Coco Bar/Coco Cocido
During Wurlifest, the chance to get locals and visitors came together at my other home away from home. Coco Bar is my Number One spot to eat in MadToon and the place you can have Tinto de Verano all year round with the best nachos you’ll experience anywhere. I also reckon the pastrami is better than I ever had it in the US of A. I’ll take any truth test you want me to.
(The Soul of The Fabulous) Courettes
(Damaged Goods)
Never got a chance to do anything when the record came out because I was travelling. There was ubiquitous press which was good because anybody that hangs around here is aware of what is going on with the band. The record itself is a giant leap forward out of the garage and into Mark Ronson type territory. It’s not out with the bounds of reason that the vast legions of Amy Winehouse fans might be about to discover their new favourite band. The blueprint is intact but the wall of sound is five dimensional as opposed to your standard 3. They’re already gearing up to yet again take the show to every corner of the world during the course of the impending annum.
The Dahlmanns
The kids came out of retirement and released an EP (Lucky) on Snap Records. They also played their first show in almost 7 years at Wurlitzer on the Saturday night of the 18th Birthday Celebrations and it was emotional with many of the gang were in attendance. The good news is that there will be more recording and more shows including Moss Rock City on June 14th 2025.
The Dictators
First new record by the new format. You likely have it but if you don’t then rectify that. Now the band is back together, I hope they’ll make it back over the pond.
The Fleshtones
A funny thing happened on the way to the Roundhouse. The Super rockers found themselves on a bill with The Damned that blazed across Plague Island. They found themselves back in Glasgow after an absence of 41+ years. It was great to have them here for a few hours.
Ginebras Madrid Madrid Madrid/Mahou/El Sol
Four of my very favourite things. The band most likely to dominate the world covered the Agustín Lara standard on behalf of beer brand Mahou. A masterstroke with a great video for good measure that will hopefully come out as a seven inch single one day. Jeroen and I saw them in the best place to see a band I’ve ever darkened the door of. El Sol in the city the song celebrates.
Loose Lips
A punk rock power trio of no minor proportions that could equally be labelled a “super group” under current criteria for such a tag One Prize (Nadine), an Unknown, onetime Chat (Josh) and one of the Chubby crew (Ethan). I can’t keep up with their multiple combos but I try. The EP is available as a record from the FOLC imprint, thereby rubberstamping the trademark of quality.
This Is Memorial Device
David Keenan’s book became bigger than anyone expected it could. An album of music that might be what the Airdrie post punk canon might have sounded came out and the one man performance based upon it did a victory lap. Most importantly, Alicia visited to catch one of those performances at The Tron.
The Morells
Who’da thunk there was a follow up to Shake and Push lurking in the vaults but somehow the stars aligned and Jerker Emanuelson was able to release a CD of this material that sold out in quick time. He’s prepared to do another run so if you missed it then sign up so that you’re not disappointed a second time.
Annika Norlin/Jonas Teglund
"En Tid Att Riva Sönder" is probably my most played album of the past year. It doesn’t tidily fit into any pigeonhole and I imagine that the fact that it’s in Swedish might reduce listenability in some quarters. I can’t help you with that but urge that you at least investigate this. And of course Annika’s back catalogue. She has a novel (The Colony) coming out (in English) from Scribe UK books this coming March.
Redd Kross
At one point I thought my path would not pass the return of the Kross but the good grace of Saskia (Lightnin’) Holling conjured up a couple of tickets that she and Russ couldn’t use for The Cumberland Arms in Newcastle. The place itself holds less than a hundred and it was rammed. Incredible to think you can see a combo of this stature in such a tiny place. The MacDonalds got the hits and they clobbered us with them one after another. Their book with Dan Epstein, Now You’re One Of Us is worthy of your time. Look forward to the documentary too.
Amy Rigby
Amy released her Hang In There With Me album on Tapete and a week after she and Eric moved back to Blighty, she was in Glasgow and Edinburgh for the first time post-plague. The Doublet show in Glasgow was especially seismic and when she did Don’t Ever Change, she reminded us that Scotland was the first place she played that song in Aberdeen. It was 2001, one month after 9/11. This song should enjoy “From A Distance” status.
Rowdy
I’ve slightly edited their bandcamp bumf here. “Seasoned rockers dealing a heavy dose of song-forward classic garage punk that sounds like a mixed bag of Joan Jett singing for Teengenerate and Roky Erikson and The Aliens covering Oblivians songs”. Give ‘em a birl.
D. Clinton Thompson
An album, Donnie’s Mood, sneaked out under my radar but Jerker had his finger on the pulse. Some of us want to get this guy and Joe Terry to Spain to experience the joy of being in a room with them in the company of a crowd that deserves such an honour. I’ll keep you posted. Meanwhile, get into the mood.
Ben Vaughn
I was blessed to be able to take a wee tour with Ben and Francisco (Santelices). We hit up Santander, León and Ourense for solo acoustic shows, meeting people I’d known for lives in real life. I met the person that I’d sold some Human Switchboard records some years ago and was introduced to León-style morcilla.
