GIG REVIEW : MALCOLM MIDDLETON : KING TUT'S, GLASGOW : SUNDAY 28 JUNE 2009

It's been a long time since I felt this hot at any gig - my mind was taken back to the warmest I've ever felt which was at a very small, packed, fire-hazard of a venue called The Jaffa Cake when Tindersticks played at the Edinburgh Fringe (I think it was 1997). But I reckon if, like then, I had gone down to the front instead of standing behind the sound desk, this latest gig by Malcolm Middleton might have set a new record.

Of course it was the spell of warm, muggy weather we've had in Glasgow that was the main contributory factor, combined with a sell-out at the small but perfectly formed King Tut's. But at the same time, Malcolm and his band did burn the place up with a quite memorable set....

It was a show that lasted almost 100 minutes, and, from recollection (and my compadre for the evening Mike* from Manic Pop Thrills might be able to confirm) comprised 17 songs, of which just more than half were taken from the new LP Waxing Gibbous. There was a b-side to a single, a cover version and just six songs taken from Malcolm's amazing back catalogue. Part of the reason for the show stretching out and indeed over-running the King Tut's curfew was down to the band, and in particular drummer Scott Simpson, needing to cool down a bit in between songs.

I only bought Waxing Gibbous three days before the show, but had listened to it four times in that period. It wasn't long before I came round to the view that its songs might be about the best Malcolm's ever written, but there was just something about how they sounded on the record that made me think it wouldn't replace Into The Woods (released back in 2005) as his best ever record. But having seen and heard the songs in the live environment, I've re-assessed things...and Waxing Gibbous can now claim its rightful place in TVV's all-time Top 10 LPs.

This time round, Malcolm is able to deflect attention away from himself by having two foils on stage - one all of the time and the other part of the time. Long-time band member Jenny Reeve has always been integral to the live sound with her guitar and violin playing and occasional vocals, but this time round she is so crucial that she has the middle mike of the three on stage, and she has never played or sounded better. It does help of course that so many of the new songs, and thus much of this set, allow her to make a big contribution.

The other big plus is the occasional presence of Johnny Lynch, aka The Pictish Trail, who in addition to providing an entertaining and enjoyable start to the evening with a support set, leaps out of the wings to add his vocal talents and indeed his stage presence, and by grabbing the audience's attention, he helps Malcolm be more relaxed, even to the extent of occasionally revealing a streak of self-confidence.

What was pleasantly surprising was how much more powerful the loud songs on the LP sounded in the live environment (Box & Knife, Red Travellin' Socks) and how the delivery of the slow stuff (Carry Me, Don't Want To Sleep Tonight) was gorgeous and moving. And as for Zero - a song that features the first ever rap on a Malcolm Middleton record - well, it just had to be seen/heard to be believed!

If you had said to me beforehand that personal favourites like Devil and The Angel, Devastation, Monday Night Nothing, Autumn, Death Love Depression Love Death, Fuck It I Love You, Superhero Songwriter, Week Off and Love Comes In Waves wouldn't be getting an airing, then I reckon I would have walked into the venue feeling disappointed and maybe even short-changed. As it was, I left with an enormous grin on my face, already making plans to catch his show in Edinburgh in eight weeks time.

Malcolm has already said that the release of Waxing Gibbous (his fifth studio LP in seven years), is likely to be the last before he does something different - perhaps forming a new band. I'm not sure if this means he intends to say farewell to his solo work. I really hope not.....

But just in case, I urge you to catch him while you can. Here's where his website tells us he'll be in the weeks and months ahead:-

June
30th - I.C.A., London (+ Pictish Trail + Little Ray)

July
1st - Glee Club, Birmingham (+ Pictish Trail)
2nd - Thekla, Bristol (+ Pictish Trail)
3rd - Bodega, Nottingham (+ Pictish Trail)
4th - The Cluny, Newcastle (+ Pictish Trail)

August
1st - Field Day Festival, Victoria Park, London
22nd - Sounds In The Grounds, Stornoway
27th - Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh

September
12th - End Of The Road Festival, Dorset
13th - Rotown, Rotterdam, Holland
14th - Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland
15th - Botanique, Brussels, Belgium
16th - tbc
17th - La Maroquinerie, Paris, France
18th - Cafe Glocksee, Hannover, Germany
19th - Gleis 22, Munster, Germany
20th - Bang Bang Club Berlin, Germany
21st- tbc
22nd - Flex, Vienna, Austria
23rd - La Casa 139, Milan, Italy
24th - El Lokal, Zurich, Switzerland
25th - Schuur, Luzerm, Switzerland
26th - 59to1, Munich, Germany
27th - tbc
28th - Blue Shell, Koln, Germany
29th - Prinzenbar, Hamburg, Germany
30th - Vox Hall, Aarhus, Denmark

October
1st - Lille Vega, Copenhagen,Denmark
2nd - Debaser Medis, Stockholm, Sweden
3rd - Debaser, Malmo,Sweden
4th - Garage, Oslo, Norway
5th - tbc, Gothenburg, Sweden
6th - tbc,

I have to say I'm tempted to try and book a cheap Ryanair or Easyjet flight to one of the European gigs.....I like the idea for instance of saying I've been to a gig at a venue called Debaser.

mp3 : Malcolm Middleton - Loneliness Shines (single version)
mp3 : Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat
mp3 : Malcolm Middleton - Blue Plastic Bags
mp3 : Malcolm Middleton - Don't Want To Sleep Tonight

But the CDs from his official site right here - and its well worth a visit for the great free downloads he offers, such as this:-

mp3 : Malcolm Middleton - My Delirium

(and no, the Ladyhawke song wasn't the cover version he played at King Tut's......)

* Mike's review, including set-listing, can be read right here.

THE DEATH OF THE 'KING OF POP'

Anglopunk over at Condemened To Rock'n'Roll has today written one of the best things I've ever read on any blog.

It's a long piece that will take maybe 5 minutes or so to read in full.

But its well worth it.

Click here.

Thank you.

IN CELEBRATION OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON...

The past couple of summers in Glasgow have been washouts, but so far we've had a fair bit of warmth and sunshine to enjoy. But now that today is the first day of the school holidays, you can bet your life savings (that is, if you have any left after all the recent nonsense with banks) that it will pour down with rain for the next six weeks.

Not that I care as I'm at work just about every day.

I once went on a chalet holiday with my mum, dad and brothers. It was in fact in 1979, just before my 16th birthday. A mate from school came along as well to keep me company as I was no doubt a really stroppy teenager.

I can tell you that I wasn't able to go behind any chalet to make my holiday complete. I was just too shy. But I know my mate got lucky......

mp3 : Squeeze - Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)

This tribute to the pleasures of oral sex only reached #44 in the UK Charts back in May 1980. For some reason or other this was one of the singles that didn't get left behind when I did a moonlight flit in the mid 80s, so my limited edition red vinyl 7" has a place in the cupboard. Here's yer b-side:-

mp3 : Squeeze - What The Butler Saw

It wasn't long after this that Squeeze suffered the departure of keyboardist Jools Holland as he went off to pursue a solo career, and although he rejoined the band in 1985, he again left to do other things in 1990. Whatever happened to him I wonder?

