neilho27@sky.com - The Ginger Quiff

Singles Round Up – Part 3 – March 2023

April 10, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Another month and another immense list of songs for your aural pleasure. Don’t let anyone ever tell you there is no good new music about these days…

As usual, there is an evil Spotify playlist for you to sample the songs before you go to the artists own sites to buy their music if you like it….

The Black Delta Movement – Zip Tie & Photograph

Zip Tie from garage rockers The Black Delta Movement is initially an understated slow burner, a low and slow sinister rumble that builds in speed and increases in intensity as the song reaches its powerfully climactic zenith.… Read the rest

The Day The Courettes visited Barlinnie Prison – Gig Review

April 5, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

After what has been a full on few months at work, I awoke to a bright & crisp sunny April Monday morning, hailing the start of a week’s annual leave. And what better way to spend my first day of doing as little as possible, than in the company of “the hardest working band in showbusiness”, the dynamic husband/wife duo, The Courettes.

You Know That’s a Prison Don’t You?

This was set to be a day, and a gig experience, to remember. One like I’d never seen never before, or likely to again. The first of a double header of gigs in Glasgow for Flavia and Martin on this most glorious of Monday’s saw them following in the footsteps of a select few performers over the years, including the infamous San Quentin gig from the Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash, by playing a gig exclusively for the inmates of a prison.… Read the rest

Scorpio Leisure, Casual Worker & Spread Eagle – live in The Rum Shack

March 25, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Take one measure of Rum (Shack) add an intoxicating blend of three 100% proof bands and mix well with an effervescent crowd, fizzing in anticipation, and you have a veritable cocktail, enough to brighten another dreich night in Glasgow’s south side. The Rum Shack has built a reputation for itself as one of Glasgow’s best club-sized venues, and rightly so, a great atmosphere building in the bar next door, and transferring to the venue itself, a venue which has great acoustics and plenty of space to get great views of the stage and bands.

I was disappointed not to have made it though to Edinburgh for the first show by tonight’s headliners, Scorpio Leisure, when they supported Lydia Lunch.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2023 – Pt 2 – February 2023

March 19, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

It may be nearly March and all, but shit happens, so here it is better late than never….Another bumper singles round up for February with plenty of top quality tuneage to suit every taste…I’ve used my words sparingly, I’m so far behind and have still to start thinking about the March roundup. Just give them all a listen…they’re all deserving of your ears…

If they’re on Spotify, I’ve added a handy playlist so you can try before you buy via the band links…

Millie Manders and the Shut Up – Rebound

One of the best live acts around celebrated Valentine’s month with this boundlessly energetic anthem to relationship’s destined to fail.… Read the rest

Suede – Live in the O2 Academy, Glasgow

March 16, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Words; The Ginger Quiff All Photos: Stuart Westwood (www.stuartwestwoodphotography.co,uk)

Could there be a better way of spending a dreich Tuesday night in Glasgow than watching one of the best live bands in the country (world?) entertain a fervent and captivated sold out Glasgow crowd? I think not, and I’m sure another satiated 2499 gig goers would voice their agreement having just witnessed a superlative performance, so transcendent it will be nigh on impossible to surpass this year. Any year …

I first saw Suede live in King Tuts Wah Wah Hut in October 1992, a performance that left me gobsmacked, in no small way impacted by the antics of their engaging frontman, not just an extraordinary vocalist but a performer in the truest sense of the word.… Read the rest

SELF ESTEEM – live in Glasgow Barrowland

March 13, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

It felt like a shame that I come from a household of women and I was the only member of said household witnessing the phenomenon that is Rebecca Lucy Taylor aka Self Esteem and her gang rip the roof from the famous Barrowland Ballroom last week. An inspirational role model for women everywhere, and appearing in Glasgow during the week of International Women’s Day, when we can all come together to celebrate inspiring women the world over. I’d waited a long time for this moment, having had tickets twice before to see her in Glasgow only to miss out on both occasions due to work.… Read the rest

Carol Hodge – Vertiginous Drops – album review and interview

March 10, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

As I write these words, it is International Women’s Day, what better way to celebrate than to listen to one of this countries best singer songwriters, Carol Hodge, and her latest long player Vertiginous Drops (best album title I’ve heard in ages too), quite possibly her most accomplished and varied work to date, as she takes her music and songs in different directions and calls upon some well known guests on a few tracks.

I also had the opportunity to talk to my namesake ahead of the official release of the album across streaming sites this week (the physical copies – CDs and vinyl – have been available direct from Carol since the end of last year) where we chatted about taking the plunge into being a full time musician, the new album and song-writing.… Read the rest

Syvdoh – Gentlemen – album review

March 4, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Two of my favourite albums of recent years have artwork featuring images of, or in, The Laurieston. The debut album from Album Club featured a shot of the outside of the legendary institution, while the latest album from Syvdoh, Gentlemen, features an image of the door of… well I’m sure you can guess.

Syvdoh’s new album is, as I would have come to expect, a work of utter genius, both musically and lyrically. For the unacquainted, I believe when I reviewed their last album, Death 1 Syvdoh 0, I described it along the lines of “death shouldn’t be this enjoyable”, a tag which could also sit well with Gentlemen.… Read the rest

Junk Pups & Tina Sandwich live – Nice n Sleazy

February 27, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

It was the end of a week/weekend where, for one reason or another I missed another couple of gigs that promised much… but so did Sunday night’s Sleazy Sessions in, where else but Nice n Sleazy on Sauchiehall Street, and I managed to make that one. This was a showcase for five artists/bands, but there were a couple in particular that caught my eye, two of my bright hopes for 2023, none other than the formidable Tina Sandwich, and the dynamic four piece that make up the awe-inspiring Junk Pups.

Emma Dunlop opened the night in impressive style, coming onstage just her and an acoustic guitar.… Read the rest

Brenda – Band Interview

February 26, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

2023 is Brenda’s year for the taking. With a debut album coming later this year and before that singles in the shape of Cease and Desist and Microscopic Babe with its LA recorded video. I had a chance to shoot the breeze with Flore, Apsi and Litty, and with an attitude as refreshing as their music, there is nothing in the way that can stop this unique trio.

It was a dreich Saturday afternoon when I met the band, but the atmosphere in The Bell Jar was warm and inviting as was the welcome from the three members of Brenda, and the now famous Pat (Flore’s dog, who is also the subject of a song by her other band Water Machine).… Read the rest