Teenage Fanclub and Edwyn Collins in Glasgow tomorrow night anyone?

Info courtesy of Jock'n'Roll...

I wonder how the post-punk conference is going? Good I hope and furthermore – maybe it’s been exposed as the utter bollocks that much of what touts itself as that is. I heard the GO4 on the wireless last weekend and was not impressed. Neither do I give a fuck about PIL reforming, this is something your humble scribe reckons to be akin to a YES tour. Or am I getting mixed up with post-prog or something else. The only thing I can be sure of at all anymore is the getting mixed up part. Out on a limb as ever, this box set/computer game/download fleecing that’s going on as of today does nothing except irritate me. Football tonight? I’m looking forward to the roads being deserted when I go to pick up Ms Allison. It’s an ill wind...

Let’s see, I was looking at Everett True’s blog and he wrote about a combo called Visqueen that I never heard of but will be double darned if they don’t sound like the late-lamented Fastbacks. This, to my mind, is a very good thing and exactly what today and yesterday's pop kids need.

Mr Edwards also hepped me to some sad but inevitable news about two great London institutions. I wish both parties nothing but top vibes.

Mr Macdonald sent me the link to this and it ties in with the fact that Paul Morley who fronted a wee film about this band on C4 recently is at the aforementioned PP extrav being pummelled by Messrs Coleman and Kiszely.



And finally, I posted the first 4 episodes of "Svengali" the other day and #5 has just been unleashed so here it is.



And that should all keep you sweet for a wee while at least. More later? You never know.

I hadn't seen the dates for the ATP - Raw Power shows but just saw the info on James Williamson's site after reading this article that Tex flagged up. Maybe you already have your tickets?

Feeling a little woozy this morning and looking out the window doesn't make the immediate prospect any brighter. Craig Barman suggested a "hair of the dog" via fb but then I found this.... Blast it as loud as you can.

Good to hang out with Peter in Edinburgh yesterday afternoon. Here are details of a big event that's happening out in his locale in a couple of weeks...


Haven't been to Europa Records of Stirling for a wee while so after I drop Amy off at the station, Mr Percival and I will be heading across there for a wee rake about.

I've been considering posting these links for a few weeks now. I see there's another episode coming soon so figured what the heck. It is pretty funny despite my allergy to some of the individuals and acts that it involves. Also, it gives you something to look at while I attempt to get my house in some kind of order. Mostly metaphorically...

One of the greatest publications of all and any time is bound for the internut...

Ladies and gentlemen... I give you... THE A&R REPORT!!

It's a holiday weekend of sorts here. In the olden days, all roads led to the Blackpool Illuminations but not so much anymore. It's been a productive day so far but the old blogging has suffered a bit. Earlier, the foundations of a long plotted project were put in place and as the winter nights draw in some flesh will be hung on these aural bones if all goes well. No statute of limitations but the longest journey and all that bobbins.

I nipped along the road and saw "Moon". Not bad but no great shakes to my mind. Reminiscent of a bunch of things but nowhere near any of them. Style over substance maybe and a tad Gerry Anderson in places. Time to switch this off and go attend to some culinary action for later. Me ironing won't do itself either but ain't convinced that I won't get sidetracked from that and besides, I'm on staycation after all... it'll keep.

Thanks to Kjell for flagging this up via facebook.

Click poster for all the details of this shindig!

Brother Don's been out on the town in old SF....

