Busted - Glasgow Hydro - 14/05/16

I've been to the year two thousand and sixteen.

Not much has changed but we look a little older.

And in some ways it’s true, but in others that’s not the case at all.

Busted are back, and while it would be easy to cast a jaundiced eye over the reformation to fit with the stereotype of the older -, but still trying to be hip - curmudgeon music fan looking down my nose at the teenybopper icons, I just can’t find it in my heart to do so.

Why?

Well to put it in very simple terms there’s not a lot that anyone could comfortably hang a critique on.

A claim of not liking what they are doing is the airing of a subjective view, but to say they aren’t cutting it musically, or in the delivery of their material, would be a downright lie.

From the Blade Runner styled reboot of the Pink Floyd pig balloon floating past, to the darker dystopian angle on the animal farm pig masks that nudged the playful ‘pigs can fly’ tour title out of the frame, the band have stepped up and coloured their brand with much darker adult tones that eases visually towards Roger Waters territory.

The new music doesn’t reflect that, but it is far more introspective and mature as it veers into the adult orientated niche that the Goo Goo Dolls have such a firm grip on.

That tiny step musically does however make sense, as to go away as Busted, the teen dream scream of yesteryear, and come back reflecting all the ugliness of adult life without a slicker veneer would be career suicide.

So instead the visuals are a little ahead and the music is still transitioning, while the over all impression given is that they know exactly what they are doing.

Listen to new single ‘I’m Coming Home*’ next to ‘Crashed the Wedding’ and there’s nothing to link them, but with a careful eye on the running order of the hits and newbies the band avoid any jarring clashes, and there is arguable not even a hint of a dip in the crowds reaction as they lap up everything thrown at them.

Busted literally have this nailed down.

The crowd is of course still largely made up of young women.

The preteens and teens of over a decade ago, - yes over a decade ago – and they are still enthralled by Matt, James and Charlie, but the hyper response that they keyed into has now been tempered by their own maturity and they are ready to be taken by the hand and guided towards the reality that will be Busted 2.0.

This changing gears career wise from a band that’s core audience is largely young and female into something that has a wider demographic appeal has proven to be far too difficult a stumbling block for so many others, and only time will tell if Busted can do it, but all the pieces are most certainly in place and if they fail to secure a second bite of the apple then there can be no blame laid at their feet as it will be more a case of wrong place and wrong time rather than a reflection on their efforts.

On leaving the cavernous Hydro there was only one thought that reared up in my head, and that was ‘well that just kicked the awful taste of McBusted doing that truly fuckin offensively pop punk by numbers abortion of a track ‘Air Guitar’ out of everyone’s mouth.’

Not a bad thing really.

*On listening to the electronica version from the studio it fails to come close to the guitar driven live rendition.   

Last night the World/Inferno Friendship Society saved my live.

Have you ever had one of those days?
The sort that starts off with standing barefoot in cat puke and then rapidly goes downhill from that point onwards?
The sort where it feels like some immature malevolent god has decided that for their own perverse amusement they are going to use their omnipresent powers to ensure that everything that can go wrong will in fact go wrong?
Not just garden variety minor inconvenience wrong, but spectacular apocalyptic movie plot wrong?
One of those patience snapping and misanthropy inducing days that grinds you down so completely that by a certain point you feel physically and mentally beaten?

Well yesterday was my turn for that sort of day.

Quite literally it started off with cat puke between the toes and then there was a twelve hour shift that replicated a journey through the circles of Dantes hell.

All that was missing was a rectal probe from a pineapple.

By the time I was finished I was teetering on the edge of mentally and physically throwing the towel in.
I had reached the point of just wanting to curl up into a ball on the ground and remaining there until I'd turned to dust and the wind carried me away.

But instead I went out to see the World/Inferno Friendship Society and they saved my life.

Not literally.

There was no mouth to mouth or pads on my chest being applied with members of the band shouting 'its alive' as I twitched a finger in response to the surge of electricity that had jerked through me, but instead they figuratively saved it by offering some much needed respite from the daily grind.
A respite that allowed me to recalibrate and open myself up to accepting that the fight ain't over until some misogynist points out that a lady they consider to be outside social norms in the weight department is singing.

And for that I would have to extend my gratitude.

I am truly thankful as here they were residing in their own unique fantasy world inviting us in once again to partake in momentarily stepping away from one reality and giving us some time to frantically engage with one of their own making, and by doing so they provided the perfect antidote to fractious days and abrasive weeks.

Again mucho gracious.

For those who live in a town called ignorance let me enlighten you as to who they are, they are a travelling midsummer night's punk rock circus rolling into town that deal in sonic anarchy that's not for the faint of heart.
It's flamenco jams, off the cuff country and western meanderings, jazz, tribal beats and so much more filtered through a twisted take on cabaret and it all works.
It magnificently works.
It's a smorgasbord of aural madness that sweeps you away on the crest of its own wave.

So if that's your thing, and why wouldn't it be, or it even sounds slightly tempting then consider this as your invite for the next time they hit these shores.

You really don't want to miss them.

However to get the best from what they do those attending should take some advice.

Call it the World/Inferno Friendship Society 101 class.

Here's what the script is. 

You just need to let yourself go.
It won't hurt if you give yourself over to them.
Like the ol' time revivals it's easier to just allow the spirits to take over when they start.
Sing in tongues and dance, dance some more, and when you think your legs can't take any more then offer a prayer to St Vitus and keep dancing.
That's all you have to do.

The band will cover the rest.

And the will cover it in fine style.

If by the end of the show you aren't drenched in sweat, your heart isn't hammering fit to burst and your face isn't sore from smiling then obviously you haven't given yourself over to them and will not have received the full benefits of what they are offering.

That is your fault.

Live with it.

The band can't take any responsibility for your failure to get it.

They will have delivered on their side of the bargain.

Basically they don't want passivity from you.
They want to engage you in symbiotic madness.
To strip away the outer shell and pull a primal scream from you as they wear their hearts on their sleeves.
With these guys in your corner you can proudly proclaim fuck cardio step classes and fuck new age answers to the world's ills.
because here they are with the a fully positive distraction that will recharge your batteries and set you up for going out to fight the good fight.
And let's be brutally honest about this.
Who doesn't need that?