THE CLASS OF '79 (Part 19)

There was a while when picture disc singles were all the rage. This was the first one I ever bought. A single that hit the charts in February 1979, peaking at #17.

The thing was, nobody meaningful in the UK seemed to take The Cars all that seriously, (by that I mean music journalists - the fact they got a couple of Top 40 hits means enough people liked them to buy things - or maybe we were all suckers for the picture discs).

They did however, do quite well over in their own country. I suppose that we Brits had enough of our own home-grown new wave singers and bands to talk and write about that we could ignore what was happening over on the other side of the big pond. Maybe it was also the fact that the early releases were produced by Roy Thomas Baker who had a close working relationship with Queen. But they were never really hip or trendy in the UK despite the early singles and LPs being a great mix of spiky guitars and pop-orientated synths.

Just What I Needed had in fact been the band's first success in the States in 1978, but was only released over here as the follow-up to My Best Friend's Girl. After that, more or less nothing. But back home, they continued to greatly outsell the likes of Blondie and Talking Heads, both of who had emerged around the same time, but both of who enjoyed great critical and commercial acclaim in the UK and across Europe.

Most people nowadays think of the hit song Drive when any mention is made of The Cars, which is a dreadfully dull and dreary song that conquered the charts, not once but twice, both pre and post-Live Aid (the second time being when when it was used as the soundtrack to a particularly emotive video appeal associated with the fundraising)

The Cars broke up in 1988. While most of the lead vocals on their songs were handled by guitarist Ric Ocasek, it is bassist Benjamin Orr, who died of cancer in 2000 at the age of 53, who sings on this great wee bit of pop:-

mp3 : The Cars - Just What I Needed

There's no way I'm not going to make any case for The Cars being a band that should be in everyone's record collection, but I will defend the greatness of their early hit singles in the UK. They sound a bit like Squeeze.......

DIAL 911 OR WHATEVER....

Readers of old will recognise that the heading of this post and the image are the ones I use to highlight a dmca notice of a track/posting takedown. Its been a while since it happened (four and a bit months), but I woke up this morning, wishing I could find myself a gun, as I discovered something was missing.

It was last Sunday's 'The Class of '79 (Part 18) which featured Chelsea Girl b/w Garden of Hate.

I know it was there yesterday as someone made the effort to leave behind a comment. But this morning, it has simply vanished. And the only reason I noticed was because I was working on the next entry in the series and was going back to check on which number I had given to last week's instalment.

In other words, its come down and there's no sign of a dmca notice.

This means one of three things:-
(a) its on its way and is whirling around cyberspace looking for an Inbox
(b) the bastards are upping the ante and just taking stuff down without telling us
(c) some fucker can get into my system and delete stuff without my knowing

I sincerely hope it is (a).

The thing of course was that the posting was one which praised Simple Minds and pointed out the brilliance of their really early material. I'm not going to repost it all as I can't be arsed, but here's what you all said in response:-

Great song - the first Simple Minds track I ever remember hearing. I was introduced to it by my brother who was an ancient old bugger of 25 at the time. In those days it was usually me introducing him to new bands and I'm not sure how he heard Simple Minds before me (and outside of Scotland too). - Mick, 21 June 19:12

A sterling piece of reportage jimmy boy.Must admit, but for your first line tannoy notice, you may have lost me.I stood fast for your broadcast and am glad that I did. The fact that I barely recall this track is due single-handedly to beer - which seeped deeper into my 17 year old consciousness back then. It's a benchmarker of a sound - and certainly stands up 30 yrs on with a vigorous and unclogged pumping blue vein. - dick van dyke, 21 June 20:34

I have reviewed my opinion of Simple Minds' stuff, since coming to Scotland, for a time I was critical, but I think, even up to 1986 they were a great band. BTW - one of the other bands Bruce Findlay managed for a time was The Silencers; where do you stand on them, JC? - Ed, 21 June 21:04

The early SM stuff was awsome. It all went Pete Tong when Derek Forbes left and then the God awful pub rock album 'Street Fighting Years' came out. Shite.Check out the new one though, it's a kinda return to formish - PawnSacrifice, 21 June 23:22

Always a fan of SM and their constantly evolving sound. The early stuff was amazing in that it didn't invite you to like it but made you really think about what they were doing...a confidence of sound that lasted for quite a number of years for me. Sure everything got a bit out of shape after "Don't You..." but their are still very good things in the music and message of SM through to today...and btw, their version of Needle and the Damage Done is striking! - echorich, 22 Jun 04:58

Thanks JC. Similar to some comments here, one of the first tracks of The Minds I recall hearing, due to a mate's older brother who had it in their house. Still love the choppy guitar. Great song. - Stevie, 22 June 14:26

I still think it was the Breakfast Club that killed Simple Minds creatively.Nothing against the song from the film, per se, but I think in achieving the level of the success that they did in the States with that single, it pushed them in a bland direction where they were chasing the next top ten hit.Couple that with Jim Kerr's stalking of Bono's musical musings at the same time, and you have a great band descending into mediocrity quicker than you can say 'Johnny and the Self-Abusers'. - Darren, 25 June 06:38

Funny! I really love this song and that is speaking as someone who has never 'got' Simple Minds, nor did I get Johnny & the Self Abusers, wankers indeed!Regards, - Mona, 26 June 18:43

So far all of you who left behind such positive noise, and for those who maybe didn't get to hear what all the fuss was about:-

mp3 : Simple Minds - Chelsea Girl
mp3 : Simple Minds - Garden Of Hate

Part 19 of the series follows tomorrow......

THE BASTARD SON OF IAN CURTIS ON LEAD VOCALS

In the days before blog'n'roll I used to spend quite a few hours watching music videos on MTV2. Most of the time it was the same old, same old, hour after hour, but every now and again something would come on by a band or singer I was completely unfamiliar with. Sometimes I would be able to hit the record button on the VHS machine and go back and listen to the song/watch the video again just to see if, on second or third listen it was worth pursuing. Sometimes there was no tape in the machine and I had to go with instinct.

The latter is what happened when I heard this for the first time, all based on the title I've given this posting:-

mp3 : Interpol - PDA

I bought the album the next day. I should have in fact bought the EP as its reasonably rare and changes hands for not bad money while the album can be found relatively cheaply in some record shops (remember them?) every now and again.

Interpol seem to be one of those bands, like countrymen The Strokes, who got a lot of great things written and said about them initially, but when eventually they become commercially successful they are dismissed by the critics as glory-hunters interested only in fame and fortune whose new songs aren't as good as the old stuff.