"just back from Magic Christian at the Great American Music Hall. they opened for Tainted....excuse me... Tinted Windows. quite a night! after a pit stop up the street at the edinburgh castle (where they no longer serve belhaven... what kind of scot bar doesn't at least have belhaven? i mean, i said, "so you have no beer from scotland at all any more? and the guy says, "we have newcastle". i said, "just give me a bass and some fish n' chips please" anyways...

from there down to the music hall where MC pretty much blew the roof off the joint. drummer clem burke was particularly jazzed. for some reason he was off to the side rather than the back middle and this seemed to quite literally supercharge him... he was tossing his sticks nearly to the ceiling all night (and catching them each time). they did all heir stuff..."tomorrow never comes", "all the stars" among the originals, "anytime at all", "out in the street", among the covers. totally won over the audience which included none other than roy loney. cyril gave roy a shoutout and paul dedicated "teenage head" to him. that was a surprise! they were pretty much in control by the time they got to the DC5's "anyway you want it".

cyril had his trademark dan armstrong plexi while eddie sported a brand new dan electro longhorn bass that looks just like one you would've picked up in '58. cyril used a piggyback fender supersonic amp. paul banged a tambourine and played some great harmonica here and there. they got an encore and did "shake some action" on which they were joined by this guy Mike who came all the way from Pennsylvania. this is the cat from the Parallax Project who cut the Who's "It's Not True" with the band (i think it's on the next album but i'm not sure).

me and tom had a blast hanging with cyril and the guys backstage after. i checked out eddie's bass. it's just like my dano aside from the color and it has different knobs. and it was great talking with roy too. outside afterwards there were tons of chicks waiting for the Hanson guy (who sings for the Windows). and waiting in vain... you should've seen their faces when Cyril told them their hearthrob had long ago left the building via the back door! but Cyril-- ever the crowd pleaser -- hung around and signed everything in sight.

very successful show i thought. good turnout for MC despite the high cover charge."

Whilst we’re on the subject, score the upcoming Dirty Water release by Magic Christian here!

It's apparently "Saltire Saturday" here in the daftest wee country in the world. It all has to do with the desperate act that surrounds kicking a ball up and down a park. Something that does not impact on my planet in any way, shape or form. Well hardly ever, it's a pain in the arse travelling anywhere on a day like this. But anyway, coming back from the post office - which was completely dead - I saw this utter bampot that had a saltire motif on his napper. Evidently heading back from the hairdresser. Dearie, dearie me. True pondlife in action. No disrespect to the actual wee beasties that inhabit actual ponds intended.

Things are busy around here and tomorrow, all going to plan, some progress will be made with regard to a project that I've had whispering through my unblazoned head for a long, long time. More on this mysterious happening as and when. Amy and Davie will be continuing with their recording over the course of the week too so hopefully there'll be a whole album in the can by this time next weekend(ish).

I'll be on here trying to play catch up and meeting some of the crew from further afield. Generally doing stuff that doesn't entail heading to the salt mine for 9 whole days. This is a good thing.

You may recall me kvetching some weeks ago now about trying to get Green Day tickets for my nephew. It seems that magically some more tickets have magically appeared. Maybe they fell behind a filing cabinet or something? Aye, right. This bullshit about shows being "sold out" in addition to the inability of their systems to deal with demand is something that needs to be addressed. I urge you to boycott the fuckers that operate in this fashion in whatever way you see fit. Not that we'll actually be able to drive these maggots out of existence anytime soon but it seems like my idea of fun to at least try.

RIP - Keith Waterhouse

gummy stumps

watts of goodwill EP launch

friday 4th september 2009

8pm onwards at the GFM studio

(above the modern institute)

73 Robertson Street -

Glasgow - G2 8QD

You know how it is, I'm sure. All the best intentions to get home at a reasonable hour go futz and it's a schlep to the last train in the drizzle. I'm not entirely sure where we stand on the 40 days and nights tally but still, it's been damp even by our standards. The Allison sisters seem to be faring better weatherwise in Skye and the surrounding area but that could be down to the Talisker. That stuff has been known to perform miracles on occasion. Right Don?

Got to Stereo last night, slightly disoriented but soon got acclimatised. The thing about a Pastels show is that the event is properly curated. All gigs should be like that. This entails the dj action, opening act, the lot and this one, their first with Tenniscoats to support the imminent album was no exception. A dress rehearsal even. Anyway, it was a good turnout – pretty close to packed.