If they were offering this every day then I would be beating a path to their door.
Big pharma would see their profits freefall towards oblivion as people realized that to make the world a better place all they need is a daily dose of The World/Inferno Friendship Society live rather than mood altering chemicals that they have cornered the market on.*

Maybe we need to crowd source the cash to clone these beautiful fuckers so we can have them performing every single day in every single town and city.

Yeah, I've decided that the world I want to live in starts with a healthy injection of World/Inferno Friendship Society on a daily basis.

It's not obligatory that anyone else agrees, but I'm right and anyone who does disagree is wrong.

I'm sorry. You cant argue with facts.

In support were The Spencer's.
A band that sound as if they have been locked in a garage and whose only stimulation was a Kubrick directed Breaking Glass that was edited by Leigh Bowery played on a continual loop.
Not a bad thing in my book.

Equally worthy of checking out.


* Unless of course they are clinically required.
Don't stop meds without professional advice and replace them with TWIFS on my word. ;)

The World/Inferno Friendship Society.

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The Spencers.

The Godfathers - 30th Anniversary tour - Glasgow

Anniversary tours are coming around with alarming regularity at the moment.

Most are unwelcome reminders that our own drunken teenage glory days are no longer lurking in close proximity, but rather slowly becoming lost in the mists of time and if we want to revisit them then we have to buy a ticket for the nostalgia train.

For myself I will readily admit that each time I see a poster dubbed with the word anniversary I hear a clock ticking somewhere and ask myself where all the time has went.

And I’m assured that I am not alone in thinking that.

So is life really just birth, school, work, death?

See what I did there?

That’s right ‘The Godfathers’ are doing their thirtieth anniversary tour, and with a revamped line up and a freshly released single to promote there’s a welcome refusal on their part to turn the hands on the clock back, or even hold them still.

Instead it’s a celebration of what lies behind them, what is happening in the here and now, and an invitation to join the party for future tomorrows.

So if you want to wallow in nostalgia then expect to have some of your needs met, but don’t for one second think that the band are going to look to pander to your every halcyon memory.

They will leave that to the other acts that are looking to grab fumes from what is left in the tank.

The current positive state of play within the Godfathers camp is actually all the more impressive as it was only a year ago when founding members of Peter and Chris Coyne were thrown into the deep end and had to sink or swim when both Del Bartle and Grant Nicholas walked without much notice.

That they struck out for the side of the pool and recamped the band on dry land in such a short space of time, and with the forward momentum of the band and the quality maintained, is something that fans should applaud and applaud loudly.

Lesser acts would have crashed and burned, but the brothers instead knuckled down and kept going while barely missing a step.

Now with a tour already drawing critical praise from fans and journalists alike it would seem that in hindsight the shake up was the catalyst for them to ensure that they didn’t simply start treading water.

Rather they took it as a very short watershed moment in their careers and regrouped and set out to win hearts and minds again.

The proof of how successful they have been in doing that will be on display this Saturday in Glasgow as they bring their own brand of punky R&B to the ABC.

Old and new fans are not going to be disappointed.

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Black and White Boy – The Avenue

Carefully looking to strike a balance between making music recognisably your own and not falling into a repetitive rut must be the curse of the musician, but Andrew Nicol - aka Black and White Boy - is still on that high wire and moving incrementally forward.

With his talents as a songwriter it could very well be an easy transition from doing what he wants to, to doing what the public apparently wants, but it’s to his credit that he refuses to write material by numbers and instead remains true to his melancholic heart.

On this outing there are still the strains of his Finn Brothers influences serving as a foundation, but with the addition of some Springsteen-esque flourishes the songs, while still not moving into party anthem territory, have a certain shading to them that brings in some lighter moments that contrasts well with the lyrical content.

It’s very mature fare and written to appeal to a more contemplative audience.

That being the case there is the possibility that some may miss out on the magic that lies therein if they are looking for a quick hit as it’s not a body of material that is looking to grab at the listener, but instead it’s more about forming a relationship with them.

Easing in and taking root and ultimately settling in for the long haul is probably how it could best be described.

It’s certainly difficult to commit to saying whether this is a brave or foolish approach in an era that seems keen to simply be guided towards a more consumerist take on music.

Undoubtedly much of what is on offer in the mainstream is largely deliberately disposable, but I for one will tip my hat to anyone who considers tilting at windmills as a worthy pursuit.

In short some things are really worth the effort of taking the time to explore and in this instance I would recommend that you set aside the time to get your head wrapped around ‘The Avenue.’

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Giuda – Broadcast – 13/05/15 (Glasgow)

I'm a seventies kid.

I was born in the second half of the sixties and cut my teeth on the glam rock of Slade, T-Rex and Sweet.

And unlike the eighties when the term was usurped by our blow dried, kohl eyed, hog driving cousins from across the pond our glam rock was a whole different beast.

It has some muscle, some street smarts and it was all backed up by the stomp of the terraces.

While the bands strutted about in their glitter finery their fan base were the shaven headed denim clad and monkey booted lads whose Saturdays were made up of football in the afternoon, a pint in the early evening, and the dancing* at night where they would roam in packs and dance in as manly a fashion as they could to the sounds of the latest chart hits from their heroes.

There was certainly something in the air and while I was only of an age to participate in listening to the music rather than getting right in about it at the dancing it was still heady stuff to be part of.

Hell. I think my first moment of a sexual awakening was when watching leather clad Suzi Quatro straddle a hefty motorcycle on Top Of The Pops, but that’s another story.

As it is the whole scene is now looked back on with nostalgic wonder, and in some ways relegated to being less artistically inspiring than it really was, but at the time it was those bands that led to Bowie, Roxy Music and the like to bridge the gap, and joined at the hip with the pub rock scene, give birth to punk rock.

So with that being the case – although others are welcome to disagree – maybe we should be considering seventies glam in a more positively critical light in the present.

Especially as we now have Italian rockers Giuda flying the flag for the sound in the here and now.

Sans the glitter and stack soled boots they walked onto the stage in Glasgow’s Broadcast dressed like they had fallen out of the door from an away supporters bus in 1973 and then they proceeded to take the roof off.

With fists pumping the air and a few dance moves last seen being thrown out there by MUD they had no intentions of talking any prisoners and Ramones like ran through a set with barely a break, or breath, between songs.

There’s no fat attached to what they do.