Total bollocks....although the third LP, Our Love To Admire, was a slight let down in comparison to the brilliance of Turn On The Bright Lights and Obstacle. It seems they are back in the studio with new material due soon.....count me among those looking forward to it:-

mp3 : Interpol - Evil
mp3 : Interpol - The Heinrich Maneuver
mp3 : Interpol - Leif Erikson

Can't be many bands who dedicate a song to the first European to set foot on what we now call the continent of North America.

Don't ever say you never get educated round these parts.

FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE....WITH MORRISSEY (Part 23)

Many thanks for all the kind words left behind in the comments section welcoming back this long-running series that was, by necessity, interrupted by the 40 days of guest postings.

Today's offering is the third single lifted from the 2006 LP Ringleader of The Tormentors. Morrissey was riding the crest of a critical wave on back of the album as well as gaining loads of kudos for a UK tour that had taken him to loads of smaller venues in towns that rarely attracted any decent live gigs (e.g. Greenock, Grimsby, Halifax, Whitehaven, Blackburn, Truro, Cheltenham, King's Lynn). The goodwill extended to his fans who bought enough copies of the single to take it to #17 in the charts.

I was personally surprised that this was released as a single. I'm not arguing that its a dull or boring song, but it wasn't one of the stand-out tracks on the LP by any stretch of the imagination. The opening 20 seconds or so remind of songs by T Rex and Oasis, and I suppose I can never really get those thoughts out of my head as it unravels itself over the next three and a bit minutes...but it is, on reflection, the sort of track that would sound reasonable enough when coming over the radio airwaves.

mp3 : Morrissey - In The Future When All's Well
mp3 : Morrissey - I'll Never Be Anybody's Hero Now (live)
mp3 : Morrissey - To Me You Are A Work Of Art (live)

The two live tracks are Ringleader tracks that were recorded on Sunday 28th May 2006 at the London Palladium on what was the last night night of the UK tour (Morrissey, in a tribute to an old TV variety show had played three Sunday Nights at The London Palladium during May). They're actually quite good versions of the tracks.....Morrissey is in very good good voice while his backing band stick to faithful reproductions....

There was also one new track is one that I think deserved a place on the album itself rather than being thrown away on a b-side....but then again this outstanding tribute to the French fashion designer is probably the reason so many of us bought the actual single. It's one that, to the best of my knowledge, he's never played live, but knowing that he loves to put something very surprising into the setlists on every tour, I can only hope he decides to include this sometime in the future:-

mp3 : Morrissey - Christian Dior

Oh and I also love the sleeve on this one. I'm sure I had a jacket exactly like that when I was about 12 years of age....and I certainly would have had an ice cream like that when I was that age....

PS:

You've all probably worked out that all my postings are prepared a few days in advance...so a small addendum and my own thoughts to the news that will no doubt dominate the internet today, namely the death of the 'King Of Pop' at the age of 50.

I was no big fan of Michael Jackson, but I wont deny he released a number of songs that will go down as classics. However, he also recorded loads of songs that were, IMHO, just appalling nonsense and the less said about his troubled personal life the better.

When I heard the news, I immediately thought of this song:-

mp3 : The Smiths - Paint A Vulgar Picture

There's no doubt that someone, somwehere at the record label will be shedding crocodile tears, and the marketing folk will be planning their assault on the wallets and purses of record buyers...

THE GREATEST COMEBACK SINCE LAZARUS?

With the demise of Factory Records in late 1992, you would have been forgiven for thinking that the musical world had seen the back of Shaun Ryder. In fact, you wouldn't have got many folk disagreeing with the view that his time on planet earth itself was most likely coming to an end such was his drug addictions problem.

There were reports in the music press that he was forming a new band, along with his old sidekick Bez, as well as some other musicians from the Manchester scene, including members of Ruthless Rap Assassins and Paris Angels. But for months there was nothing coming out of the studio except rumours that Shaun, far from heading for an early grave, was in fact writing some of his best ever material.

I'm sure I first heard Black Grape on Radio 1 in mid 1995 when I was sitting in a car being driven to a football match - which would probably mean it was on a show hosted by Steve Lamacq and/or Jo Whiley. I remember the other person in the car, who was about as far away from being a fan of the Happy Mondays as you could imagine, saying that he thought it was an amazing song, and I realised that Shaun really was on to something pretty special.

The band were given a big lift with the endorsement of Radio 1 breakfast DJ and TV presenter Chris Evans, who was responsible for bringing a lot of the new Britpop bands to wider attention. But there was never any way that Black Grape could be linked into that genre..the fact they were in existence for a few short years at the height of Britpop was a mere coincidence...

For about 12 months from the summer of 1995, Black Grape released an incredible body of work, with five Top 20 singles (including an alternative football anthem to coincide with England hosting Euro 96) and an album, It's Great When You're Straight....Yeah, which hit the #1 spot. Sadly, the momentum wasn't maintained, and by the time the follow-up album Stupid Stupid Stupid came out in 1997, the band were beginning to fall apart with drink, drugs and illness taking their toll individually and collectively. They split in early 1998....

Black Grape may not have been with us all that long, but it was great fun while it lasted. Just about all of their singles are belters with some of the best lyrics Shaun has ever written, going a fair way to justifying the view of Tony Wilson that he was on a par with W.B. Yeats as a poet.

mp3 : Black Grape - Reverend Black Grape
mp3 : Black Grape - In The Name Of The Father
mp3 : Black Grape - Kelly's Heroes
mp3 : Black Grape - Fat Neck
mp3 : Black Grape - England's Irie
mp3 : Black Grape - Get Higher
mp3 : Black Grape - Marbles

A fairly magnificent 7 right enough.....

SKELETONS IN MY CLOSET (Part 8)

I may have thought I was really cool back in 1982 with my ever expanding record collection full of great indie music, but every now and again I fell for the charms of sheer radio fodder.

Blame it on the hormones as I couldn't take my eyes off the telly screen whenever the bikini-wearing Coconuts were there doing their thang on backing vocals to Kid Creole.

But let's be honest listen to the sax playing on 'Wonderful Thing' and accept its not far removed from that which appears on Rip It Up.....

From seemingly out of nowhere (although it turned out he had been part of band or production teams for a few years), August Darnell hit payola with his alter ego as Kid Creole & The Coconuts had a triumphant year in 1982. Three Top 10 singles in the UK and a Top 2 LP that hung around the charts for some nine months, and loads of TV appearances in the days when we had just the three terrestrial channels in the UK.

mp3 : Kid Creole & The Coconuts - I'm A Wonderful Thing Baby
mp3 : Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy
mp3 : Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Stool Pigeon

Ha cha cha cha......

Don't worry too much folks, I never adopted the bright shirts or zoot suits as a look.....I still wore my raincoat as I danced to this lot.

THIS NEVER HAPPENS TO ME....

Mrs Villain, every now and again, bemoans the fact that we will never have an amazing change of lifestyle as we will never win the lottery for the simple reason that I have never in my entire life bought a ticket. Its a philosophical thing - tax on the poor and all that. I've never even been part of any office syndicate....

