depicted in the video In Bed With Carter, filmed at the Brixton Academy.