It’s all lean and meaty rock and roll fired from the hip.

Much of the set is reminiscent of the working class blue collar rock of AC/DC circa ’75 with an additional nod to a melting pot of the best of the best of the era to.

It’s difficult to actually convey how good they are, but if I was to invent a time machine, or discover a wormhole in the fabric of the universe, and magically return these guys intact back to the mid seventies then they would have given the giants of the time a solid run for their money.

And I doubt they would break a sweat doing it.

In fact that is exactly how good they are.

Not a mere facsimile of the bands of the past, but equally as wonderful.

It could be said that they are up there with the greats, and just separated by a few decades.

Right now they are mainly attracting a punk following and playing on punk bills, but a support to a legendary band such as AC/DC as mentioned could conceivably jettison them onto the big stages of the world.

It’s not that they don’t fit with the audience they are attracting, but rather that the cross over appeal is immense.

This is no idle comment either.

Five minutes in a sweaty club is all anyone would need to understand that they are a step away from grabbing a glittering crown, but only if people near and far get on board with a glam, or rock, revival.

That may sound a bit unrealistic, but right now I am increasingly hearing more people express some dissatisfaction with the current crop of major label pushed artists and the time seems ripe for change.

So why not?

Best to check this band out no matter what happens.

File them as your latest favourite act.

*The dancing - Events held in youth clubs, social clubs, working mens clubs. 

Mainy.

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http://giuda.net/

Music through the ages - Abraham Lincoln.

Most people consider that the murder of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth - a little known actor and Confederate spy - was politically motivated.
However what is not commonly known about Booth is that he also had a sideline job promoting young musicians whom he would exploit by enlisting their help in selling tickets and performing at events he would arrange.
These young men and women were clearly being exploited as they would receive no monetary compensation for their efforts, and instead Booth would only make vague promises about future opportunities where they may perform alongside a rising star of the time.
These promises were of course never delivered on, and due to his failure to follow through with what was in many ways a verbal contract a young woman called Elsie Walker contacted President Lincoln and informed him of her disappointment in Booth and claimed that his actions were ‘far from what would be expected from a gentleman.’
Lincoln agreed, and in return publicly stated that he would not rest until these practices were stamped out prior to going on record to say that ‘the music business is a swamp where the scum always seems to float to the top.’

Booth was allegedly then informed of this while drinking heavily in a local tavern.

Eye witnesses questioned later claimed that in response he criticized Lincoln at length and shouted ‘no man steals the money from my pockets. I party hard on that money’ prior to him overturning a table and storming out gesticulating wildly and heading in the direction of Ford’s Theatre.

The rest is as they say history.

In her memoirs Mary Lincoln (nee Todd) spoke fondly of her husband and his achievements, but expressed some regrets that Abe mistakenly thought that after challenging the slave trade he could do something about the music business.

From the 5^th of March, in honour of Honest Abe, and his attempts to change the fortunes of struggling artists The New Hellfire Club have a run of live events arranged under the banner of the big band pay day.

All the money taken from ticket sales will be - after outgoing costs* - split evenly with the artists involved.

Please do support the cause.

Honest Abe wants you to.

* All outgoing costs are basic and the artists participating in the events can be made aware of them.

Events link.

NHC Music.

Dan Reed - 20/02/15 - Ivory Blacks (Glasgow)

As Dan Reed worked his way through his set in Glasgow you could tell that there is something special about the man.

Here was someone who had commanded stadium stages, played with the likes of The Rolling Stones, won awards and sold albums wherever he went, and then stepped away from it all as he didn't feel fulfilled by the life he found himself living.

Then he carved out a very successful business as a club owner before ultimately coming to the conclusion that what he was looking for was something more spiritually rewarding.

So he simply walked away from the day to day running of that to.

A year in Tibet living in a monastery followed, then some time in India, before settling in Jerusalem for a period prior to then returning to the western world naturally reinvented/rejuvenated by his experiences.

And now in the present you can see and hear the culmination of his experiences in everything he does.

There’s calmness and a positive vibe that spreads outwards from him and warmly embraces those attending the show hosted by ‘Events for Charities.’

It is actually difficult to convey to a reader what the experience was like as words often fail to describe an emotional state of being.

We can dip into a thesaurus, stretch our own vocabulary to its limit and yet still fall far short of being able to effectively describe a feeling.

He makes you think, re-evaluate your own life even, feel something, and he can do that without preaching or being overtly obvious about it.

There was no specific religious message pushed and instead he just engages.

Personal anecdotes were shared alongside personal thanks to individuals and dedications to those he had met on previous visits to the city.

Together they allowed a connection to be made.

And for those who have not experienced a Dan Reed performance over the last few years it may be difficult to understand how powerfully attractive and evocative the communal event is in reality.

There’s a great sense of people coming together in a way that religion often is falling to deliver in the modern age.

Everyone is inclusively welcomed and the barriers are down.

How often as music lovers do we go to a show and leave not just feeling entertained, but also feeling better about themselves and others in the world?

The answer is not very often.

So the ability to do that has to be applauded, maybe even cherished as it is so unique.

In fact right now it has just hit me.

What Dan is promoting by example is hope.

That’s where the attraction lies.

He is showing us an internal path that we can walk down if we so choose.

A path that will take us to a better place and in how he carries himself he also highlights that it is achievable.

We can all be Dan Reed if we want to be, but there is maybe the crux of a problem.

Do we want to be?

Maybe many of us just aren't there yet, but that’s okay as it doesn't mean we can’t start making moves to improve as people in general, and who could argue that we as humans haven’t got very many areas we could make improvements in.

But as long as we set foot on the path it probably doesn't matter where we are on it as long as the intent to move forward is there.

For myself I will happily admit that on the way home after the show the world looked slightly different, slightly better, and there is power in being able to change perceptions of our surroundings like that.

A great deal of power, but thankfully Dan is using it for the greater good.

Is he charismatic? He most definitely is.

Is he talented? Without a shadow of a doubt he is.

But that’s not the appeal.

He’s human and striving to be the best person he can be, and therein lays the magic I suppose.

Best show of the year?

Time will tell, but right now it is the one that holds a great deal of transforming power to it.

Dan Reed

Events for Charities

NHC MUSIC

Dan Reed CDs are currently stocked in NHC Music in Glasgow with his forthcoming new release 'Transmission' available for pre order.

