The Teenage Fanclub Fanclub at The Doublet

The Teenage Fanclub Fanclub is a community I joined via the bands old message board that was on their website for a long, long time. There was daily content from fellow fans from across the globe - long running threads, humour, politics, the odd dash of football, music recommendations and the running joke during spells of inactivity ... check the news page!

As was the case with so many message boards, things navigated towards social media and the Teenage Fanclub Fanclub Facebook group has brought even more people together!

Over time, I've met and become friends with many fellow Fanclub Fanclub members. It's a very friendly and supportive community.

The Fanclub Fanclub has recorded a number of tribute albums over the years. I'm delighted and proud to have played a part in the recent What They Do To Me trilogy of tributes. Volume 3 (post Creation years, solo and side projects) came out earlier this year, largely thanks to the drive and patience of Gill Ross, along with the brilliant Mark Rolfe of Winnetka Records and a pool of talented fans.

Gill was determined to bring everyone together for a launch party and yesterday it happened! What an amazing day of music, friendship, community and generosity for a good cause. Proceeds from the album (available by donation), ticket sales and raffle proceeds all went to Tiny Changes.

Here is a little blog on what happened.

Bands assembled from 1pm and there was time for quick line checks, with the very lovely Kenny doing a grand job on sound engineer duties. Doors opened at 2.30pm and after a nice Guinness Zero and a blether outside in the sunshine, I was back in for Michael Vickers, who has designed the covers for the What They Do To Me trilogy, starting things off. 

Michael goes under the guise of My Cover Story and he chose his covers well - including Alison's Starting To Happen and Rudderless by The Lemonheads, Thirteen and The Ballad of El Goodo by Big Star. Michael's fingers danced effortlessly up and down his guitar and he also made clever use of a loop pedal.

Covering Slow Fade and Getting Real by Teenage Fanclub was joyful, but there was a surprise! Duglas T Stewart of the BMX Bandits joined Michael for a beautifully tender take on Serious Drugs. December closed a cracking set.

What a start to the day!

Seahorse Migration (amazing band name!) were on next. The duo of Neil and Matthew created some beautiful music, playing some of their own songs, some covers I didn't know - to the extent I messaged Neil to get his setlist, some I did and a couple of Fanclub numbers. 

Seahorse Migration setlist

Sweet Days Waiting (Fanclub), Survival Car (Fountains of Wayne), new song (namesless and original), Gun (Uncle Tupelo), Waving (Bevis Frond), another new song (also nameless and original), Head Rolls Off (Frightened Rabbit), Every Sweet Soul (Tobin Spout), Up The Wolves (Mountain Goats) and Speed of Light (Fanclub).

Seahorse Migration's take on Frightened Rabbit's Head Rolls Off was sublime, soulful and very apt given our choice of charity. Here we all were, alive, and making tiny changes to earth.

Neil, hailing from the Isle of Lewis, sounds amazing when he talks, even better when he sings. His friend Matthew on lead guitar coaxed all kinds of shimmery sounds and riffs. It was a lovely set and I hope he names and records his original songs. Check their covers. The Fountains of Wayne song is ace.

Next up was Beckie Rahman and friends, also known as the lo-fi hi 5. They recorded a swoon-y take on Lightships Sunlight To The Dawn for volume 3. It's very possibly my favourite Lightships song and I loved their chilled take on it. 

Joined by friends Sheila McConnell on harmonies and tambourine and Mairead Hughes Green on penny whistle, the lo-fi hi 5 melted hearts with their covers of The Beatles Blackbird and Something - helped out by the crowd for the guitar solo on the latter.

Planets by Teenage Fanclub oozed the kind of warmth required for a Sunday afternoon down the pub in November. Gorgeous. Beckie's friends had come over from Ireland and it is safe to say that they loved Glasgow and it was great when Mairead won a couple of prizes in the raffle later on. 

On to headliners Broken by Rock who had the added bonus of live drums to take things up a notch. Their set was laden with Fanclub songs to please the crowd.  

Broken by Rock setlist

Candyfloss (Jonny), Older Guys (Flying Burrito Brothers/Teenage Fanclub), It's All In My Mind, Start Again (Fanclub), Videostore (original), Radio (Fanclub)

Candyfloss off the superb Jonny album, that Norman and Euros released way back in 2011, got things off to a flyer with Alan's wife Rachel singing harmonies and backing vocals. Alan (guitar and vocals), Andrew (bass) and Derek (drums) raced through the set with a real zip. Videostore (blogged on here) may be my alt pop song of the year. It's super catchy and had people singing a-long. While Radio was an absolute joy - guitar power pop perfection. Alan has a naturally melodic voice and can turn his hand to anything - a top guy and musician.