That's not to say I'm against gambling. Far from it....I'm no stranger to the inside of a bookie's shop, sometimes on horses, but more usually on the result of football matches. Oh and I also have a regular £5 monthly bet with the lottery that is run by the credit union that I've been part of for more than 15 years ....

The post arrived the other day with some great news that was almost exactly like getting one of the good Community Chest cards in Monopoly:-

I have much pleasure in notifying you that you have won Seventh Prize in the Lottery Draw on 17th June 2009. Your winning number was 14 03 05 and I enclose herewith a cheque for £250 being the prize money due to you...

Happy days. I'l be buying a new pair of golf shoes and some CDs I was thinking about but wasnt too sure about...

mp3 : Lene Lovich - Lucky Number

With big thanks to the delightful and handsome Davy H from The Ghost Of Electricity from which I, erm, 'borrowed' this track back in January and never got round to returning to him. For those readers unfamiliar with the song, it's a cracking piece of new wave pop that was a Top 3 hit back in 1979.....think Devo with a crazy girly singer....

I COULDN'T HAVE PUT IT ANY BETTER MYSELF

For ages I've been trying really hard to write a critique of why I really detested the hit single I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry, but I've given up time and again as I never got it right. Sometimes I felt as if I came across as a musical snob, while on other occasions, I felt I could be accused of some sort of homophobia.

This is what I wanted to say:-

Sometimes music isn't just about music and lyrics.

It's about context.

You could easily dismiss 'I Kissed A Girl' as little more than a catchy pop song.

The question is, should you?

Is music just entertainment or should it have some kind of social or moral responsibility? Now, I'm more than aware that last sentence makes me sound like an old fuddy duddy and spits in the face of everything that rock and roll is supposed to stand for but hey, maybe I am. Maybe I'm overanalysing it. Taking it too seriously. Either that or I'm a closet Daily Mail reader in disguise and this post should simply read 'Ban This Filth!. You see, while it may attempt to pass itself off as some kind of lesbian liberation anthem, I can't help but find this song insulting and derogatory. Sung by the kind of social tourist that Pulp lampooned so well in 'Common People'. Yet we're supposed to accept that or ignore it because it comes wrapped in a slick, shiny bubble gum pop wrapper. We're meant to accept it because flirting with lesbianism has been deemed cool. We're meant to accept it because Katy Perry is an attractive, non threatening female. And we're meant to accept it because she's straight. I mean, imagine if she actually was gay. But then why waste your time imagining that?

Oh wait, no, that's what we're supposed to do isn't it, because the whole thing is cynically designed to titillate us. So long as we remember that she's not actually gay. This is the same kind of faux lesbianism that floods the insides of so called lads mags. The media constructed myth that lesbians are okay so long as they're attractive to men. A lipstick lesbian cliche. Besides, we all know they love a bit of cock really, right guys?!?!

Wrong. This song does nothing to advance the acceptance of gays and lesbians in society. It trivialises an important issue. Mocks it. Leaves a series of outdated attitudes in it's wake while strengthening stereotypes and doing lord knows what damage to both gay and feminist movements. But then what do I know? I mean, I'm not a girl and I'm not a gay girl so what do I know? Why should I worry? Why should I care?

Well I care because I worry what this song says to the kids it's aimed at. In the same way that I worry about the over sexualised lyrics and imagery that a band like The Pussycat Dolls portrays to impressionable young girls. What are vulnerable girls supposed to take from this? That this is how they have to behave to attract boys? And what of those who are questioning their sexuality? Are they supposed to assume it's just a phase? Won't it just add to their confusion? Or am I missing the point? Maybe it is just a bit of fun?

Like I said, it's all about context. If this song were written and sung by a lesbian then yeah, maybe it would be a proud, defiant anthem. A celebration. But it's not, it's about context. And if you don't believe that context alters a song, listen to this version by Travis. It's the reason why I'm ranting a year and a half after the song came out and I think you'll get a whole different take on it. No strangers to interesting cover versions, here Travis give the song a treatment that manages to start out seemingly innocent, coy and sweet yet somehow ends up seeming strangely creepy and sinister.

mp3 : Travis - I Kissed A Girl (live in session)

The above bit of writing is courtesy of the ever readable Coxon Le Woof over at To Die By Your Side which was one of the first blogs I ever started reading and one that sets a standard of quality that we all should be striving for.

And here's another interesting Travis cover:-

mp3 : Travis - Hit Me Baby One More Time (live)

Oh and is it just me or does the start of the Britney cover sounded like the dreaded and dreadful Hotel California?????

I WON'T SAY NO....HOW COULD I?

During the recent series of guest postings, Stevie left behind this comment:-

The Painted Word. My God. I"d forgotten about them. I remember buying one of their 12 inch singles..a rather poppy, string-laden thing. Independence Day???? perhaps? Very pleasant. Languishing somewhere in an attic in Burnside I think. Speaking of Goodier, I still remember him playing OJ's Flesh of my Flesh 12" on Clyde and being completely thrown by its twists and turns and therefore annoyingly talking and laughing over it. Now where could I find that remix??

Sorry its taken a few weeks.....

mp3 : Orange Juice - Flesh of My Flesh (12 inch version)

I have to admit that I'm not that keen on this version....just a wee bit too gimmicky.

And about nine months back, I re-posted the five sings that made up Village Fire, a 1985 release on Factory Records by James. I got an email a while after I had removed the link from someone in asking if I'd put them back up again as 'It's impossible to find this EP anywhere else, so if you could please be so kind as to put it up again, it'll make my day.'

Depending on where you live, it's not totally impossible as long as you're prepared to shell out £15-£20 for a copy, but since I am a reasonably nice bloke:-

mp3 : James - What's The World

mp3 : James - Folk Lore

mp3 : James - Fire So Close

mp3 : James - If Things Were Perfect

mp3 : James - Hymn From A Village

I havent listened to these since I last posted them......I had forgotten just how utterly brilliant they all are. No wonder The Smiths paid homage via a live cover....

FRIDAY, I'M IN LOVE WITH MORRISSEY....(PART 22)

After last week's near centrefold of the great man, there really could only be one song selected today:-

mp3 : Morrissey - The Last Of The Famous International Playboys

This was his third solo single, and was released at the end of January 1989. It was a track that got a lot of radio play and fared well in the charts, hitting the giddy heights of #6.

In the humble opinion of this particular fan, this is one of the best-ever Morrissey singles. Produced by Stephen Street (who also plays keyboards), it has the benefit of having Andy Rourke on bass and Mike Joyce on drums, as well as Craig Gannon on guitar, which makes it as near a Smiths reunion as you can get sans Johnny. (Incidentally, the other guitarist on the record is Neil Taylor, who lists Morrissey alongside Tears For Fears, Natalie Imbruglia, Peter Gabriel, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, The Pretenders, Van Morrison, Holly Johnson, Paul Young, Climie Fisher and Robbie Williams as the acts he has played guitar for over the years.....)