Out March 1st. 

The Bloodstrings/Party Asylum/The Sux Pastels - 18/0215 - The 13th Note - Glasgow

The Sux Pastels are at the watershed point artistically.

Hovering at a point where they are entertaining people with a fifty-fifty set of originals and covers they are certainly touching all the bases, but it is equally obvious that they are also pressing hard on the tipping point as their self penned songs are starting to muscle the much loved classics to the side in the set.

Covers of early Antz and Clash tracks may well have people singing along, but the songs that are about to surface on their debut ep are the real attention grabbers.

Live the four piece power though their set and it’s damn exhilarating to watch them take the year zero punk template and give it a reboot so that it is ready for the twenty first century.

Very often there’s an inordinate amount of attention paid to youth in the music business, but experience trumps it time and time again.

You only have to give a couple of minutes of attention to The Sux Pastels to appreciate that.

They have all been there and bought the t-shirt, and while some very talented young musicians are out there doing a great job of emulating their heroes there is a certain something that the peer group of the greats has that can’t be grasped.

Maybe it’s a fundamental and organic understanding of the roots of the punk ethos that seeps into everything they do.

Regardless of what it is it sounds authentic and evergreen.

If the term punk rock conjures up an image in your head of well crafted songs that have attitude, swagger and aren’t afraid to challenge the listener then The Sux Pastels are for you.

Party Asylum are once again taking things to another level.

With each show they play you can literally see that a fan base is building.

Slowly and assuredly they are making converts and it is obvious why.

It is simply that they are becoming ever increasingly a better act.

We are seeing and hearing evolution in progress here.

There’s still a garage rock element to their set, and the Ramones ramalama that was inspired by Phil Spector is still there, but everything is tighter, more vibrant, more self assured and more, more, well just more really.

There’s a point in a bands career where they go from being considered a good club band to taking on the mantle of just being a good band, and that’s where Party Asylum are now.

They may still be playing clubs, but they are no longer defined by the venues they play.

Take them out of a small club right now and place them on a big stage and they will command it.

You only have to look at the calibre of the support slots they are tucking under the belts to appreciate that the hard work they are putting in is starting to deliver rewards.

And justifiably so.

Go and see them and enjoy your favourite band of tomorrow today.

The horror punk/rockabilly sound isn’t one that has been widely picked up on in Scotland.

While we do have a few excellent bands ploughing that particular field it is basically true that the fans of the bass being slapped and b-movie lyrics have often had to get their kicks from touring acts who are willing to take a chance and venture north of the border.

So all hail The Bloodstrings, who were making their debut in Glasgow.

It has been a while since I had a fix of this particular genre so it was a very pleasurable experience to get the opportunity to get reacquainted with it.

From the beginning they put their foot down and played a set that rarely had a foot near the brake.

You want it hard and fast? Then this was it.

At points Doc Nics hand was blur on the double bass and the guitar licks were an inspired mix of heavy rock and rock and roll.

Just what the doctor ordered, two great supports and then the icing on the cake.

Surprisingly enough the audience was not made up of the usual psychobilly suspects, and instead a very mixed group of music fans, but not playing to what would be a traditional didn’t seem to matter at all as both the band and audience were operating a mutual respect deal.

The band came to rock, the audience came to be rocked and everyone went home happy.

This ability to entertain out with the genre that they exist in is something that has to be credited.

It draws attention to the crossover appeal that they have and on the cover of the Sonny Bono penned Bang Bang they just hammer home that they have a broader appeal than some of their peers.

Quality entertainment and you should keep an eye out for the bands return. 

The Bloodstrings.

Party Asylum.

The Sux Pastels

GR Harrow - NHC Music - 10/01/15 (Glasgow)

The first live music experience of the year for me has certainly set the bar high.

On what will go down as a thoroughly miserable night of wild weather - forcing most to seek shelter in their own homes rather than venture out - GR Harrow returned to NHC Music (Glasgow) pulling a healthy crowd along with him, and then within the intimate setting of the record shop played a two hour set of mainly originals that chronologically covered his career to friends old and new.

It was the sort of performance that gets filed away as ‘you had to be there’ as he worked his way through his life from his formative years in Ayrshire to those when he went travelling to other continents, and then bringing us all up to date with his now being a settled family man.

If you could imagine someone opening a worn book of photographs and sharing all the moments with their close friends and family then this was in many ways the aural equivalent.

And even though there was a solid contingent of personal friends attending it is doubtful that those who don’t know GR Harrow would have felt excluded.

I certainly didn’t.

In fact the atmosphere was one of casual welcoming warmth.

Somewhat magical in many way and the credit for that has to go to GR Harrow himself who between songs guided us through the process of writing them and comfortably engaged with everyone in attendance.

In a larger venue there is much of the intimacy of this performance that would probably be lost, or changed to accommodate how he could reach out to people, but it was a testament to how comfortable he was in this sort of environ that he even added some new material that had not been publicly aired to the set to see how it would go.

And how did they go?

Very well actually.

Over the course of his set you can clearly hear his journey as a songwriter and while he certainly wears his influences on his sleeve, and it’s the accomplished song writing of the Finn brothers, REM and Jellyfish that flavours his own material, he has now reached a point that the influences don’t necessarily overshadow his writing, and with some recording sessions in Paris with Ken Stringfellow (Posies/REM/Big Star) at the planning stages he could be on the cusp of not just dipping a toe into the artistic world of his heroes, but instead plunging in to join them.

Only time will tell, but regardless of what the future holds the door of NHC Music will always be open to him and his extended family of fans. 

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Ginger Wildheart interview

But it's not here.

I participated in the interview on a moonlighting job with the New Hellfire Club, although moonlighting doesn't really describe it as I spend more time hanging around the NHC than here of late

Anyway. Here's a link.

With just a clickety click of the mouse and as if by magic you will be knee deep in the words of Ginger, and they are rather good words.
There's news on the forthcoming tour and a project with Chris Gordon of Baby Chaos.
Yeah, It's pretty darn good.
Even if I do say so myself, and I just did.

Static Rock/Elvira Stitt - NHC Music in-store - 18/10/14 (Glasgow)

Starting a Saturday evenings entertainment by popping into the New Hellfire Club for a free starter before the main course of a gig elsewhere is always a good idea.

