The Ginger Quiff - Musings on music and mental health

Developing Resilience

August 11, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

I haven’t written directly about mental health unrelated to music for a while. It isn’t that this is something that is no longer important to me, or something that I’ve forgotten about. On the contrary, forgetting is not an option. In fact this blog is about just how much mental health has been to the fore in my mind and the way I deal with it has been put in the spotlight in recent weeks.

Dealing daily with your Mental Health

When you are someone who lives with anxiety and depression, every day brings its challenges. Every day. There is no end as such, there is no miracle cure.… Read the rest

Trashcan Sinatras – Live in Oran Mor – 2nd August 2018

August 4, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

While most of Europe continues to bask in the biggest heatwave since the summer of ‘76. Tonight in Glasgow it was wet and miserable. There was some sunshine on the horizon though with a trip to see one of Scotlands premier bands live.

This should have been the second time I’d seen them this week. Lets just say, due to a senior moment, I forgot I was supposed to be out on Sunday night at a gig. Hopefully the first and last of these moments…

Anyway, as a result you could be damn sure I wasn’t going to miss tonight’s gig.… Read the rest

IDLES – Joy as an Act of Resistance – Album review

August 4, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Resistance…

As I tried to review this album, technology was resisting me and not causing me joy. Due to the highly anticipated nature of this album, the only preview copies available were via stream. Being an aging gentleman, my preferred listening is via physical format, vinyl or CD, followed by download and streaming only if I really have to. (The album is due for release on 31st August on Partisan)

Colossus

Technology was against me as I managed to listen to lead track Colossus several times before every device I was using turned against me. Fortunately Colossus lives up to its name a gigantic song both musically and lyrically.… Read the rest

SIEL LIEN – I Am Fire/A Little While More

July 24, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Neil Tells the Truth…

Glasgow music fans are in for a treat this Thursday (26th July)

New York Doll, Sylvain Sylvain is visiting to play St Lukes & the Winged Ox. The gig is in support of his book – “There’s No Bones in Ice Cream”.

Not only do you get an original New York Doll, but you get treated to a set by the darkly majestic Filthy Tongues. Metcalfe, Kelly, Fin and company will make your year playing tracks from the first two albums of their magnum opus.

Jacob’s Ladder was one of the albums of 2016 and the second album of a trilogy, this year’s Back to Hell, is already being celebrated as one of the albums of the year in Louder Than War’s mid-year list.… Read the rest

Deep Sky Objects – Desire – new single

July 23, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Desire

I have had a song shared with me recently that I find myself returning to time and again. The track, Desire, is out today and is the latest release from 3-piece Irish band Deep Sky Objects.

The single is a heady mix of hard-riffing guitars exuding the ire of Rage Against the Machine teamed with a warm ostentatious soaring power-pop vocal in the vein of White Lies & Interpol, underlined by a crashing drum-line and solid crunching bass.

The band members include brothers Kevin O’Brien (lead vocals, guitar), Thomas O’Brien (drums and backing vocals) and DD Foley (bass guitar and backing vocals).… Read the rest

The Eddies – Still Takin’ the Mick EP review

July 19, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

The Eddies

Dundee’s The Eddies cement themselves as one of Scotland’s premier punk outfits with their new EP, Still Takin’ the Mick, dedicated to Mick Kilbride. Five tracks in total, and while it may sound like an old cliché the tracks are all killer, no filler.

The band have an flair for a full-throttle humdinger of a tune with a chorus that has you joining in from the off, take the first 2 songs on the EP as prime examples – “No way, not now, go away cos I’m not listening” and “My game – my rules.”

This EP highlights the knack they have and how accomplished they are at this opus.… Read the rest

Fur Dixon live – Edinburgh Opium. WTFukushima

July 16, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

32 year wait…

Saturday night saw the culmination of a 32 year wait. Well to be fair I haven’t been sitting in a darkened room since 1986 waiting for this gig. However, since the tour of the UK and Spain was announced & I had the opportunity to interview her and review her debut solo album under the Fur Dixon (WTFukushima) banner for Louder Than War, I have been excited about the opportunity to see her live and in person.

Having seen her posts on social media since the gigs kicked off in London on Thursday in the Moth Club, the anticipation had been growing.… Read the rest

The Waterboys – Live – Glasgow Barrowland

July 4, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Hot in the City

As the heatwave continues across Scotland, confusing and delighting in equal measure. What is this bright light in the sky? Why is it giving us heat? I joined the hordes of people heading east. I’m not talking far. I’m talking Glasgow Barrowland. Judging by the age of many of the folk around me and their attire, I was pretty certain most of them weren’t heading to the same place as me. They were going further…

Tonight on Glasgow Green it was the turn of nasal whiner extraordinaire to bore, sorry entertain the crowds. I was more than happy to swing into the Barrowland and avoid the risk of sunstroke and hayfever.… Read the rest

The Vapors – Live in the Bungalow Bar, Paisley. 1st July 2018

July 2, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

Paisleys burning…

What a way to round off a smouldering hot weekend.

Another scorcher. The weather? Well yes, it was. The scorcher to which I’m referring though was another all-conquering night of entertainment in Paisley’s famous Bungalow Bar.

The Vapors blazed a trail though their back catalogue with barely a chance to take breath. Granted, with the heat outside and in the venue, there wasn’t much of an opportunity to draw breath. I reckon even without the weather I’d be wiping the sweat from my brow at the end of this blistering gig.

WHT TH FCK S TRSMT?

As half of Glasgow seemed to be heading to enjoy the sunshine on Glasgow Green for Arctic Monkeys only festival appearance this year.… Read the rest

Hollywood Vampires – undead in Glasgow, 19th June

June 20, 2018 By neilho27@sky.com

The last of a rash of gigs over a few days. This time the turn of LA “super group” The Hollywood Vampires.

It was a Hydro gig so I was already managing my expectations in terms of what the atmosphere would be like. The venue is cavernous and soulless at the best of times. Many bands struggle to build an atmosphere despite their best efforts. This and the fact that there were tickets selling on Groupon in the run up at less than half price suggesting poor sales.

On arrival, I noticed many seats were curtained off. I don’t know if that was due to the sales or it was always the plan to only have some of the sections open.… Read the rest