On first listen it seems nothing more than a homage to the 1960s East End gangsters, Reggie and Ronnie Kray (who were immortalised on-screen by none other than Gary and Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet in this film). But it is also a lyric that links to The Playboy of The Western World a play that caused great controversy when first performed back in 1907....

The anti-Morrissey brigade had a field day when this single emerged, accusing him of glorifying gangsters and violence, when in fact it was an ironic comment on the media's continual obsession with the twins. And while it is rumoured that Morrissey sent a wreath to Ronnie Kray's funeral in 1995, I'm sure that this is nothing more than an urban myth, or at worst an ill-conceived media stunt.....

Here's your rather enjoyable b-sides, neither of which were made available elsewhere:-

mp3 : Morrissey - Lucky Lisp
mp3 : Morrissey - Michael's Bones

Incidentally, the cover star is Morrissey himself as it is a family photo taken of him at the age of 7 as he climbed a tree (a case of a boy at play......)

Oh and I played a big part in getting the song to such a high chart placing as I bought the CD and cassette versions (and have since picked up the 12" version)

46

It can't really be 365 days since I revealed that Temptation by New Order was at #1 in the 45 45s at 45 series, can it?

Seems that it is, and so I have to face up to the fact that with me now older than the rotational speed of a 7" single I'm well into my middle age.

mp3 : The All New Adventures Of Us - 45 Forever

Thanks to Comrade Colin for bringing this one to my attention a while back.

A PLUG FOR A QUALITY PRODUCT

The above book was published by Ardra Press on 1st June 2009. Let me quote, in full, the blurb from the back page:-

'The Song Of The Soul’ is the story of a unique musical troubadour.

Born in Washington, Tyne & Wear on 27th July 1961, Martin Stephenson has devoted his life to developing his craft as a singer, songwriter and guitarist incorporating his love for an eclectic range of musical styles from pop and folk through to bluegrass and punk.

In the early 80s he formed The Daintees, a collaboration with like-minded souls, who produced several critically acclaimed albums. However, Stephenson’s purist tendencies sat uncomfortably with the mainstream record industry leading him to shun the populist route and plough an increasingly humble, low-key furrow. Many lesser souls would have bowed out after a series of strong solo albums fell on so many deaf ears – and live performances began to turn into battles; against ignorant audiences and, most pointedly, the bottle.

Such a determined talent could not be suppressed and after recharging his batteries in the Highlands of Scotland, Martin Stephenson returned to stunning and prolific form. By harnessing the power of the internet, Martin brought together a hardcore of fans to create a unique two-way communication; rediscovering the traditions of American bluegrass playing and reforming his beloved Daintees for a glorious series of gigs that have now become an annual event.

This burst of creative energy has continued with The Daintees recently returning to the studio for the first time in 16 years. The resulting album – “Western Eagle” – was released in March 2008 to glowing reviews in the major music publications.

‘The Song Of The Soul’ captures the restless, musical spirit of a man who has proved that talent and independence can not only survive but thrive in the music scene of the new millennium.

I've never hidden the fact that I've long been big fan of Martin Stephenson, and I can give the book no higher praise than by saying it was every bit as enjoyable and entertaining as seeing the great man himself play a live gig.

While it isn't a warts'n'all story, it is a piece of work that doesn't flinch from certain things, and leaves you in no doubt that Martin, particularly during the time when he was drinking to excess, wasn't always the nicest man to be around. The story of his behavior at one gig in the north of Scotland in 1996 is particularly toe-curling, but it is the event that led Martin to getting on the phone to Alcoholics Anonymous and sorting out his life.

I was someone who bought loads of records by Martin Stephenson & The Daintees between 1986 and 1992, as well as going to see the band on numerous occasions. I also knew that Martin had gone off and done all sorts of things in his solo career from 1993 onwards, recording albums in all sorts of weird and wonderful places and in a variety of styles including country, bluegrass, folk and traditional. I was fairly confident that I was at least aware of all the records he'd been involved in, even though I might not have them in the collection.

I was astonished to learn however, from a brilliantly researched and informative discography that there are more than 20 solo albums out there if you want to get everything that Martin has recorded...I would have guessed maybe nine or ten if you'd asked me before now. A lot of songs appear on more than one CD, but recorded with a different set of musicians and in a different style, and the authors, Richard Cundill and Mark Bradley, do a fantastic job in describing the tone of each record acknowledging that, for the most part, only the truly devoted would describe every release as flawless...

Looking again at the book as I type this, what I especially like is the fact that it doesn't concentrate on the glory days with the Daintees at the expense of the solo career when it was largely the efforts of a group of fans that kept Martin going through some very tough times, financially and otherwise. (Incidentally, this collection of fans was known as the E-Group - and that's a reference to a type of mail and not a type of drug...). There's just over 100 pages devoted to Martin's childhood, youth, early musical efforts and his time with the Daintees and Kitchenware Records, but there's the same again for the years 1994 -2008, and then the incredible 24-page discography.

I'm someone who devours musical biographies, authorised or otherwise, with somewhere in the vicinity of 150 of them lining the bookshelves. The Song Of The Soul is among the best of them - I'd put it up there with Andrew Collins' bio of Billy Bragg, and the self-written efforts of Bill Drummond, Julian Cope and Mark 'E' Everett.

One great thing I learned was that in late 2003, Martin Stephenson released an album called Airdrie, named after the town in which it was recorded. The authors describe it as one of the finer works in the Stephenson discography, but reveal that it is quite difficult to get a hold of as the singer fell out with his then manager and others who were working closely with him, and the CD wasn't pressed in huge numbers. Thankfully, there's e-bay nowadays and I was able to buy a copy just the other day, from which this song (a regular in the current live sets) is taken:-

mp3 : Martin Stephenson - Mountainous Spring

(Incidentally, another version of the song appears on a 2005 LP entitled Lincoln Cathedral).

The book ends on a hugely upbeat and optimistic note, recalling how the Daintees have got back together for gigs and indeed a new album that appeared in 2008. It also makes the point that I've tried to make on this blog before that the best way to capture Martin Stephenson at his very best is to get along to a gig near your home town as soon as you can and see for yourself how witty, charming and talented this unique singer/songwriter really is:-

mp3 : Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Home

And if you can't get to a gig, then I do thoroughly recommend that you buy this superb book. Available direct from the publisher here, and from amazon, here.

Oh and for all things to do with Martin:-

www.myspace.com/martinstephenson

http://www.martinstephenson.com/*

* now with correct spelling and link!!!!!!

Thank You.

CATCHY INDIE POP GOES MAINSTREAM (1)

The thing is, I heard it this the other night while I was out at the supermarket with Mrs Villain (Asda in Govan, Glasgow if you're remotely interested). It was probably my first listen to it in maybe eight years since it was seemingly everywhere, and I realised that it was rather a damn fine splendid pop song:-

mp3 : The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You

And that got me thinking that in the collection of CD singles sits something from way back in 1998 that I also think is rather spiffing:-

mp3 : The Dandy Warhols - Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth

Not sure where the rest of you stand dear readers, but this probably the only time I'll feature The Dandy Warhols on the pages of TVV.