Veronica Falls kicked things off in a truly swingin' Velvets marinated stramash with a great version of the Rok's "Starry Eyes". Aside from the fact that's a good way to get me on side, their set was an exercise in exactly how to wow a crowd. Short and sharp = wanting more. This kind of mild euphoria isn't something I'm accustomed to and I’d say that the one track that’s on their myspace doesn’t come close to replicating what I’m certain I saw (and heard).

Brogues, one of the guys who put this thing on gave me a crash course in a whole slew of acts that I've never heard of. This kind of enthusiasm is entirely what it's all about and it's contagious. I'll be trawling this interweb to check out some of his suggestions in due course.

The Pastels/Tenniscoats set up is a quasi-pop orchestra with a mind to score imagined movies. Stephen's introduction to "Boats" with Katrina's interjection indicated perfectly what makes them so important in tandem with the music. These folkscapes are utterly unique and so out of kilter with these i-tuned times. The wonky brass and woodwind floating in and out just adds to that patented wooziness. I look forward to getting acquainted with the material via the vinyl when "Two Sunsets" is released this coming Monday. Had to leave to catch the train as they were easing into “The Viaduct”.

T’was well worth dragging my ancient carcass into town on a school night for. If they're appearing within travelling distance of your billet then don't miss them because the weather they bring with 'em is way more agreeable than any mere musical elements that generally pass your way. If there are any links to clips and photos, I'll add them later.

Setlist and more at the TFC message board.

Been trying to figure out this new palaver between hotmail and outlook. Why can't they just leave things alone? As they were?? Of course, that would be too easy. But it's not the end of the world just a niggle. And maybe not just directed at me. Is that feasible?? Anyway, I'm headed out to make the Pastels/Tenniscoats scene at Stereo. Or should that be in Stereo?? I'm confused. But you knew that.

This'll be short and sweet because I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle with the lurghi. Been pretty lucky this season and while sniffles and worse have been on the go all around, I've been relatively bug-free. My plan is to to not do much of anything because I want to be able to get to Glasgow tomorrow night. Plus I don't fancy being off on a week's leave and to be gubbed with any sort of virus or worse. It's getting to the point where the schnozz-blowing is making me a little Rudolph-esque.

So there's some more JD King here and another Wreckless Radio Podcast here.

More than enough to keep you amused.

Just in from Geographic HQ...

Hello,

Late summer rain here in Glasgow...

But it was beautiful a few weeks ago when we shot the video for Vivid Youth. We had a little bit of promo budget for Two Sunsets and decided it could best be used on a video which we hoped would not only capture something of the image of the song, Vivid Youth, but also show The Pastels and Tenniscoats in the same place at the same time, which is how we recorded Two Sunsets. We'd wanted to do something with Blair Young for a long time and were really happy that he was available and up for it. We decided together to use film (Super-8 and 16mm) and the main shoot took place at Loch Lomondside, about 20 miles from Glasgow, on two summer days, 2009, with Pastels, Tenniscoats and some friends. Check it out here...




Vivid Youth / About You is currently available as a super limited 7" single which can be picked up in Monorail and other good record shops and online from www.dominorecordco.com/mart.

Meanwhile the complete completeness that is Two Sunsets will finally be available from Monday, 7th September, on heavyweight vinyl (with download coupon) and on cd.

Excitingly, we are also about to embark on a few shows with Tenniscoats and hope to see you there...

2/9 Glasgow, Stereo (with Veronica Falls). 8PM. 0141 222 2254.
3/9 Leeds, Brudenell Social Club. 7.30PM. 0113 275 2411.
4/9 Birmingham, Moseley Folk Festival (with Saint Etienne and others). 0778 944 0026.
5/9 Bristol, Thekla (with The Fauns). 7PM. 0117 929 3301.
6/9 London, Bush Hall (with Veronica Falls). 7.30PM. 020 8222 6955.
7/9 Paris, Point Ephemere. 0033 1403 40248.

SP / KM