Alan, Derek and I recorded under the guise of Acer Trees for the third of the tribute albums. I do hope to record an EP or mini-album of originals with them one day. We have exchanged demos.

In the meantime, I got to join Broken by Rock for a 4-song set of; Mellow Doubt, So Far Gone, Crush On You and then The Charlatans classic The Only One I Know. The trio are excellent musicians and it was a joy to practice and play with them. 

I was having fun with Jad Fair and the Fanclub's Crush On You and pointed to people in the crowd while singing I've got a crush on you ... only to turn and point to Alan's daughter! And then his wife! Very funny!A funky skiffle busk through The Only One I Know seemed to go down well with Alan, Andrew and Derek locking into the groove.

There was just time to play a suitable song to end the day. Broken by Rock were joined by members of two of Glasgow's hottest young bands - Ben and Christopher from Fatale and Becky from Vanderlye for harmonies, while Rachel was back for some melodica action.

Fatale (09/01) and Vanderlye (24/01) have both just announced headline shows at King Tuts in January.

The Concept is quintessential Teenage Fanclub. The guitars, the melodies, the harmonies, the humour ... Broken by Rock and guests captured all of that and more. Del's mini drum solo to usher in the extended outro was glorious. It was a fitting end to a very memorable day.

We have raised over £1,000 for Tiny Changes through album sales (donations), tickets and the raffle. I'll update this total once it is confirmed.

Thanks to all who contributed to the trilogy (we need to make it a quadruple - right?!), donated money and prizes, came down to The Doublet and got up and played.

Never Ending Mixtape part 104

Welcome to part 104 of my Never Ending Mixtape!

I started this blog/playlist/mixtape back in October 2016 with the simple intention of creating a playlist that I would add songs to on a regular basis and then blog about the latest additions every month.

There would be no thought to the structure of the playlist, unlike the mixtapes and CD's I would make in my younger days. I'd just add songs when I felt like it, depending on what I was listening to.

As a result, my Never Ending Mixtape jumps from 4,588 songs to 4,651 with the addition of a David Holmes remix of Delakota's I Think I Caught.

You'll find a few of the additions listed below. There are loads of new discoveries and new releases. Check the magnificently named Kids On A Crime Spree! (Pictured above under The Beatles)

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or CLICK HERE

Recent discoveries

Liquid Gold 25 by Jacob Alon

Rainbow Chaser by Nirvana

Look At The Sun by Felt 

I Don't Want to Call You Baby ... Baby by Kids On A Crime Spree

Feeling Fine by Ocie Elliott

New releases

Happy With You by Big Thief

How Can I Tell You by Brook Coombe

Brand New Me by Saint Etienne

Everybody Laughs by David Byrne

If I Had A Boat by Kieron Hebden and William

Cobra by Geese

One Hand Free by Ezra Furman

Old favourites

Feel Good Inc by Gorillaz and De La Soul

Half the World Away by Oasis

Everybody'a Gotta Live by Arthur Lee

Drivin' on 9 by The Breeders

She's A Rainbow by The Rolling Stones

Hey Bulldog by The Beatles

Keep Your Dreams by Primal Scream

Fatale at McChuills

Fatale played their first ever headline show at McChuills on Friday night - Halloween. As singer Ben Robertson pointed out when thanking everyone for coming, it felt like the band had come full circle. McChuills was where they played their first gig, back in May. Now, just shy of 6-months later, they had sold it out.

After playing King Tuts Summer Nights in July, a venture through to Edinburgh in September and then Tenement Trail in October, it definitely feels like Fatale are on the rise.

Tenement Trail was great, but this was the best I have seen the band. A headline slot gave them longer to play with, so a packed McChuills was treated to a 45-minute, 11-song set.

Making the most of the screen behind the stage, Fatale came on and fuzzed up their guitars for opening number September. The visuals of logos behind them added to the vibe and a hyped up, dressed up Halloween crowd were well up for it. There was a definite sense of occasion to the night.

The Vaselines Molly's Lips was played next and they tore through it, Robertson was in the crowd at times, bouncing a-long with them. Another Sunrise, with the brilliant hook I'm going out tonight, is becoming more familiar to me with every gig. Definite future single potential.

Speaking of hooks and single potential, new song By The Tide is another that I look forward to hearing again soon. The hook I don't care about what's going on is one I would have loved to have sung as a teenager, but it feels just as relevant to me now. 