I could of course be accused of being a bit biased in saying that as I am one of the NHC, but I wasn't there working, and instead I had just dropped in to see Elvira Stitt and Static Rock perform acoustically before heading to Broadcast to catch Nashville Pussy in Broadcast.

Having seen Elvira perform once before I fully expected a quality performance, but I didn't expect that the bar would be raised far beyond my already high expectations.

As an artist she has a firm grounding as an eclectic music fan, and it’s obvious on seeing a performance that her broad knowledge forms a solid backbone to what she plays.

In one song you can hear the cadence of a hip hop delivery in the vocals and then she can slip effortlessly into covering a Disney classic in a torch song style.

On paper the two certainly shouldn't work, but it does, and at no point is there a moment that it sounds forced.

Each song simply flows into the next and it is more akin to aural alchemy at play as seemingly disparate sounds are melded together to make a new sound that resonates confidently around the room.

It’s very easy to watch Elvira and consider that this is the start of a journey for her as an artist.

There’s something there that it is hard to pin down and point at as to where the magic lies, but it is most defiantly there.

Four piece rock band Static Rock are a whole different beast again, but what they share with Elvira is that they can also deliver a set that highlights that they can be considered as contenders in the music business.

Playing stripped down - and in that I mean without even having the vocals amped - they could have put themselves in the position of drawing attention to any weak spots that the band are carrying, but instead they showed that they have none.

Strong material, great vocal harmonies and all carried on the back of strong musicianship.

Even with requests of covers from the audience they casually approached them and didn't drop the ball regardless of how wide and varied the material was.

Coolios, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ had some fresh life breathed into it and in my head I was thinking that with Elvira providing some vocals it would have jumped from being well received to leaving people gape jawed in amazement.

Similarly the stalwart of decades of parties in Glasgow that is Kenny Rogers ‘The Gambler’ was dragged from the mouths of many a drunkard and given an impressive reboot.

Now just think about that for a second.

From original material to covers of hip hop songs and finishing on a country classic.

There are not many that can do that, and yet Static Rock eased through it all unfazed.

Throw them a curve ball and they will knock it out the park.

With a support slot secured to open for Brit-Pop legends CAST in December it looks like Static Rock are on the cusp of getting a firm grip on the next rung on the ladder of success.

LINKS - Static Rock Elvira Stitt New Hellfire Club

NHC Shop

As some readers will know I am involved in a new venture.

For those who don’t know what I am talking about I will explain.

We, and I say we as it isn’t just me, are opening a record shop in the west end of Glasgow.

Well it’s not strictly just a record shop as apart from the vinyl and the CDs we are selling books, DVDS, Blue Rays, Merchandise and gig tickets.

The shop itself is really an extension of the New Hellfire Club, a natural next step from the website, podcast, fanzine and promoting of gigs and I am very pleased to be up to my neck in this.

So I hope that explains the lack of content being added to the blog.

We have all simply been run off our feet getting things ready.

Times are indeed a changing.

Now a bit more about why I am doing this.

Well apart from the obvious of why not, it is because like so many others I have always felt a degree of dissatisfaction with the employment side of my life.

There have been many positives in what I do as a day job, and I have worked with very many lovely people, but deep down it isn’t what I feel that I am naturally inclined to gravitate towards.

It’s like that instant association thing when someone asks you to say your dream job, no thinking, just say it fast.

If anyone was to do that with me then what would fly from my lips is not what I currently do.

It would be the word “music”.

I want to be involved in music.

I want to swim in it, breath it in, feast on it and exist within a world of swirling notes that will carry me forward in my life.

And now as middle age wraps its arms around me I have this opportunity and I am not going to let it slip past.

I am going to make that leap and sweat blood to make a success of it as if I don’t now then when will the opportunity arise again?

The words “shoulda, woulda, coulda” will not be part of my future conversations.

This is it.

So wish us all luck, and more than that come and see us.

I think the majority will be surprised at what we are doing as we are looking to be more than just a record shop.

If you do want to pop along then you can find us in the hidden lane in the west end.

The shop is tucked away in a corner at Unit 4, 1103 Argyle Street.

We are open from the 18^th of August, but on the 23^rd and 24^th (Sat and Sun) we have six acoustic performers on each day to entertain you as you browse.

There may even be wine.

Oh okay. There will be wine. J

More information can be found on our facebook page.

www.facebook.com/NewHellfireClubGlasgow?fref=ts

Matt Scott - Red and Black - Classic Grand - 24/514 (Glasgow

It's been a long drawn out process for Matt Scott to get his material down in a way that reflected the power of his live performance.
There's been many aborted attempts and many hours of studio time eaten up looking to capture that certain something.
It was only when he went back to basics, with his brother at the helm recording him, that finally the deed was done and we could all finally hear how the songs were supposed to sound.
And now a similar bit of magic has been done again by Titan Cams who graciously recorded the set he did as a guest to Alabama 3 at their recent Glasgow show.
The full performance from Matt has been recorded, and hopefully that will see the light of day soon enough, but here in all its glory is Red and Black from that night.
Please do share the footage, and namecheck Titan Cams as they have just made my day with this.
If you are in a band or a solo artists I am very happy to recommend their services.
Put their name in your book.

Nine Inch Nails - Hydro - 20/05/14 (Glasgow)

Cold Cave fall short of being able to engage with a stadium sized venue.

It’s not their fault.

Some things just don't, or can't, translate to the bigger stages.

I've seen full bands with backing singers and more being beaten down by the experience, and equally I've also seen an individual project their personality to tens of thousands of people comfortably.

It’s not an easy thing to do, and Cold Cave at this point aren't quite there.

In an intimate club they probably strip the paint off the walls, but they are like a kid wearing their parent’s clothes in this instance.

Dwarfed by them and striking a bit of a ludicrous stance as they desperately try to gain a foothold with the audience.

Part of the problem may however be that virtually no one is there to see them.

The night belongs to Trent Reznor.

He’s been breaking musical ground for decades now and where he leads others are keen to follow.

Initially it’s a minimalist performance that eases forward to touch the audience lightly, but then with the gradual introduction of the band, and an increasingly more obvious light show, it grows larger, feels more muscular, and ultimately builds to a monstrous level.

