2019 - The Ginger Quiff

5 minutes with…The Best Bad Influence

August 27, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

In 2019 so far, one of the bands I am most excited about is a young trio who take their influence from the rockabilly scene, playing a mix of their own songs alongside some classic covers.

I finally got the opportunity to see The Best Bad Influence live in the flesh, and I’m delighted to report that they do live up to my expectations. The buzz around the band is phenomenal, feedback from those who had already seen them was glowing, reaction to their performances on their social media posts including some impromptu busking sessions was through the roof for a young, relatively new unsigned band, the views and shares was astounding.… Read the rest

Raucous Rockabilly Rebellion

August 25, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

It was Gretsch-a-go-go in Glasgow’s Audio last night.

Four bands made up this showcase, each taking rock’n’roll/rockabilly as a base, and adapting it to their own ends.

The heat of the day was reflected with the venue turning into a veritable sweatbox. The searing heat was reflecting in the blistering performances from each band on the bill.

The Best Bad Influence

It was pleasing to see the venue packed from the off with The Best Bad Influence opening the night. The buzz around this band has been palpable, one I have been excited to see live since witnessing the busking videos they have posted on their social media pages.… Read the rest

Fragile Gang - A Plausible and Desirable Future

Fragile Gang – A Plausible & Desirable Future (album review)

August 23, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Fragile Gang is a band from El Paso, Texas, their new album A Plausible and Desirable Future takes its name from the novel Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. The songs on the album share some of the book’s topics. As you may expect from a band from their location, the socially conscious songs are influenced by a number of subjects, including migration.

Indie/Noisy Pop/Shoegaze…

The band describe themselves as “indie/sometimes noisy pop/shoegaze” a description that pretty much accurately sums up what I hear when I listen.

Good to Go opens the album opens with a vibrating electric hum, pulsating with energy, building and crackling before it bursts into a mellifluous combination of driving guitar, crashing drums and sonorous melodic vocal.… Read the rest

Run Into the Night ft Martin Metcalfe Mon Cheri

Martin Metcalfe and Co…

August 23, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

There has been a flurry of activity from Martin Metcalfe and associated acts this week.

The Filthy Tongues

First up, the Filthy Tongues dropped a clip of a new song at the start of the week. Mummy Can’t Drive sounds very Bowie-esque to me. Featuring Marie Claire Lee who has been ably filling Shirley Manson’s shoes on recent Goodbye Mr MacKenzie dates, is this a little taster of what is to come from the third album in the trilogy? I hope so…

Goodbye Mr MacKenzie

Talking of Goodbye Mr MacKenzie, Good Deeds and Dirty Rags finally has an official release date and a flourish of promotional activity announced that this week.… Read the rest

The Kaplans – Sesiones De Primavera – EP review

August 21, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Hot on the heels of reviewing their album, Urban Elephants, for Razur Cuts (street literature magazine) the latest EP from The Kaplans dropped through my letterbox recently.

A very welcome addition to my CD collection it is too. As a recent convert to the music of the band, I find myself lapping up every new tune I hear from them. The three tracks on this EP provide me with much more to love about this band.

Yes Means No

The first track is introduced with a sample from (what I assume to be) an intro on a Mexican radio station to the playing of one of their songs – I base this purely on the words Mexico and Glasgow in the sample.… Read the rest

Friday I’m in Love… The Cure live in Glasgow

August 17, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

What follows is part social commentary, part mental health awareness and part gig review…

Life’s Rich Tapestry

Friday the 16^th of August was a stitching together of several threads of the complex tapestry that makes up life.

I’m sure I’m not alone in having a job that, for the most part you enjoy and get an element of satisfaction from what you do, however, it can be also infuriatingly frustrating and stressful. One that involves weeks where you put in hours of extra effort that involves massive inroads into your personal life. But you do it because it is who you are, you are the type of person who want to do a good job and have a dedication to doing the best you can.… Read the rest

Spotlight on Mark Tansey – Distorted Vision/Reality Asylum

August 15, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Under the Spotlight in this latest blog is Mark Tansey. Frontman for Distorted Vision and Reality Asylum (with Kaz) and well-kent face on the punk scene. I wanted to ask Mark how he took the step from being one of the most familiar faces “down the front” at punk gigs to leaping up onto the stage to front not one but two bands.

Gigs, gigs, gigs

Mark, you are a familiar face at punk gigs, I’m sure anyone that has been to a punk gig in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Livingston, Bathgate or Fife will recognise you. You are one of these people that really supports the bands – goes to the gigs, gets the merchandise.… Read the rest

Walter Lure’s L.A.M.F. live in Glasgow

August 9, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

I almost don’t know where to start.

When you return to work after a chilled out two weeks off to four of the most stressful days you’ve had in a long time, and you seriously consider not going to a gig because of your headspace.

But you realise.

And I’m going to use two of my most hated overused words.

Iconic Legend…

You realise the gig is one that features an iconic legend. There. I said it. I used both words, and adjacent to reach other!

But I mean it. It hit me when I was standing taking in the second support of the night, Hateful (and a mighty fine set it was too…), and I watched Walter Lure, or more affectionately Waldo, walk in the door and into the minimal band space in Glasgow’s Audio venue.… Read the rest

Skaghoors – The Four Play EP – review

August 7, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Fresh from their recent trip to Rebellion to teach the gathered punk hordes in Blackpool a thing or two about the Ayrshire punk scene, Skaghoors release a delectable selection of tracks on their new Four Play EP on which they dabble in a variety of styles to satisfy every listener.

Kicking off with a giggling child singing London Bridge is Falling Down (or could it be that “charismatic” buffoon Boris Johnson, not sure) before cleverly weaving the melody into the ska punk n roll of (No More) UK Bombs despairing at the state of the nation under an increasingly undemocratic democracy…while the lyrical exasperation levels ramp up several notches for Gender Vendor, a full throttle punk rock romp lamenting the increasingly complex and baffling world of gender identity.… Read the rest

Suede - Live in Glasgow, Kelvingrove Bandstand

Suede – Live: Kelvingrove Bandstand

August 1, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Last night at Kelvingrove Bandstand was an astoundingly good night. Forget about the rain, the threatened thunder and lightning storms, the show Suede put on was breath-taking.

Suede have always been a phenomenal live band, since I first saw them live in King Tuts on the 5th of October 1992, I don’t remember ever being disappointed in their live shows.

Suede hold a very special place in the hearts and minds of their fans. This most recent gig cemented their place as one of the finest live bands the UK has produced. The show was an exhilarating experience from the get go.… Read the rest