THE FOLK YOU MEET ON TRAINS

It's a story I've been dying to share with you for weeks, but I didn't want to interrupt the series of guest postings.

It was Saturday 9th May, and I was with three friends travelling by train from Glasgow to Kirkcaldy (via Edinburgh) for the final football match of the season. Despite the weather being absolutely miserable, we were in great spirits as my team, Raith Rovers, had clinched the league title the previous Saturday, and the final match was all set to be played in a party atmosphere with the trophy being presented to the players afterwards.

We were a bit late in getting on to the train so we couldn't find four seats together round a table. I sat with Dawn at one table facing backwards in the direction of travel, while Micky and Mark sat together in two seats nearby but facing the direction of travel (these details are important).

The four of us were talking about football in general, and a lot of it was spent slagging off Manchester United (Dawn being a big fan, me thinking they are the anti-Christ) and none of us were paying any attention to anyone sitting around us. Then the bloke with the refreshments trolley came by and asked if we wanted something...at which point the bloke sitting opposite me and Dawn, and who all this time had been engrossed in a broadsheet newspaper (The Guardian since you ask) turned to his companion and asked if she would like anything.

Hang on I thought.....that voice is awfully familiar. So I looked across the three feet or so and realised that diagonally opposite me was David Gedge......

Regular readers will know I'm a bit of a fan of the band. But what a dilemma I was now in. My pal Dawn is not a music aficionado of any sort, so she wouldn't have had a clue who it was. Besides David was travelling with a companion, and I reckoned the last thing he would have wanted was pestered by a fan. The clinching thing was that Micky, who was seated nearby but not in any way that he could see the other two folk at my table, is also a big Weddoes fan and I know he would not have been shy at coming forward with adulation.

So for the remainder or the journey, I tried real hard to be normal and keep the conversation going with Dawn and not get caught staring at one of my idols. I failed rather miserably though....cos I was so excited that I knocked over the vodka and coke I had bought from the refreshments trolley. Luckily, it went all over me and not David, or even worse, the woman he was travelling with....

After another 25 minutes or so, it was time for us to get off the train at Haymarket to get our connection to Kirkcaldy. As I stood up, I turned to David and said, 'This is all a bit embarrassing, but here's what I've got to keep my head dry today' and pulled out a black beanie hat emblazoned with the words The Wedding Present in green stitching - something that I had bought at the gig the band had played in Glasgow back in January.

David smiled and then wished me all the best for the game. He had obviously heard us talking about the Rovers ( I was also wearing a Rovers replica jersey) and he explained he knew all about the team as his current drummer is from Kirkcaldy and a fan. I said thanks and that I hoped it wasn't too long before he was back on stage...at which point I got up to leave, but not before I tapped Micky on the shoulder and asked that he look at who had been sitting opposite me during the journey. He stood there open-mouthed....but in the 30 seconds before the doors opened and closed, he still had time to run up to David and make a plea for a 20th Anniversary tour to commemorate the release of Bizarro.

So we got off the train with big grins on our faces, and David continued on his own merry way, waving to us as the train departed the platform.

For the record, the game was a 0-0 non-event. But I couldn't care less.....I had a great wee story to place on the blog.

mp3 : The Wedding Present - Always The Quiet One
mp3 : Cinerama - Starry Eyed
mp3 : The Wedding Present - Our Lips Are Sealed

Next time, I won't be so shy.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WAS ALL OF 20 YEARS AGO....

But it is.

14th June 1989 when the life of Peter Louis Vincent de Freitas ended as the result of a motorcycle accident.

He was 27 years of age. And he was the first dead pop star I ever shed a tear for.

Born in 1961 in Trinidad, Pete de Freitas was a bit of a posh boy, educated at a famous Roman Catholic public school near Bath, England, and while he was far from dim, he was never keen on pursing an academic career. So by the age of 19, he was living in London, sharing digs with another lad from his old school, and both of them dreaming of forming a band.

Pete's flatmate had a big brother who was involved in the music industry, part of an ever-growing new scene on Liverpool. That big brother and his close mate started staying overnight at Pete's place whenever any of the bands they were involved with played in London. Pete would sometimes go along to the gigs, which is what he did one August night in 1979.

Pete's flatmate's brother was David Balfe, and his mate was Bill Drummond. The band they took Pete to see at the YMCA on Tottenham Court Road was Echo & The Bunnymen - a three-piece act backed by a drum machine. The drum machine was in fact 'Echo', the humans were 'The Bunnymen' - Ian McCulloch (vocals), Les Pattinson (bass) and Will Sargeant (guitar)

The band were getting a lot of attention, but it was widely felt that they would sound a lot better with a real drummer. Within 12 months of seeing them for the first time, Pete had that gig, just in time for the recording of the band's second single, but their first for a major label.

From 1980 - 1986, Echo & The Bunnymen were one of the most entertaining bands on the entire planet. All four band members contributed to the songwriting, which showed in the magnificently tight unit that was the guitarist, bassist and drummer, while up front they had a hugely charismatic singer who was not slow in offering his opinions on any subject under the sun. They attracted a huge following, many of whom dressed in identical clothes and wore their hair in the same way as their idols. They enjoyed Top 30 success with seven of their singles, but it was their LPs which found them at their best, all four of them going Top 10.

Live, they were truly electrifying, with shows that stretched out for well over two hours featuring not just the hits, but great and unusual versions of album tracks as well as a handful of covers from many of their own influences.

Many people associated with the band, not least their larger than life manager and the frontman had predicted massive things for the 1984 LP Ocean Rain. And while it sold in impressive numbers, it didn't conquer the world...

The band began to drift apart in some ways. First of all, McCulloch recorded a solo single. The others started producing and appearing on records by other bands. And in 1986, Pete de Frietas left the band.

Along with two members of the Bunnymen road crew, he took himself off to the USA to form The Sex Gods. The idea was to take the money he had made from his time as a Bunnyman, head off to to places like New York, New Orleans and Jamaica, filming themselves as they went along living a truly hedonistic life. It was a bender to end all benders....

There were drunken rows, drug busts, near fatal car crashes amidst the chaos. Later on Pete de Frietas would admit he was going insane. He was eventually brought back to the UK by Bill Drummond.

He was temporarily replaced as the drummer, but the rest of the band soon realised how much they needed him, and he was allowed to re-join.

Echo & The Bunnymen released an album in 1987 called The Game - this time with very little hyperbole, and although it went to #4 in the UK charts, critical reaction was lukewarm. This time it was singer Ian McCulloch who decided that enough was enough, and he quit in 1988, intent on the solo career.

The other three decided to keep going, on the basis that having failed to really crack America with Mac at the helm, they could maybe succeed with someone different, unlikely as it might seem. The new recruit was Noel Burke, ex-frontman of St Vitus Dance....and someone who sort of looked and sounded like Mac....

