Music Feature - The Ginger Quiff

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

Spotlight on: Run Into The Night

July 31, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Run Into The Night are a hard-gigging post punk rock ‘n’ roll two-piece who have been busy recently gigging with the likes of Goodbye Mr MacKenzie and playing Doune the Rabbit Hole. They have also been recording with the MacKenzies frontman, Martin Metcalfe with a video due to drop later in the month for their latest single Mon Cheri. I have seen the band live on several occasions and have witnessed them get better and better each time.

With the new single due out soon, I took the opportunity to find out a bit more about what makes the band, and its two members Christina and Ellie tick…

Who are Run Into the Night?

… Read the rest

16 Years Scottish Club Gigs in Scorland 1974-1990

Spotlight on – 16 Years: Gigs in Scotland 1974 – 1990

July 29, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Do you love live music?

Are you (or were you), like me, a regular gig-goer, and some of your best live experiences were in the small venues where you can see the whites of the eyes of the bands?

Did you attend club-sized gigs in the late seventies or eighties early on in a bands career?

Do you just like music and are interested in seeing pictures and other memorabilia from club gigs around Scotland?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, then there is a book for you in the off-ing. Read on to find out more, but consider as you read, the success of this venture is down to you… and you…and you…Don’t just read this, think “that sounds great”, then continue surfing the net or scrolling through facebook.… Read the rest

Cockwomble – album review

July 25, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Cockwomble?

First let’s tackle the elephant in the room. That name. Cockwomble. It seems to divide opinion. After sharing videos and links in the past I’ve had several people say to me the name is ridiculous. I’m not totally going to disagree; the word in itself is ridiculous. But as Adam Ant once said, ridicule is nothing to be scared of…

cockwomble (countable and uncountable, plural cockwombles)

(Britain,slang,derogatory) A foolish or obnoxious person.

21st Century weirdness

This 21^st century created word is a by-product of the weird times we find ourselves living in, creating a new word is not entirely unusual, all generations have created their own words and insults.… Read the rest

The Kidney Flowers – The Kidney Flowers: album review

July 24, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Glasgow’s The Kidney Flowers have been gripping me recently with their rousing frenetic 11-track self-titled album. It has regularly been spinning on my turntable, kicking several shades of shit out of my speakers.

Ferocious Trashy Garage Modern Blues

This vital 3-piece, Grant on guitar/vocals, Sean on bass and Abigail on drums, play a ferociously sparkling blend of trashy garage modern blues. Unrelentless for the entirety, the instinctively primeval vocals over fuzzed-up guitars and a solid rhythm section pummel you into submission. Seriously good music, but without being po-faced or overly solemn.

Irreverance

Addictive bass heralds the mysterious Small Fingers, introducing incessant post-punk guitar riffing, while T-Rex glam stylings make an appearance on Underneath Her Thumb.… Read the rest

Spotlight on Last Night From Glasgow

July 23, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Independent labels in Scotland

Independent record labels & Scotland. There is a phenomenal history that could take several articles before you would begin to do them justice. Between them they have spawned some era-defining artists and albums. Obviously not an exhaustive list, but with a very brief flicking of the mental rolodex, you can’t avoid thinking of Postcard, then over the years, labels like Fast Product, Chemikal Underground, Creeping Bent and Rock Action all unleashing a variety of notable albums.

There are too many to mention without completely changing the focus of this blog, but there currently numerous Scottish based independent labels flying the flag for the music scene and giving many bands a platform to release their music.… Read the rest

Baby Shakes – Live, The Flying Duck, Glasgow

July 18, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

I love a good gig, and usually have a few to look forward to weeks or months in advance. There is something to be said though for Impromptu gig nights. The other night in Glasgow was a case in point.

I’d seen the Baby Shakes gig advertised and had swithered whether I should go, mid-week, last few days before I’m off for a couple of weeks so busy at work. I’d unconsciously put a mental x against it as one of those, I’d like to go, but I’ll stay in.

Of course, if that had been the case, there wouldn’t have been much more to write about.… Read the rest

Curdle – Curdle -Album Review

July 16, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Not officially a “new” album as such, but as the album has just earned itself a vinyl release on Double A Side Records (having appeared on the wonderful Play it Like a Woman compilation), now is as good a time as any to revel in my love of the music of Curdle. A band who seem to announce a new live date every couple of days, and I can never get to any of them … as I keep saying, maybe next time.

I first came across the band when they supported Dead Hope in Glasgow’s Old Hairdressers and fell in love with the dark but uplifting racket they made, making sure I purchased the album on its release.… Read the rest

Bubblegum Lemonade – Desperately Seeking Sunshine – album review

July 11, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

Having made mention of The Martial Arts on a recent blog and Paul Kelly’s welcome return with 4 glorious tracks on the I Use to be… EP, it would be remiss of me not to feature another stalwart of the Scottish indie-pop scene.

Bubblegum Lemonade

So, here’s to the multi-talented Laz McCluskey of Bubblegum Lemonade fame. It has now been several months since the band’s latest album Desperately Seeking Sunshine landed, but on the evidence of the 12 sun-kissed tracks on offer here, you don’t have too far to look. And thankfully the cantankerous Madonna is nowhere to be seen.

Laz has hit a fruitful vein of creativity on this, his latest release in a long line on the Matinee Recordings label.… Read the rest

An Eclectic Cornucopia of Charismatic Congenial Creations to Charm and Captivate

July 10, 2019 By neilho27@sky.com

There are several tracks/singles and EPs that I have been sitting on for a while or I’ve just received that been enjoying recently

Katherine Aly

Starting with the sublime Katherine Aly. The Skin I’m Made Of is an achingly beautiful piano driven ballad. Aly has a beautifully distinctive voice, crisp and clear with no warbling affectations and the song reaches the parts other vocalists can’t reach. Some may have been lucky enough to catch her recently as I believe she supported Goodbye Mr MacKenzie in Dundee. I hope to hear a lot more from her in future.

The Martial Arts

Next up is stalwart of the Scottish indie scene, Paul Kelly, returning with The Martial Arts.… Read the rest