Category: Blues

The Jesus and Mary Chain & The Hollywood Vampires – Live review

August 18, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

The first day back at work after two weeks off ended with a trip to the Hydro to see the hard rock supergroup Hollywood Vampires whose concept/gimmick is similar to that of Belfast postman The King whose albums were made up of covers of songs by deceased rocks stars. The key difference being his twist was that he sang them all in the style of Elvis, while the group of undead from Tinseltown mixed their set of covers with songs released by two of its core members, Alice Cooper and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry along with a smattering of original songs. 

I’d enjoyed Hollywood Vampires before on one of their previous visits to Glasgow and as such I may not have bought a ticket this time around, but having seen who was announced as support I couldn’t resist it.… Read the rest

The Courettes  – live in Stereo

August 9, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

It feels like The Courettes have a bucket list aiming to play every venue in Glasgow. Having seen them in a whole host of places over the years, I have to say that this set in Stereo was up there with the best.

Support came from The Lotts who supported The Courettes when they played Room 2 in 2024. The band appear to have come on in leaps and bounds since that gig, their raucous serving of 1960s influenced garage punk songs was played with such a ferocious energy it would have blistered paint off the walls of Stereo if indeed there had been any left.… Read the rest

The Claudettes – Garage Glamour – album review

July 30, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

I first came across Chicago’s The Claudettes when I was writing for Louder Than War and had the pleasure of reviewing their Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium album in 2018. That was the start of a Transatlantic love affair with their music which continues to this day, and witnessing the band playing live remains as one of my bucket list gigs.

While the band has gone through several line-up changes over the years, at the core to of The Claudettes and their sound is the much-fêted blues pianist Johnny Iguana whose CV is the length of your arm and reads like a list of great and the good of lauded blues musicians. In recent years he is also credited as co-composer, with Jeffrey Qaiyum (JQ), with scoring the first four seasons of the impeccable TV drama The Bear.… Read the rest

The Countess of Fife – New Phone, New Car, New Man – album review

June 22, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

As I finally get around to reviewing this album it comes with with a sense of sadness owing the sudden passing of guitarist Brian McFie, a beautiful soul who has left an indelible mark on both the Scottish music scene and on the hearts of everyone who had the fortune of knowing him. Only a short time before his untimely passing I had the good fortune to witness his heartfelt playing with Fay Fife’s Countess of Fife guise alongside bandmates Kirsten, Al and Willy and Fay’s unrivalled vocals they created a glorious celebratory sound in Glasgow’s intimate Southside venue The Glad Cafe at the second of their two gigs to celebrate the release of this album.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2026 – May – Part 4

June 17, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

The latest part of May’s singles is another smorgasbord from across genres and spanning the Atlantic with a good sprinkling of up and coming Scottish bands and there is an undercurrent of rock n roll/rockabilly and blues in several of the songs in this part of the round up…

First up, having collaborated on their previous single with The Interrupters, Dead Pioneers have joined forces with Sleaford Mods Jason Williamson for The Worst Among Us. The message behind the song is as valid for the UK in our present times as it is for Gregg Deal’s home in the  USA. US Presidents and parties like Reform with their racist narratives are emboldening the far right… “The worst among us cast shadows long” …as seen by recent events in Belfast and closer to home in Glasgow.… Read the rest

The Primevals – Best of the BBC Sessions 

December 22, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve not written enough about Nick Godfrey and what he’s doing with Precious Recordings of London. These sessions are a testament to how important radio is as a means of exposure to bands trying to get their music heard far and wide. It’s always been a struggle to make it in an industry packed with traps and pitfalls, and even more so in this day and age with the rise of AI and corporates and streaming companies who are trying to bleed bands for as much as they can get and pay them next to nothing. BBC Radio Scotland should be ashamed of recent announcements ending several shows that have given space and exposure to hundreds of local bands over the years. … Read the rest

Singles… so far…

November 10, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

November is still in it’s infancy but by the end of last week, there was a flurry or singles that were on my radar. I’ll leave my favourite until last, but let’s kick things off with Death Valley Girls who have already left Halloween behind and have their minds on the next holiday season on the sublime Season of Dreaming, a swoonsome Christmas offering shrouded in atmospheric tenor saxophone, with the addition of bells to give it that Christmas vibe. As Bonnie Bloomgarden sings of “dreaming of the year you will make” and the “season for dreaming and believing” they do feel like the perfect band to bridge the seasons, with plenty of their spooky psych-goth remaining, and just enough festive spirit to start the feels.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – February – Part 3

March 29, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

The Mushroom Club – Afraid

Trippy psych sounds abound on February single Afraid from Glasgow based garage rock band The Mushroom Club.

The Mushroom Club

Pales – Uppercut

Uppercut comes from French alt-rockers Pales latest EP, Crush. Both the title of the EP and single are appropriate adjectives to describe the sound of the band, the crushing intensity of the guitar riffs and the layering of vocals and instruments on the single coming together in a glorious melee and rising to a knockout crescendo

Pales

Self Esteem – 69

Perhaps not one to add to your workplace playlists, as Self Esteem celebrates every sexual position imaginable but draws the line at….… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – January – Pt 3

January 31, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

A mix of the old and new on part three with established acts such as Gareth Sager rubbing shoulder with the new breed in the shape of Vanderlye and others.

The Yets – Enemy

The duo from South Carolina open up part three of January’s round up with this dreamily ethereal alt rock song. The Enemy channels elements of Medicine and their ilk and wouldn’t have sounded out of place on the soundtrack for the original Crow movie.

The Yets

Vanderlye – Romantic Anarchy

A close second to Tanzana for single of the month is this slice of heaven from another of my hopes for greater things, Vanderlye.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up – 2025 – January – Part 1

January 26, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

2025 has got off to a bang with some singles that I imagine I’ll still be loving in 12 months as we reach the end of the year. As usual there is an eclectic mixes of styles representing in this cross section of what January had to offer, this is Part 1, I’ll include a link to a playlist of ALL of January’s featured singles when I get to the last part…

Voitures – Doesn’t Know It Yet

A great start to the year from Glasgow’s Voitures with buzzsaw guitars aplenty on this addictive slice of psych rock that channels elements of The Beatles and Mansun on the hypnotic Doesn’t Know It Yet.… Read the rest