At times the imagery behind Reznor is a subliminally delivered dystopian nightmare that sits well with the broken beats that aurally assault the senses, and perversely it all makes perfect sense even though it probably shouldn’t.

It is this, and a hundred other things, snapping like bolts of electricity across the synapses that push the audience to the edge of sensory overload, but then manages to hold them hanging on the precipice to give them a taste of true anarchy without dropping them into the madness that is a hairs breadth away that impresses most.

I expected it to be a breathtaking and exhilarating experience, but it was more than that.

Words really can’t do it justice.

Stunning from start to finish.

Sick Puppies - King Tuts Wah Wah Hut 23/04/14 (Glasgow)

Rank Berry may currently be a man down, and the infamous five may now be the fearsome four for the moment, but with vocalist Jamie filling the vacant guitarist spot the train most definitely kept-a-rolling.

With this, their first appearance at King Tuts, they did however seem to be a strange addition to the bill.

Strange because while all three acts are rock bands, the Rank Berry boys exist on the opposite end of the spectrum from both The Feud and Sick Puppies.

While the headliners, and tour support, have pop influenced hardcore and industrial leanings it was Rank Berry who were very obviously flying the flag for a more traditional sound.

A sound that while bereft of samples, whistles and bells was warmly embraced by the crowd in attendance going by the reaction they received.

It’s a testament to their abilities as a band that they can win fans over from cold, and that’s not something that should be overlooked, and neither should the talent and experience that has taken them to the cusp of stepping up a rung.

A quality studio release and some more appropriate supports could very well see them hitting the ground running sooner than some are expecting.

Quite simply put the performance hinted again at what could be within their grasp if they manage to position themselves in the right place at the right time.

Manchester noiseniks The Feud are a very different band as mentioned.

They are walking on a tightrope and carefully balancing themselves above some very disparate scenes.

There are elements of the industrial-lite post hardcore material that is so beloved of the likes of Kerrang readers, hints of industrial noise that could draw comparisons to NIN if Trent Reznor was aiming to have his music played on the dreaded 4Music, and an attempt to hold it all together with a mainstream dance sound.

It really shouldn't work at all, but mid set they hit their stride and managed to hold it all together in a way that would probably draw the attention of someone who was looking to have a band to appear in a club scene of their latest teen vamp masterpiece.

Of course that could be taken as a negative, but I'm happy to leave the musical snob at the door and accept that while the band might not deliver much of what I am interested in, they are very good at delivering within the remit of what they are aiming for.

I wouldn't be surprised if they managed to carve a niche in the alternative teen market for themselves.

If that’s their intent then it’s achievable.

Probably a move stateside would be beneficial.

And talking of moves to the US, Sick Puppies haven’t done too badly by relocating there from Australia.

Elsewhere their success has taken them too much larger venues than King Tuts, but while the UK are playing catch up at the moment this tour could change all that.

With attention on the band initially coming from their song ‘All the same’ being used as part of the free hugs internet campaign they certainly seized the day and maximised on that opportunity in a way that other acts could learn from.

Since then they have released some solid material that has eclipsed their foot in the door track, and with current album Connect they have moved forward yet another step.

This incremental growth of the band has been welcomed by the fans, if not the critics, but as the band begin to build up some steam in their live set it was nice to see that the focus wasn't on pleasing the critics, but instead on creating an inclusive experience for the band and fans to enjoy.

It’s this foundation stone that they keep their feet firmly planted on that will maintain interest in them as the bands career progresses.

Critics can come and go, but real fans are worth their weight in gold.

It’s good to see a band that so blatantly gets that.

As for Glasgow it was a case of Sick Puppies sized the city up, stepped into the ring and left victorious.

As someone who was aware of a handful of tracks and casually impressed with them I left with the opinion that I had just seen a great band who aren't ever going to be seen as one that enjoyed a momentary moment in the sun, as these guys aren't going anywhere soon.

The Wildhearts - ABC - 14/04/14 (Glasgow)

While Ginger Wildheart continues to release music at an unparalleled rate through his pledge campaigns I have been left as a fan financially destitute and a little bit worried that I am at times doing little more than funding vanity pieces.

In conversations I find myself more frequently saying aloud that sometimes less is more.

The litmus test on this is that initially not many agreed, but of late more are airing the same view in a piecemeal fashion.

Even now with the newly purchased Albion spinning away I’m not getting the sense of all killer and no filler, although that may come.

However of his recent sonic outings I couldn’t really find one negative point to highlight about the Hey! Hello! project that he completed with Victoria Liedke.

The melodic power pop, pop punk, pop-tastic album is pretty much one that hits every button for me. So it was a fantastic bonus when it was announced that they would be opening for the Wildhearts.

My heart sang.

Build up of expectations be damned as I just knew it would be good, and it was.

Ginger unsurprisingly maintained the centre stage position as for many he is the draw, but he only held it physically as the lead was left to Victoria to take, and as a front woman she had it all nailed down.

They powered through their set at breakneck speed with Victoria building up an easy rapport with the audience that must surely dictate that the support will be there for a follow up release to their debut.

The hint that this may be on the cards was the inclusion of a new song that matched the quality of everything else in the set.

With Gingers involvement it is doubtful that the band will have to start at the bottom rung in playing live and they can jump straight to good sized venues, and if that’s the case then I could very well be front and centre.

Following Hey!Hello! were the Finnish curveball thrown by Ginger that was the Von Hertzen Brothers.

It would be fair to say that they are a good band, a very good band with some progressive rock leanings, and it would also be fair to say that they are deserving of an audience, but not a Wildhearts one.

Song after song the lost the interest of the audience and that was tough to watch.

If they opened for the classic Brit rock band Magnum and they would have had the crowd eating out of their hand, add them to a bill with Helloween and not one person attending would have had a complaint - and I suspect they would have done a roaring trade in merch - but the inclusion on this bill was similar to shoe horning 1Direction onto a stage at Download between Killswitch Engage and Bring Me the Horizon.

While they will have picked up some fans from the tour in the main they weren’t what the majority would have been looking for.

It’s a good move to haul a band out on the road in support that will challenge the perceptions of an audience, but in doing so it has to be accepted that it can be a bit hit and miss with this being more miss than hit.

The upside of the lull that the Von Hertzen Brothers provided was that The Wildhearts didn’t have to stand in the wings wondering how they were going to follow a headline slaying band and could simply saunter on and do their thing, and that’s exactly what they did.

