Say the names Johnny Smillie and Monica Queen to any music fans of a certain vintage in Glasgow and they will probably nod knowingly with the pair having been a ubiquitous part of the Glasgow music scene for as long as I can remember going to gigs. I’ve seen them live in various incarnations over the years, I believe the first time may have been when they were playing as Moni and supporting Horse in the Barrowland Ballroom? Anyway, this year, in their Thrum incarnation, their classic album Rifferama is getting a long overdue re-release to celebrate thirty years since it received its first outing and in support of this they will be playing several dates across the UK including dates in Edinburgh in the Wee Red Bar and Cottiers in Glasgow.
Sometimes you get unique opportunities to see something quite special and this was one of those nights. I was delighted the other week to receive an invite to a small gathering of invited guests for a night in La Chunky recording studio in The Hidden Lane. The occasion? A viewing of a new documentary, Thrum Thirty, by filmmakers Iain W Mutch and Peter Fisher, was inspired obviously to mark 30 years since the release of the classic Thrum album Rifferama, including a celebration of the North Lanarkshire music scene and more specifically the Everything Flows exhibition from last year which was curated in Summerlee Museum in Coatbridge. The film featured live footage from the gig in Airdrie to mark the exhibition alongside insightful interviews including Johnny talking about the lucrative offer from Andrew Loog Oldham to sign the band which they declined due to the attached caveats, and also included a clip Thrum’s famous appearance on The Word.
Following the documentary viewing, the band played a short set which was lapped up by the small gathering in the intimate surroundings of La Chunky. Opening up with Here I Am, the band, featuring Rory on bass, Bob on drums and Alan on keys (and of course, it should go without saying, the dynamic duo of Johnny and Monica) played a set of 8 songs which included “reimagined” versions of Hey Joe and the album’s title track Rifferama. The set also took in one of my personal favourites from the band, with a gutsy and impassioned Lullaby and a boisterous run through of So Glad with original drummer Gary returning to the drum stool for one song. The band closed their formidable set with a glorious cover of Neil Young’s Hold Back the Tears. What a pleasure it was to witness these songs, and delight in Monica’s exquisite vocal, in such close quarters. I can say for sure that, if you’ve got a ticket for one of their upcoming shows, you’re in for a wonderful treat. If you haven’t got one yet, what are you waiting for?
Please excuse the terrible photos!
