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Red Mecca is the third studio album by English band Cabaret Voltaire. It was released in September 1981, through record label Rough Trade.

Red Mecca
Studio album by Cabaret Voltaire
Released	September 1981
Recorded	May 1981
Studio	Western Works, Sheffield, England
Genre	Industrial, post-punk
Length	40:11
Label	Rough Trade
Producer	Cabaret Voltaire
Cabaret Voltaire chronology
The Voice of America (1980) Red Mecca (1981) 2X45 (1982)

Background

While touring the USA in November 1979, Cabaret Voltaire became strongly interested in the rise of the Christian right and its use of television, especially the fund-raising broadcasts of TV evangelist Eugene Scott. They compared this to the rise of Islamism, devoting a side to each strand of religious politics on their 1980 mini-album Three Mantras. Red Mecca was a culmination of this interest. According to Richard H. Kirk: "The whole Afghanistan situation was kicking off, Iran had the American hostages [...] we were taking notice [...] it's not called [Red Mecca] by coincidence. We weren't referencing the fucking Mecca Ballroom in Nottingham!"[1]

Red Mecca was recorded at Western Works, Sheffield in May 1981.

Release

Red Mecca reached No. 1 on the UK Independent Albums chart.[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Blender	[4]
Record Collector	[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	9/10[7]
Uncut	[8]

NME named Red Mecca the ninth best album of 1981.[9]

Andy Kellman of AllMusic retrospectively praised the album, writing, "Unlike a fair portion of CV's studio output, Red Mecca features no failed experiments or anything that could be merely cast off as 'interesting.' It's a taught [sic], dense, horrific slab lacking a lull."[3] Uncut cited Red Mecca as Cabaret Voltaire's "masterpiece", where the band "struck the perfect balance between experimentalism and entryism".[8] Record Collector's Ian Shirley called it "a seismic release" and noted "its timeless sheen, with the Cabs' use of echo, space and phasing lending depth and vibrancy to the album."[5] In 2019, Pitchfork ranked Red Mecca as the fourth best industrial album of all time.[10]

Track listing

Personnel

Cabaret Voltaire

• Christopher R. Watson – organ, tape, production, recording, sleeve design
• Richard H. Kirk – synthesizer, guitar, clarinet, horns, strings, production, recording, sleeve design
• Stephen Mallinder – vocals, bass guitar, bongos, production, recording, sleeve design

Additional personnel

• Nik Allday – drums
• Porky – mastering
• Neville Brody – sleeve design

References

External links

• Red Mecca at Discogs (list of releases)

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