It was nice to see Scott Sorry back in the line up as I’ve always enjoyed the punkier stage attitude he has brought to the band, but while I was enjoying myself there was a small voice whispering that it all seemed a bit Wildhearts by numbers.

While one support was an exercise in giving the audience something they didn’t want, this was a headline set made up of giving the audience exactly what they wanted, and maybe I was looking for another curveball with this one being Wildhearts shaped.  

Highlight was the introduction of Gingers son Taylor who along with Scott stormed his way through the classic People Who Are Dead by Jim Carroll before then hanging around to help out on Nexus Icon.

It’s very obvious that Ginger wants to keep the The Wildhearts as a separate entity from his outings as a solo act, but as the last Wildhearts release was the excellent Chutzpah! in 2009 it’s possibly time to step away from experimenting under his own name and take control at the helm of one of the best rock band that this country has seen and give us a new album that will provide fresh material for any future Wildhearts tours.

Hey Ho Glasgow - Joey Ramone Tribute

The Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the Hollywood sign, Route 66 and stars on pavements are just some of the iconic images that jump into our heads when we think about the good ol’ US of A.

Or it is for most of the population here in the UK.

For me it’s a little bit different and on my personal flights of fancy the land of our colonial cousins is filled with juke joints, teenage hops, and rock and roll.

It’s one where the roads are filled with shark-finned cars, where kids drink in malt shops and at night watch b-movies at the drive in.

It’s a romanticized view and one I expect others of a certain age will share with me.

It’s not strictly a dream world that is rooted in the fifties though.

Within that stereotypical framework it’s easy for me to slip in the Doors kicking about in the desert tripping on peyote, the MC5 storming a stage as the cops fire smoke bombs into crowds of students, and no one would bat an eye at a junkies body being lifted from the pavement outside of CBGBs.

My surreal potpourri is in all honesty not one that could be easily transferred over here, and most definitely wouldn’t sit comfortably in Glasgow, but for one night only a bit of that magic is coming to town.

Why is that I hear you ask?

Well on the 19^th of April in River (Old Barfly) they will be hosting a night in honour of a man who is about as American as Mom’s apple pie, and that man is of course Joey Ramone.

It’s all for a good cause to as the night will also incorporate a fundraisers for ‘The Glasgow Roller Derby Irn Bruisers' who are looking to raise some cash to help cover their costs for there trip to Indianapolis where they will compete in the Spring Roll.

So if some live bands playing the songs of Da Brudders, dj sets of CBBGS era punk, and ladies who Alice Cooper may or may not have been referencing when he sang Under My Wheels kicking about demanding money from you is something that tickles your fancy then it’s happening, and all for a fiver.

If you are lucky I might even show you my Ramones tat, but only for a donation to the ladies.

Facebook event invite page.

Daniel Wylie - The Old Hairdressers - 22/03/14 (Glasgow)

If donning a turtleneck sweater, sporting a goatee, carrying a book written by Sartre and attempting to pull off the wearing of a beret while clamping your lips around the electronic version of a Gitane between quoting Kerouac is your sort of thing then the Old Hairdressers is probably your type of drinking den.

The neat mohican and over large beard combo also fits in nicely with the décor to.

As does the baring of the hairy ankle as the ongoing sans socks fashion statement continues to dent the profits of the hosiery market.

None of this is however a problem for me as I am of a vintage that considers hipster hate to be a rather immature response to people just doing what they want, but it is fair to say that the venue does attract a certain demographic that could encourage the owners to rebrand under the banner of Hipster Heaven.

On entering the place my first thought was ‘Oh this is where people go when Costa in Waterstones closes’, but it was honestly just an observation rather than a criticism.

The bijou no frills upstairs space that is set aside for exhibitions and gigs was however very different.

It really is simply a space that lends itself to being filled with anything, and for this evening it was to be a Stripped Session from STG promotions who had coaxed Daniel Wylie out to play a bare bones acoustic set supported by an act called Bullit.

A band who I have just noticed are a sh away from an unfortunate moniker.

They are of course not full of it though, and instead are a very talented trio who play material that hovers around settling on west coast garage psychadelia that would comfortably exist on an acoustic pebbles album.

There’s also the residue of the Britpop years hanging off the material, but not to the extent that the songs sound like a homage to fag end years of Oasis and Blur trying to outdo each other in the ‘are they still arguing’ stakes.

It’s more just some shading and mainly sits on the shoulders of the swagger the vocalist has.

All in it’s not a bad thing and allows the songs to spread out over a few eras and draw in the listener.

The harmonizing and additional backing vocals that filled the sound out deserve to be highlighted as it is their well handled inclusion that lifts the band from being a good one to something with a bit more to them.

The addition of a reworked Black Crowes song was a bit of a surprise, but a welcome one.

As opening acts go it’s doubtful that anyone felt short changed with their performance and it’s actually a no brainer to say that others should check them out if they have the opportunity.

Meanwhile the Daniel Wylie performance was less of a gig and more of a gathering of the clans.

With it being billed as an intimate performance it certainly lived up to that with the audience seemingly being made up of mainly family and friends with a smattering of fans.

Either that or Daniel knows literally everyone.

With dedications being made, anecdotal stories being told and a guest appearance from his son this was a show that could be used as the template for other artists to learn from.

It’s probably all to do with promoting a relaxed balance and keeping the flow of chat and songs going until they pick up their own momentum, but with so many trying to achieve this and failing it’s worth mentioning how effortlessly Daniel, along with Neil Sturgeon, managed it.

It’s certainly a nice touch, and one that doesn't seem to be contrived in anyway.

As for the music there is only one word to describe it and that’s sublime.

From start to finish it really did hit the heights.

While I'm happy to admit to being a fan of Cosmic Rough Riders, and Daniels solo material, I never really picked up on how big REM were as an influence until this show, and I have no idea why.

It’s just so bloody obvious.

Maybe it was sitting in some aural blind spot, hanging about on the periphery of what I was hearing, but it’s down to me for not picking up on something that was probably screaming right in my face ‘look at me, look at me’

Live it really does come to the fore though, and it is probably more apparent with the material being stripped down to the basics of just voice and guitar.

