40 Years (Then Death)

"40 Years (Then Death)" is the second single by TISM (or This Is Serious Mum), released 23 September 1987 on Elvis Records as a 45 RPM 12" record in a clear plastic cover with no label, no cover art and no identifying features anywhere. 
The single contains two tracks - the title song, and the B-side "The Back Upon Which Jezza Jumped", both of which were recorded with producer Chris Corr in May 1987 at Platinum Studios in South Yarra, Victoria. The A-side was featured on the band's debut album Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance the following year.
The single was released in three variations; white 12" vinyl with a plain black label, black 12" vinyl with a plain white label, and a later re-release on 7" with printed labels which also included an insert with a timeline of notable events in TISM history.
==Track listing==
====Side A====
#40 Years (Then Death) (4:20)
====Side B====
#The Back Upon Which Jezza Jumped (4:36)
== Liner notes ==
=== 7" edition ===
December '82 – Somewhere, for some reason, T.I.S.M. begins. During the next twelve months, they aimlessly wrote over 100 songs, which were immediately discarded due to lack of interest. No-one knew or cared. Those were the days.
December '83 – T.I.S.M. appear in public for the first time. To a select group of enemies, T.I.S.M. performed what was simultaneously their debut and farewell gig, entitled 'The Get Fucked Concert'. The gig was an artistic and commercial failure. Flushed with their achievement, T.I.S.M. duly split up.
August '85 – Over 18 months after their farewell performance, T.I.S.M. completely sell out their artistic principles to begin a series of 're-union' gigs. The rot sets in. As support act to Melbourne's Shower Scene From Psycho, T.I.S.M. offend and appall their first few audiences in short 30 minute bursts.
October '85 – T.I.S.M. records their debut single, 'Defecate on my face' b/w 'Death Death Death' at York Street Studios.
November '85 – T.I.S.M. wins the 3RRR 'Battle of the Bands' competition at Albert Park Lake. Further confirmation of their decline. During T.I.S.M.'s final award-winning set, the entire P.A. breaks down. T.I.S.M., while leaping about and haranguing the audience, apparently didn't notice. Neither did the judges. Pity.
– T.I.S.M. plays first headline spots at The Tote and The Club.
– T.I.S.M. films video clip for 'Defecate on My Face' with Jill Holt.
– T.I.S.M. records 'The Art/Income Dialectic' at Aztec Studios, as part of their 3RRR prize.
– T.I.S.M. supports Orchestra of Skin and Bone at the Aberdeen Hotel, Fitzroy. The Orchestra conductor, Mr. Ollie Olsen, later attempted to slit his wrists on stage. Any connection between this action and T.I.S.M.'s new song, 'Kill Yourself Now and Avoid the Rush' is presumably coincidental.
February '86 – T.I.S.M. are interviewed by 3RRR's Bohdan X. They answer in texta on pieces of paper. Later that evening, T.I.S.M. play The User's Club. The canker is spreading.
March '86 – T.I.S.M. are called 'scum' by Nico after supporting her at the Prince of Wales. Clearly the turning point in their career.
April '86 – T.I.S.M. plays to a full house at the Prince of Wales. So what.
May '86 – T.I.S.M. attacks Ian Meldrum when he appears on the 3RRR Breakfast Show, with All-Bran and orange juice. That evening they model their new 'Choose Bad Smack' smocks at The Club to an increasingly unstable crowd.
June '86 – T.I.S.M. record at Timbertop Studios for a future release.
July '86 – T.I.S.M. debut single 'Defecate on My Face' b/w 'Death Death Death/The Art-Income Dialectic' is released on Elvis Records. It is a 7-inch record in a 12-inch cover with all sides glued together. People all over Melbourne begin hacking their way into the cover to hear the record. T.I.S.M launch their single at the Prince of Wales in front of 870 people, whilst I'm Talking play to less than 200 just a few blocks away. Apart from a typically bombastic and turgid T.I.S.M. performance, the audience are shown some of T.I.S.M.'s merchandising, such as 'T.I.S.M. string', 'T.I.S.M. no-interest, no-obligation, no-repayment loans', and 'T.I.S.M. Boat Hire'. Will people never learn?
– T.I.S.M. give an interview with Juke's Mara Smarelli and RAM's Adrian Ryan. The interview is conducted on a football oval. Interviewers and interviewees stand 50 metres apart separated by a piece of string, using megaphones to communicate. T.I.S.M. refuse to answer any questions unless the string is taut. Unbelievably, Smarelli finds something positive to write out of this shambles, whilst Ryan takes the more traditional serious rock journalist approach, attempting to take T.I.S.M. 'to the cleaners'. Sadly, Ryan didn't realise that T.I.S.M. had three loads of washing on the line before he got out of bed. So there.
– T.I.S.M. achieve a life-time goal of practising their deception to the inner city Private School crowd when they play to another full house at the Armadale Hotel. T.I.S.M. hand flowers and message cards to their audience. Crawlers.
– T.I.S.M. invades the prime-time radio show of 3RRR anchorman Steven 'The Ghost' Walker. Calling him 'Jeremy', they begin with a pointless speech, then introduce a fire alarm, trumpet, live drum kit, and high-revving, smoke-billowing lawn mower to the studio, before hastily retreating into the haze of night.
== Press release ==
=== In search of T.I.S.M's new single "40 Years (Then Death) / The Back Upon Which Jezza Jumped." ===
What has the reaction been to This Is Serious Mum's new single, "40 Years–then Death" / "The Back Upon Which Jezza Jumped"? We asked a friend who knew Jim in fifth grade:
"Yeah, Jim was a basic bastard. I remember we used to hang around the shelter sheds smoking, you know, hiding from the teachers and stuff, and Jim'd come along and say, you know, whose got a smoke, and because he was always such a stuck up mystical poet type he never lit his own, and I leant across one day and said "Hey, Jim, let me light your fire" and he punched me in the gob and said, "Don't ever tell anyone you said it first."
Morrissey of "The Smiths" continues:
"I always bettered Jim in English. He had no notion of proper debating or sentence construction. So after school he'd call me a f** and punch my teeth in." Morrissey adds– "I'm only celibate because of my innate unattractiveness to girls."
This is T.I.S.M's third release, and their habit of rare public appearance, no interviews and minimal vinyl product seems to put them at risk of being ignored by most. Jon Bon Jovi talks about his memory of Robert Smith:
"He was one of those creepy little c--ts who'd never take off their blazer and did well in creative expression. I pinched his girl once at a school disco, which was a laugh. Besides that, I don't remember much." Can Jon remember much of Jim, then? "Oh yeah, he was ace. He'd argue the teachers into the ground. I used to buy me' dingers off him."
A touching picture remains of Jim Morrison and Jon Bon Jovi playing down ball. I showed this to Nick Cave, who produced a snap of him and Jim playing kick to kick. Cave volunteers this comment when asked about the special quality of Jim: "He had nearly every footy swap card."
And who do all these personalities admire most? "John Farnham," comes the chorused reply.
:T.I.S.M.
:Play a solid game of downball with
:HAREM SCAREM
:&
:RUNNING JOAK
:plus
:Guest D.J. 3RRR's
:STEPHEN WALKER
:up against the wall at the
:PRINCE OF WALES HOTEL
:ST. KILDA
:When they get let out at recess on
:SHOW DAY EVE
:ON
:WEDNESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER
:Late passes will be issued from the main office
:after form assembly
== See also ==
*Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance
==External links==
*"40 Years (Then Death)" at Discogs
Category:TISM
Category:Singles
Category:40 Years (Then Death)
Category:Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance
Category:TISM discography