Indie - The Ginger Quiff

Scottish Music Collective Halloween Bash with Sister Madds

November 1, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

All Hallows Eve in Glasgow and the streets were filled with orange jumpsuited convicts, pirates and zombies… so no change there then from any other night… Who can really tell anyway? The post apocalyptic wasteland that is Sauchiehall Street these days looks like the Zombie apocalypse has already come to pass. Anyway, having fought my way through the hordes of the undead I made it to Scottish Music Collective’s sold out Halloween spooktacular in Nice n Sleazy, a fearsome four band bill headlined by the unstoppable force that is Sister Madds.

Before the headline act we were treated to a smorgasbord of diverse bands in the shape of Naked Actress, Vigilanti and Sean Choon & the Prawn Monsoon.… Read the rest

Keeley – Beautiful Mysterious – Interview/Album Review

October 23, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

All photographs courtesy of Chris Hogge (@chrishoggephotography) • Instagram photos and videos

There is no artist I’ve come across in recent years quite like Keeley, her dedication and persistence to her cause is both remarkable and unwavering. When I say her cause, I don’t just mean the creation of her perfect and complex dream-pop/shoegaze masterpieces, it must be said that Keeley is no ordinary recording artist. Her raison d’etre, and what makes her tick, is the pursuit of justice for German backpacker Inga Maria Hauser who was cruelly murdered on a backpacking trip as she made her way to Ireland from Scotland.… Read the rest

Bodega – Brand on the Run tour, Glasgow

October 22, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

All photographs courtesy of Chris Hogge (@chrishoggephotography) • Instagram photos and videos

It feels that there has always been an affinity between Scotland, particularly Glasgow, and New York. It seems that the spirit of the cities live within each other. Perhaps it’s because we look alike, with Glasgow often substituting for the Big Apple in Hollywood blockbusters and then there is New York hosting a Tartan Week, perhaps it’s because both cities have a strong musical heritage spawning some of the worlds best bands and having some of the most iconic music venues, past and present. Or maybe it’s just because each cities people know how party and have a good time.… Read the rest

The Soul of The Fabulous Courettes album cover

The Courettes – The Soul of The Courettes – album review

October 1, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Over the years, the husband and wife duo that make up The Courettes have deservedly built a formidable, and “fabulous” reputation for being one of the hardest working touring bands on the circuit, barely taking a break over the last few years to catch their breath as they tour relentlessly around the world. Somehow within this punishing schedule they have managed to fit in the recording of this glorious new record.

The globetrotting dynamic duo have never been backward about wearing their influences on their sleeves, quite literally, with their glamourous monochromatic sense of style matching the remarkable era of music that has played such an important part in influencing their sound and image.… Read the rest

Sister Madds, The Froobz, Lemon Drink & comfort girl – King Tuts Summer Nights Live

September 1, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

My gig game has been weak recently. I’ve missed several fixtures that should have been easy home wins. For some reason I’ve gone down the route of weak football analogies here, I should point out that as an armchair Aberdeen fan, I may be giddy through their early season success, as I started to write this my team was sitting in the recent uncharted territory of the top of the league.

Personally, I’ve not been match fit recently so my first gig back for a while was an opportunity to test my fitness levels. Not my actual fitness levels, testing them would most definitely not have a positive outcome, but what I mean is my ability to seamlessly slip back into the pattern of play as if nothing had happened.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2024 – Part 7 – July

August 16, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

I love new music. Simple. New music from new bands. New music from old bands. It never ceases to amaze me when I come across people who don’t like music (at all?!?) or are determined to tell me, all the great music has already been made (really?1?)… Suffice to say, EVERY month there are dozens of quality new sounds and bands that blow my mind…

Top 10

I keep digging a hole for myself by rating things. How hard it is to have a favourite! it’s like, do I prefer eating, drinking or breathing? Anyway… here goes…

Single of the Month

Keeley – Inga Hauser

One of the Ginger Quiff’s 24 for ’24, the peerless Keeley Moss and her band Keeley, continue to go from strength to strength, having wowed me from the off with the songs on their Brave Warrior EP, and literally everything that has followed since, culminating in my finally getting to see this musical tour de force live last year.… Read the rest

Govanhill Street Music Festival – Scottish Faultlines, Junk Pups & San Jose live

August 12, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

After recent weeks events with the racist right wing rioters taking to the streets (of England & Northern Ireland) to claim “are country” back it was heartening to see UK-wide counter protests claim the streets back from these knuckle-draggers to prove that the fascist scum are in the minority.

To join in on these celebrations of togetherness, I ventured out to my first “gig” in about 3 weeks to the sun swathed Govanhill Street Music Festival, three stages in the area catering for every music taste.

Scottish Faultlines

Unfortunately I didn’t make it to the Reggae Stage at the Bees Knees Cafe with the Bass Warrior Soundsystem, my day kicking off in the early afternoon sunshine at the Belljar Stage being entertained by the inimitable Hugh Haggerty in his guise of Scottish Faultlines.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2024 – Part 6 – June

August 10, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

I’m not entirely sure I’m ever going to catch up… August is already in flight and here I am sharing my June singles…Anyway. Here they are, with playlist at the end.

Single of the Month

Junk Pups – Spoonfed

The June released singled from their Ball and Chain EP (full EP reviewed here)…

…Spoonfed….“for anyone who misses the off the wall duo, The Bikini Bottoms, this bouncing garage rocker will fill that hole. A hauntingly mysterious melody unfolds into glorious dual harmonies from Jack and Dylan. This mesmerising slice of psych/garage rock, and it’s lyrical ode to dysfunctional relationships, comes replete with some blisteringly face-melting triumphant wah-wah riffing as the song reaches its dazzling zenith courtesy of guitar goddess Ishi.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2024 – Part 5 – May

July 24, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

I am so unbelievably behind it’ll be Halloween soon and I’ll still be at Easter… I’m still working month’s behind in singles round ups, and about 6 months behind in album and EP reviews. I’m putting that down to shit like life getting in the way, but I’ll also use the excuse that there is so much fantastic new music out there by bands old and new that I can’t keep up with the sheer volume of music to listen to, which to be fair, ain’t that far from the truth.

My May (yeah I know, May, that was like months ago, literally…) round up follows, as does a playlist of all the songs on Tidal.… Read the rest

Junk Pups, Apologies and National Playboys – live in Nice n Sleazy, Glasgow

July 14, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve not been at many gigs recently so a Saturday night in Sleazys was a most welcome release from the pressures of life that are sent to try us. And after missing a couple of Junk Pups recent performances, including their appearance at the Variety Bar for Crowded Flat’s third birthday celebrations, having this most extraordinary of bands at the centre of the nights entertainment made it all the better.

Glasgow’s Junk Pups were bookended by Apologies from Falkirk and Edinburgh’s National Playboys. Apologies were the first band on the bill, playing what I believe was only their second or third gig as a four piece.… Read the rest