The new line up were in rehearsals in Liverpool in June 1989, and Pete de Freitas was on his way there when he crashed his motorcycle on a back road near Rugely in Staffordshire. As I mentioned earlier, he was just 27 years old.

Years later, Les Pattinson in an interview with a music magazine said that he still thought of Pete every day. At his funeral, the three remaining original Bunnymen cried their eyes out....albeit McCulloch could not bring himself to speak to Pattinson and Sergeant for what he considered a betrayal in replacing him as singer.

I remember reading about Pete's death in a newspaper the next day. My eyes welled up and my throat tightened. The man who I thought was the coolest man on planet pop was no more.

Quite a few years earlier, not far from my school, I had seen a motorcycle accident when the unfortunate rider was hit by a bus whose driver couldn't have seen him. It was an incident that I hadn't thought about much since, but it was the vision that flashed before my eyes as I read the paper, and it was something that gave me some sleepless nights over the next few weeks. Even as I type this, I can see that accident from over 30 years ago....all triggered off by the premature and sad death of a pop star.

You'll see from the photo above that Pete was good looking man. He was someone who just about everyone I ever went out with during my years at University would admit to fancying. When you heard about the way he lived his life, you just wanted to be him.

He was only two years older than me. And while I have had a great and memorable almost 46 years on this planet, there's still a part of me that wishes that I had lived his life for just one day...as long as that day wasn't June 14th 1989.

R.I.P. Pete de Frietas. I still think of you every time one of your songs comes on my i-pod....

mp3 : Echo & The Bunnymen - All My Colours
mp3 : Echo & The Bunnymen - Nocturnal Me
mp3 : The Wild Swans - Revolutionary Spirit
mp3 : The Colourfield - Take
mp3 : Echo & The Bunnymen - Do It Clean (live - 1983)

With a big thanks to Mike B, ex of Leeds but now from Boston, MA for reminding me that today is the 20th Anniversary.

THE CLASS OF '79 (Part 17)

Before this series took a break for the guest postings, someone left behind an exasperated comment along the lines of 'all this talk of 1979 and you haven't mentioned The Specials...'

It was always coming, you didn't have to show your impatience.

Having been rejected by numerous record companies The Specials decided to release a self-financed single. If the legend is to be believed the single was recorded for a mere £700 financed by a ‘sort of’ local businessman by the name of ‘Jimbo’. It is said that a piano part on the track took up most of the studio time and as a result only one track, Gangsters, was recorded.

Needing a b-side the band turned to an instrumental track Noel Davis had recorded two years previously in 1977 with drummer John Bradbury and trombonist, Barry Jones. Originally titled The Kingston Affair the track got a slight reworking and was re-titled The Selecter. The track also came complete with it's own unique catalogue number, which may seem unusual but was actually quite common with old ska and reggae singles.

The single was initially distributed via Rough Trade Records, who persuaded the band to produce 5000 copies, twice what the band had originally intended. The single was issued a plain white sleeve stamped by the band themselves with the words THE SPECIAL A.K.A 'Gangsters' Vs THE SELECTER. The band then signed to Chrysalis Records, who were more than happy to sign both The Specials and the 2 Tone label. Chrysalis pressed up more copies of the single in the now familiar 2 Tone sleeve resulting in a top 10 hit and the biggest selling independent single of the year.

Original Specials drummer Silverton Hutchinson had left the band just prior to the recording of Gangsters and was replaced by John Bradbury, and as a result Bradbury was the only person to play on both sides of the labels debut single.

(Info taken from this website dedicated to all things 2-Tone)

mp3 : The Special A.K.A. - Gangsters

Bernie Rhodes knows don't argue....it was a #6 hit in May 1979.

NB : I know this is a series that normally appears on a Sunday, but there's a special posting lined up for tomorrow.....

FRIDAY, I'M IN LOVE....WITH MORRISSEY (Part 21)

Regular readers of old may or may not welcome the return of this regular Friday feature which looks at the various singles that Morrissey has released as a solo artist over the years. So far, I've offered my views, not always positive ones, on:-

The Boy Racer
My Love Life
The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get
Hold On To Your Friends
Roy's Keen
Boxers
Suedehead
Everyday Is Like Sunday
First Of The Gang To Die
We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful
Our Frank
Irish Blood, English Heart
You're The One For Me, Fatty
Satan Rejected My Soul
Sing Your Life
You Have Killed Me
Dagenham Dave
Interesting Drug
I Have Forgiven Jesus
Pregnant For The Last Time
Interlude

I know that's 21 of the singles mentioned, but I combined two of them together in one of the earliest posts in the series.

As you'll have gathered from the images, this week's offering is one of the newest offerings, from the 2009 LP Years Of Refusal.

Now a wee while back on this blog, I mentioned that Morrissey had never cracked the trick of releasing three great LPs in a row, and I was worried that having got the critics eating out of his hand with You Are The Quarry and Ringleader of The Tormentors, the next album, whenever it came out and whatever it was called, would receive a savaging just because it was time to again turn on the great man.

Well, the charm offensive deployed by Morrissey with journalists at the time of the records' release worked in some ways, because Years Of Refusal, while not being lavished with praise, hasn't been slaughtered in too many places. But in the views of this long time fan, it is a bit of a disappointment, and in many ways this is demonstrated by the rather lacklustre first 'new' single taken from it (remembering that two other tracks were also singles but these were also featured on a previous Greatest Hits compilation from 2008).

I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris isn't an awful song, but it isn't all the good either. It's all just a bit too mundane, and I don't think a man of the stature of Morrissey should do mundane.

The new songs on the b-side are also fairly average - almost a case of 'Morrissey By Numbers' - but Shame Is The Name is worth a listen for the mere fact that it features a backing vocal from Chrissie Hynde.

And the live recording of one of the great old record by The Smiths from 17 October 2007 at the Genesse Theatre, Waukegan in Illinois is an sad illustration and example of the criticism often levelled at his band's ability to destroy the subtlety, class and poise of the original.....

It only reached #21 on its week of release in the UK back in February 2009, despite the chance for something a great many Morrissey fans of both sexes to finally get their hands on something they had wanted for ages* - a naked image of the singer - thanks to the inner sleeve of the 7" single.

mp3 : Morrissey - I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris
mp3 : Morrissey - Because Of My Poor Education
mp3 : Morrissey - Shame Is The Name
mp3 : Morrissey - Death Of A Disco Dancer (live)

*Not this particular fan I should mention....but Mrs Villain was quite taken by it and wondered why, although he is older than me, Morrissey is skinnier than me. I reckon its a combination of photoshop and that he's clearly holding his belly in....

THE FIRST EVER TVV INTERVIEW...

I really racked my brains thinking of a way to deliver something half-decent with my first posting in over 6 weeks. I needed some help to realise it....but thankfully Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit is a really decent bloke...

