The DeRellas – Bellfield Tavern (Kilmarnock)

Number two in an occasional series of guest reviews. This time its from leader of the Reservoir Droogs himself, Mr Alex “Mainy” Main.

Kilmarnock…

When you ask people if they have heard of the Scottish town of Kilmarnock the response usually starts off on a positive note and then it quickly goes downhill.

A sad but true fact. Those of us who live there are pretty much used to this reaction by now.

It normally starts with “It was home to Johnnie Walkers whisky wasn’t it?” and then we get “Robert Burns had his first book of poems printed there didn’t he?”

And with that the good stuff is all but exhausted and the downward slide begins with “Wasn’t the BBC poverty porn hit “The Scheme” filmed in Kilmarnock? That was like the McWalking Dead. Loads of zombie junkies and three legged dogs.” before it then ends on the very low note of “Wasn’t that limbs in the loch killer from there too? Chopped a guy up and put him in a suitcase?”

Glam…

It’s not all dark despair, shattered dreams, and dismemberment though.

There’s a semi secret glam rock story to the town that it should be proud of because Kilmarnock was right there at the start lending its weight to swinging that glittering wrecking ball at the established acts of the time.

For instance, while it is rarely mentioned, David Bowie definitely played the towns Grand Hall pre Ziggy days, and he wasn’t the only artist who touched down in Ayrshire as the glam phenomenon was starting to find its feet. It is no secret that the Sweet smash hit Ballroom Blitz” was penned about a riotous gig in the same venue. Not riotous in the exciting blow the roof off the place sort of hyperbolic comment that critics roll out, but a literal riot because apparently some couldn’t help reverting to type and kicking off at the sight of men in make up.

Shame! Shame on them.

But regardless of the violent underlining of that gig the towns history of engaging with this nascent scene really should be taken down off the shelf and dusted off.

It’s deserving of being put on public display, as a celebration of Kilmarnocks involvement with the changing times shouldn’t be swept under the carpet and forgotten about.

Bridging the gap music wise between then and now is a very different proposition though. It could be argued that it would be an act of futility, and that the towns participation could only ever be framed in shades of nostalgia because tastes and attitudes have definitely changed since the seventies,..

A great many years have certainly rolled past.

Glam is no longer king.

The links in the chain connecting the present to the gut wrenching teenage rebellion that was on offer then have all but rusted to the point of destruction. The chain itself verging on breaking except for in the memories of those who were there. Or then again maybe not.

Maybe that link can be strengthened.

High Rise Supersize

Because when the adrenaline pumping force of nature that is the DeRellas stopped off to pay us a visit on their “High Rise Supersize” tour in the Bellfield Tavern they didn’t just play a blinder of a set of glam punk rock and roll classics in waiting, but also quite possibly reignited the passion for the genre that has been lying dormant in the town.

Or to be more accurate they did for those who were there to bear witness to their blitzkrieg appearance. If you missed it then you are going to have to take my word on it being something rather special, and pray that they return to give you the opportunity to bask in heat of their performance again.

How anyone could watch them in full flow and not feel the pull of attraction to what they are doing is beyond me. Maybe it’s a taste thing, but their trashy theatrics sends electrical shocks running up and down my spine. The hairs stand up on my arms, and in the moment I feel like I am a conduit to a force powering through me that can’t really be explained. It’s maybe related to our lizard brain flooding our systems with adrenaline to remind us that there’s something deep inside us that doesn’t give a shit about the humdrum nature of life. That its visceral primal scream howling at the moon will always supersede rationality.

A scary thought for some and a liberating experience for others, and you can most definitely put me in the latter group. Let’s just commit to the idea that if you aren’t living on the edge you are taking up too much room in this world and go with that. As a self confessed rock and roll junkie I’m going to admit that the synapses in my brain were firing off at lightning speed as they powered through their songs.

There’s some Ramones, a Sex Pistols sneer, there’s a nod to the terrace stomp of the seventies, the New York Dolls show up, and then there’s more, more, more, and even more.

Yeah okay, it’s not big, nor clever, but it doesn’t have to be. A shake of the hip from Elvis changed the world and that’s part of the deal here.

The DeRellas aren’t a cerebral meeting of the minds. They’re selling you a party that appeals to not thinking about anything other than enjoying yourself. They are talking directly to the voice that is whispering to you to have one more drink, phone in sick in the morning, fuck the boss figuratively, and then maybe literally, and then it is ultimately saying fuck it, if we have time then let’s just burn the whole world down in an orgy of debauchery as we hurtle headlong into the arms of Dionysus.

The DeRellas are working for a higher power here in that respect. No one is going to say that escalated quickly to you either. No one is advocating putting pressure on the breaks because someone has cut the cable anyway. The brakes are gone and the worlds going to end to the sound of crashing guitars giving way to a buzzing amp and that’s quite possibly the best way to go. Sounds great doesn’t it?

That’s the DeRellas in a nutshell for you, and thank whatever god you want for that because when the days are grinding you down we need their circus rolling into town. Johnny Thunders who art in heaven hallowed be thy guitar. Give us your Joey Ramone, and forgive us for our fuck ups as we forgive your fuck ups and something about lying in the gutter and staring at the stars. Pass the holy wine Stiv and set course for oblivion. Let’s mess with some metaphors on the way just because we can.

In short glam rock is back in town, and its good to be back, good to be back, but fuck you Gary Glitter because you’re not invited.

Better than heroin. Ask the stars of The Scheme.