Grant Fleming [an with the ICF West Ham United's notorious thugs, played bass with early-'80s goths Lords Of The New Church and manned Primal Scream's T-shirt stall during their legendary post acid house renaissance. In other words, he's ideally placed to appreciate the Scream's fusion of simmering malevolence, leather trousers and heroic drug intake.

Modeling himself on legendary Vietnam War photographer Don McCullin, Fleming also became the Scream's snapper-in-residence. Thus, Higher... revolves around his images (he took the inside sleeve shot for 'Screamadelica'), but these are interspersed by frenzied wodges of Fear And Loathing-styled text. So, as he navigates the way from the 'Loaded' single to the end of the 'Give Out But Don't Give Up' tour (plus a 'Vanishing Point'-based epilogue) there are untold blitzed hotel rooms, meetings with Timothy Leary and episodes where keyboard loony Duffy decides to avenge his post-gig hunger by eating all the foliage in the hotel lobby.

Likely to remain the premier 'Scream document until Mario Van Peebles is commissioned to film the true story of these Glasgow soul brothers' escape from the ghetto. RW

Originally Appeared in December 1997 issue of Select Copyright © Select.

I suspect you can order it from Barnes and Noble (US), Border's (US) and HMV (UK)

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