I did previously try and get a hold of Scott, via his record label, at the tail end of 2008 with the aim of getting his and the band's reaction to what I thought had been a very successful year for them. But for one reason or other, it didn't happen. At the end of this gig a wee while back, I got talking to Scott and without any hesitation, he gave me his own personal e-mail address and said I shouldn't hesitate to get in touch.

At the moment, Scott is holed up in the village of Crail in Fife (click here for more info), writing the songs that will eventually make-up the third LP which will hopefully be released in early 2010, but he very kindly took a few minutes to answer an inane list of questions that I sent over to him. If I appear nervous in asking the questions, that's because I was....as the heading of the post indicates, I've never interviewed a bona-fide star before now:-

JC : You released a critically acclaimed LP and your gigs and tours have attracted ever-increasing audiences. On a scale of 1-10, how did 2008 and the first half of 2009 rate for Scott Hutchison and Frightened Rabbit?

Scott : I'd give it a solid 8. I'm never really perfectly happy with anything but it was an incredibly special and momentous 12 months for the band. Right now I'm back to my most content, writing and arranging songs for the new record - maybe I'm tickling the balls of 9/10 at this time.

JC : On the night, you said that the launch of 'Midnight Organ Fight' at Mono in Glasgow was one of the best things you had ever experienced –I'm sure you actually said it was the greatest night of your life. Still stand by that?

Scott : Its right up there. I didn't know how many people would turn up, but the response was lovely. It was a big sigh of relief in many ways - we knew the record was good and that some would like it, but it took us by surprise, not necessarily the turnout, merely the reaction of those who were there. It's never been the size of the audience that matters, its the intensity with which people respond and involve themselves that is memorable. The whole thing had a lovely feeling about it.

JC : Was there any particular moment over the past 12 months where you realised that the band had made a quantum leap in popularity from the previous year?

Scott : Perhaps T in the Park was the one which made us realise it wasn't just our friends who were into it. However, because of the relatively gradual wander we have taken toward where we are now, each step up seemed to come at the right time. It all felt correct and justified, even when you have a whole tent singing along to your words.

JC : 'Poke' has to be one of the most personal and gut-wrenching lyrics ever penned. When it was largely an unknown song, everyone stood and listened to you – then for a while it turned into a sing-a-long with you conducting a choir of hundreds (as at the Arches in Glasgow). How did you feel that such an incredibly personal song became such a firm favourite? Were you ever concerned that it was in danger of turning into something like 'Wonderwall' where the singer just has to strum a few chords and let the audience do the rest?

Scott : I've found singing that song has been the nicest way to pass all the sentiments it holds over to anyone who is listening and singing. Its not really even about me anymore, the things it deals with are long gone for me, but maybe not so long gone for people in the audience. I think that's why some people feel compelled to join in. Some cities like to do the choir thing, others just keep their mouths shut. Either way, I still launch wholeheartedly into playing that song. Its one of my own favourites.

JC : I read elsewhere (it was here on the blog 'The Pop Cop') that many of the songs were inspired by the break-up of a relationship. Have you heard what your former muse thinks of the songs on Midnight Organ Fight?

Scott : We haven't spoken for a while, but she has heard it and used to say that some days she could just enjoy it as an album if she could detach herself from it sufficiently, and others it wasn't so easy to listen to. I've been honest enough in the songs that I think it represents that time and that relationship (at least the end of it) fairly truthfully and she was always incredibly gracious about it.

JC : I’m a big fan of cover versions – and I’m wondering if you ever think of throwing in some cover versions into the live set for a bit of fun? If so, what do you reckon they would be? Indeed I heard a strong rumour that you covered a Meursault track up at the Fence Collective event at Anstruther recently....

Scott : I did do a Meursault track, simply because its one of my favourite songs of last year, or indeed any year. On out last US tour we took to playing 'Song Against Sex' by Neutral Milk Hotel. I reckon covers ought be played after the originator(s) have ceased to perform them, as is the case with Jeff Mangum from NMH. I don't have many 'idols' as such, but if I had to name the person who has influenced me most in what I do, he would be a heavy contender.

JC : Still on covers - Who would you most like to cover an FR song – and which one?

Scott : I'd love to hear The Hold Steady do one of ours. I think Craig Finn would do a wonderful take on The Twist. If that happens, I could happily call it a day and work in Sainsburys.

JC : Have you ever considered toning down some of the language or re-recording some of the songs in an effort to get more radio play?

Scott : No, but the new stuff has a lot less blue language in it. I swear constantly in conversation, so it would seem strange not to have those words in the songs I write. Admittedly, I'm in less of a 'sweary' mood this time round, so its a bit cleaner, in that sense.

JC : You're living in Crail working on new material. There's a cracking golf course up there at Balcomie and one of my all time heroes is Seve Ballesteros. So I need to ask do you play the sport? If not, have you ever been tempted to try it out?

Scott : We went out for a round (my first in 10 years), for my Dad's 60th birthday in March. My Dad, my two brothers and I went round 18 holes with varied success. I hit more good shots than bad, so I came away fairly satisfied. What an incredibly boring answer!

(I didnt think it was boring...With Scott now admitting to being a golfer, he can be part of my dream four-ball with Lloyd Cole and Iggy Pop)

JC : Are you going to head up to Nedstock (aka T In The Park) next month? If so, who are you really keen to see?

Scott : Not going, and I'm not entirely sure who's playing aside from the big guns like The Kings of David Leon and Snow David Patrol. We played last year, and all I really saw was Yeasayer and Primal Scream, but the whole 'vibe' (hate that word, but sometimes its got to be done) was a bit weird. Saw lots of cocks pissing out of their cocks as we drove round the perimeter fence, which added to the classy... vibe.

JC: If Scotland were to qualify for the World Cup Finals in 2010, would you fancy writing the official song for the squad?

Scott : Hells yeah, but I bet it goes to Glasvegas. I'll get started writing it straight away though, just in case. Maybe I'll do a duet with Lulu and get to kiss her on the lips in the video. That would make 2010 a 10/10 year!

So there you have it. An informative, honest and amusing set of answers from the bloke who fronts what I once described as the best new band to come out of Scotland this century. A quote I'm happy to stick with despite the merits of a few others to emerge in the past 12 months or so...including the afore-mentioned Meursault, whose wonderful A Small Stretch of Land was recently played by Scott.

mp3 : Frightened Rabbit - Poke (live at the Captain's Rest*)
* buy the whole album here. You'll also be able to access video footage of Scott performing a brand new and as yet unreleased song called Swim Until You Can See Land

mp3 : Neutral Milk Hotel - Song Against Sex
*from the LP On Avery Island which you can buy here.

mp3 : Meursault - A Small Stretch Of Land
* buy Meursault product direct from Song By Toad.

Thanks again Scott for taking the time to help out and at least give me a fair chance of following all of the incredible guest postings.....

I know I'm not alone in looking forward to hearing the fruits of your labours in Crail.