Gig preview - The Ginger Quiff

His Lordship – Room 2, Glasgow – live review

November 10, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Entering Glasgow’s Room 2 for the second time in as many weeks, I had an overwhelming feeling of deja-vu, the same suave soothing sounds and dulcet tones of the duskily debonair Louise McVey and the Cracks in the Concrete emanating from the stage as the last time I visited, their music creating a hypnotic air of calming re-assurance. The venue wasn’t quite as pitch black as last time though, meaning I was able to see your friendly neighbourhood promoter this time, rather than walk straight into him. His Lordship obviously draw from the same pool of music fans as Kid Congo, as I bumped (not literally this time) into many friendly faces around the venue, as well as noticing several of the same good folks of discerning music tastes from Glasgow and its environs in the crowd, and also having an impromptu school re-union – and believe me when I say that wasn’t yesterday (I’ll get you that pint next time Douglas…)

His Lordship seem to like playing Glasgow, this being the third time I’ve witnessed His Lordship’s live extravaganza in a couple of years (you could say four if you count The Pretenders…) so you would be forgiven for thinking there would be an element of being prepared for what James, Kristoffer and Dave were about to serve up.… Read the rest

The Bathers – Sirenesque – Album (of the year?) review

October 20, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Unassumingly announcing its arrival with solitary and delicately understated piano paired with birdsong in the form of the calming beauty of Culzean, the long-awaited new album from Glasgow’s very own legendary band The Bathers, Sirenesque, then segues smoothly into its majestic title track. When Chris Thomson’s well-kent, instantly recognisable and richly expressive smooth brogue kicks in it almost induces tears, such is the effect of his highly emotive style, a welcome sound that rolls back the years both with a sense of ebullience, but also tinged with an element of melancholia, the song has an element of Blackstar Bowie to it, before the guitar break takes over and the sense of hopeful buoyancy takes the lead once more.… Read the rest

Carla J. Easton – Sugar Honey – album review

October 19, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Sugar Honey is the follow up to the last solo long player from Carla J. Easton from three years ago, Weirdo. With the interim period including an album release from her Poster Paints project with ex-Frightened Rabbit, Simon Liddell, time has been good to Carla in terms of creativity, Sugar Honey is a continuation of that seam of inspired creativity, the album a formidable statement of intent on several fronts.

Sugar Honey is a bit of a double-edged sword. The album title describes Carla’s music perfectly, a flawless blend of her sugary sweet synth/keys-based pop melodies, that never become mawkish and cloying, matched with her unique honey-coated voice, dripping with that feeling of familiar warming vocal hug, and the addition of a heavy measure of both melancholy and ire… Which is the other side of the double-edged sword. … Read the rest

Scorpio Leisure – Give Us Some Space – single review

September 16, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Ramrock Records have given us a well-deserved re-release of the previously independent offering, the divinely hypnotic Give Us Some Space single from the supreme talents of what can only be described as post-punk supergroup in the form of the wonderful Scorpio Leisure. Taking their name from the now defunct and infamous Edinburgh “attraction”, the band’s live nucleus of drummer Russell Burn (The Fire Engines/Win), bassist extraordinaire Colin J Whitson (Gin Goblins/Boots for Dancing/Voicex), guitarists Mungo Carswell (The Solid Bond) and Ricky Maymi (Brain Jonestown Massacre) with the delectable Hettie Noir on simmering sultry vocals is bolstered on the single by further post-punk luminaries in the form of Malcolm Ross (Josef K/Orange Juice) and Gareth Sager (The Pop Group/Rip, Rig & Panic).… Read the rest

Junk Pups – Interview and Live Review (The Hug and Pint 17th August ’23)

August 25, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

(All Photos Courtesy of Chris Hogge Photography)

Last week, Junk Pups played their second headline gig, this time at The Hug and Pint as part of the Endless Summer series of gigs. Having been meaning to do so for a long time, I finally managed to catch up with the band (and Angel!) after they’d sound-checked ahead of the gig.

The Ginger Quiff: So, just a bit of background first and foremost, how did the four of you get together as a band.

Jack: During the first lockdown I messaged Dylan, I knew Dylan from a thing we did in school called Behind the Noise, I knew they played bass, and I was just like.

… Read the rest

Duncan Reid – And It’s Goodbye From Him – Interview

August 6, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

This past weekend Duncan Reid & the Big Heads will have played their final gigs at Rebellion, with their final hurrah following on the 7th October in The Lexington, to mark the release of the glorious final album And It’s Goodbye From Him. I caught up with Duncan recently when we started off chatting about the 17 year old “Kid” Reid joining The Boys, all the way through to the new, and many would say best, Duncan Reid and the Big Heads album.

Kid Reid & The Boys

The Ginger Quiff: Before we start talking about the new album (And Its Goodbye From Him), we’ll take a look back to when it all first began, tell me about the first time you picked up a bass guitar and what was it like being involved as a 17-year-old, joining ex members of London SS and Hollywood Brats at the early days of the punk scene?… Read the rest

Brenda – Brenda – debut album review

July 12, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Glasgow is awash with new music talent these days, at the forefront of the bands trading their wares comes the unique synth sounds of Brenda. To avoid any confusion, Brenda is a band, not a person, the coming together of the wonderfully unconventional trio of Litty, Apsi and Flore (also a member of another of the bands at the forefront of the current crop of extraordinary bands mined from this particularly giving seam – Water Machine).

While not exactly shrinking violets or introverted wallflowers, the band are modest in their own descriptions of their talents and musicianship, but in the opinion of this listener, their debut album is up there amongst my favourites of the year to date.… Read the rest

SLIME CITY – SLIME CITY DEATH CLUB – album review

May 16, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Do you want some existentialist fun? Then come on and join the Death Club! The membership benefits are second to none. Don’t worry death isn’t a pre-requisite, although Slime City are here to remind you of the fact that you and everybody that you love will one day die…

On that note it should be pointed out that gallows humour is a matter of course, but just forms a small part of what you get with your membership of this singularly unorthodox exclusive, naw make that inclusive, club. Slime City has something for everyone in their repertoire. Rising from the ashes of the legendary We Are The Physics, Glasgow’s Slime City has been on the go for what seems like aeons now, after a series of audaciously sublime singles, we are finally being treated to the debut album from this sardonically anarchic band.… Read the rest

Blue Aeroplanes – Culture Gun – album review

April 22, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

My tiny mind is blown. I thought Last Night From Glasgow had reached their zenith early this year with Hifi Sean and David McAlmont. Then along came Culture Gun. I must have listened to Side A at least half a dozen times before I even managed to flip over to Side 2, the four songs on the first side offering so much, it was hard for me to take it all in on the first listen. Raw energy. Commentary on the state of society. Impassioned vocals. Tunes which veer from boisterous and rambunctious to beatific and thought-provoking. Lets face it, Gerard Langley and Co.… 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