With an excellent rendition of The One I Love they just nailed their colours to the mast of the boys from Athens, Georgia, and I am very pleased that I was there to see this.

Sort of maybe edging on feeling privileged.

One of the most impressive things that I picked up on was that this show as not hung on a nostalgia peg, and there was no real push from the audience for Daniel and Neil to provide a trip down memory lane with an all Cosmic Rough Riders set at the expense of them showcasing post CRR material.

Instead everything was equally welcomed and appreciated, and that’s something that is as rare as a natural tan being seen at any Glasgow taxi rank at 3am.

So big round of applause for the audience whose openness to appreciate the music in its entirety restored my ever increasingly cynical view of live events not really attracting music fans.

Thankfully last week I didn't say that I would eat my hat if I was to experience a night like that as right now I would have to be biting down on it, and that would have broken my heart as I really do love my hat.

However no matter how good the night was it was made even better by the company.

I was stunned in the nicest possible way to hook up with friends from Newcastle who surprised me by attending unannounced.

A real icing on the cake part of the evening and one I hope is repeated sooner rather than later.

Take a bow Billy and Elaine for making my night better than I could have dreamed of.

Tav Falco's Panther Burns - Broadcast - Glasgow (09/02/14)

Very often, too often for it to be merely coincidentally, and probably the result of an ancient curse that has been levelled at my family, I have found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In the game eeny, meeny, miny, your fucked I have bucked the laws of statistical probability and been the ‘you’re fucked’ more often than most could realistically believe.

I even have a recurring dream that ties in with being born under a bad star wherein a fiery ball drops from the sky into a large crowd and lands on me.

Everyone else is injury free, but I’m in tiny bits.

The last thought that flits across my mind just before I die is “bloody typical”.

That’s not to say every day is filled with the toast landing butter side down though.

Sometimes everything works out fine, and that’s what happened with the Tav Falco show in Glasgow.

On Sunday morning I was all geared up to see the man himself hit the stage of Broadcast on the Monday evening, when in a casual conversation it was mentioned that I had the wrong date, meaning that I missed out on being in the right place at the wrong time by a happenstance stroke of luck.

Keeping with the theme of superstition, curses and cosmic jokes by Gods, this was my moment of the stars aligning that bucked the normal trend.

I was on a roll when a matter of minutes later a friend posted online that they had a spare ticket to.

All my luck was being used up in the one day it seemed.

So in a matter of mere hours I had went from ignorance to awareness, and then to a seat in a booth in Broadcast and enjoying a candle lit meal with my girlfriend Kelly.

Not bad for a Sunday with three bands still to play.

First support band of the night was The Reverse Cowgirls.

Describing themselves as a psych tinged garage rock act they haven’t missed the head of the nail as they powered through a bunch of songs that sound like the material from the Pebbles collections after they have been forced to do the “Tough Mudder” assault course run.

Sounding battered and bruised, but screaming that they are alive, song after song reinforces that the garage sound of the west coasts underground garage scene is still as relevant as it has ever been to those who gravitate towards a less slick, but ultimately more vibrant take on rock and roll.

Even some technical gremlins making an appearance couldn’t diminish the on-going onslaught.

Huge thumbs up from me.

The Primevals have been doing their thing since the early eighties, and shared stages large and small with pretty much everyone.

After that amount of time there are only two real reasons why that longevity is possible.  

One is that they are obstinately unaware that they aren’t that good, and like the families of tone deaf reality talent show contestants their nearest and dearest haven’t found a way to break the news to them, or that they are simply damn good at what they do and know it.

Thankfully the latter is what is going on with these guys, and with all those years under their belts you are guaranteed a quality show.

The garage tag is one that has been applied often enough, and not without reason, but The Primevals are much more than just a garage act, and are able to bring the best of RnB to the table as they expel enough kinetic energy to light up a small town while doing so.

Double thumbs up.

Tav Falco and his Panther Burns are a whole different story again.

If Rod Serling took on the mantle of Dr Frankenstein and made himself a rock star to exist in the word of the Twilight Zone then his creation would be Tav Falco.

The man, the legend, lives in the worlds between fact and fiction, fantasy and reality.

It’s a world of shadows where ladies of the night, burlesque show barkers, petty thieves, shining pompadours, tightly woven zoot suits and the glint of a switchblade exist under neon lights.

An alternate universe where the romanticized lives of the denizens of the gutter are celebrated with more panache than most would be able to consider possible.

As he strode onto the stage a friend remarked on how young he looked.

It’s true.
He could be the Dorian Gray of rock and roll.

Although a continental lifestyle could be the secret rather than any supernatural portrait hanging in an attic, his healthy persona is worth mentioning as an aside.

Worth mentioning as it isn’t something that is reflected by the males of the Scottish audience who were in attendance.

In the main we appear to have the complexions of men who consider dooking* for mars bars as they are being deep fried as a normal weekend pastime.

Maybe we should take a leaf out of his book, or then again we could cling to the belief that dying young with a decrepit looking corpse is the way to go.

What about the music though?

In one word it was ‘stunning’.

A mish-mash of The Cramps, Johnny Thunders, Dean Martin and Rudolph Valentino mixed together and delivered in a manner that takes the individual parts and creates something that is stronger as a whole.

It’s his ability to take these multiple strands and weave them together to conjure up a show that is like no other that attracts people to the Tav Falco’s Panther Burns fold again and again.

On this night we had a Turkish belly dancing intro from the bands attractive drummer, a whole slew of rock and roll and Spanish stroll, and an interlude where Tav and a dancing partner used the stage to display their skills as they danced the tango in a set that time wise would have given Springsteen a run for his money if it hadn’t been cut short by the licensing curfew.   

This was not just a rock show in a club, but an artistic representation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” where the reality gives way for the surreal, albeit draped in a robe of fifties, early sixties, rebellious teenage culture.

There’s still one Scottish date to go and that is in Edinburgh tomorrow night (Wed 12/02/14), and it has to be said that if the above sounds like your thing then please don’t miss it.

*Dooking – Attempting to retrieve an apple from a tub with your teeth as part of a traditional Halloween game in Scotland. 

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15/02/14 - Lux Lives - McChuills (Glasgow)
01/03/14 - The Primevas - McChuills (Glasgow)

27/03/14 - The Bonnevilles/The Brutes/Geek Maggot Bingo - 13th Note (Glasgow)