A cover of the Mary Chain's Taste of Cindy was a glorious riot. Scuzzed and fuzzed up guitars. Top marks to the couple (pictured below - parents of Adam from support band Bogle) dressed as Jesus and Mary Chained! 

Bogle were on first and their set mixed songs that sounded like early Pink Floyd with songs that sounded like the early Ride EP's. They can play! I'm way more into Ride than Floyd, so those songs were my personal favourites. I really enjoyed their dreamy shoegazey guitars and harmonies. I'll hopefully write a blog on them sometime soon. Their debut EP Shimmer Guitar Pop was aptly named. Also hailing from Lanarkshire, I hope to catch them again soon.

Speaking of Jesus Christ, Fatale singer Ben Robertson had been wandering around dressed as Christ (or now I come to think of it - was he Caesar?)  earlier. He had changed into stagewear for the show but kept his crown of thorns on. I assumed it was Christ because of Fatale's brilliant song Jesus Christ - a song that left its mark on me after I first heard it back at their Tuts show in the summer.

The guitars of Euan and Christopher collide gloriously, there are more hooks than Rocky Bilbao fighting at his peak. Most bands would love to have the verses to this tunes as choruses! The bridges/pre-chorus are even catchier and then there is the chorus itself;

Jesus Christ knocked on my door

Just let me sleep ten minutes more

Coming out with songs of praise

Righteousness lost in the haze

With Han Solo (James) driving things along furiously and beautifully on drums and bassist Oscar in the groove, this is a delicious slice of guitar punk pop. 

How could I hold my head up when you're down

How can I stand the world when you're not around

The little fuzz bass break after the middle eight is superb. Then it's straight back into the chorus for a final blast. Think God Knows It's True era Fanclub meeting The Undertones for a couple of pints of Guinness and then having a jam. Catchy guitar brilliance.

Ending with their (fast becoming) traditional one-two of their demos (CHECK THEM HERE) and currently the only material they have released.

I'd never have thought that The Velvets Femme Fatale would become a sing-a-long anthem for teenagers in 2025, but Fatale are making it one! Their (largely young) crowd lapped it up.

Ben announced that set closed Moves You will be released as their debut single in the very near future. The band tore through it, slowing things beautifully for a breakdown. 

Understand what I'm going through, tried to paint, but it's never you

Understand what I'm going through, tried to paint, but it's never you

It's never you

After another chorus and searing and soaring guitar solo, it's back into the groove with a verse and the catchy hook that is the chorus.  

Keep an eye on Fatale's Instagram for updates.

Turns Into Stone

I missed Stone Roses eponymous debut album in 1989, but then, I was only 13. Two years later, in 1991, I was buying the NME and Melody Maker every week, listening to the Evening Session and discovering albums like Teenage Fanclub's Bandwagonesque, Nirvana's Nevermind, Primal Scream's Screamadelica, Massive Attack's Blue Lines and R.E.M.'s Out Of Time. What a year for music that was!

The fifth year common room was ripe for music tapes and I fell for the magical melodic guitar pop of The Stone Roses big time. Over a year or so, I bought up all their old 12-inch singles, also on 7-inch, CD and sometimes even cassette tape. I was hooked ... line and sinker.

The Stone Roses are the most perfect band I have ever fallen for. Their music, artwork, hair, clothes, personalities ... I bought the Live At Blackpool Empress Ballroom film on VHS and must have nearly worn it to death. How could a band be this cool?!

International, Continental - Ian Brown in Blackpool. Photo by Justin Thomas

Virginia Galleries in Glasgow had a shop that sold old music magazines, so I collected NME and The Melody Maker's that told of the Roses court hearings with their record label Silvertone. 

Ah ... Silvertone. The label that promised so much. Following the release of Sally Cinnamon on FM Revolver in 1987, and after years of building a collection of songs, The Stone Roses were courted by several labels, most notably Rough Trade, who funded the recording of Elephant Stone, with Peter Hook on production duties.

However, the Roses, thanks to a slap up Italian dinner, signed an 8-album deal with Zomba Records, later transferred to Silvertone (a subsiduary). The Roses were able to buy the Elephant Stone tapes off Rough Trade as part of the deal.

The Silvertone years were golden ... pardon the pun. 

• 1988 - Elephant Stone 
• 1989 - the impeccable run of Made of Stone, She Bangs The Drums and the double a-side of Fools Gold / What The World Is Waiting For in 1989, 
• 1990 - One Love in the July of a hot hot summer. This single was released on the back of the Roses playing Spike Island in May and Glasgow Green in June, the latter of which would be their final show for 5-years.

The whole world in his hands - Ian Brown at Spike Island

By now, the Roses had realised they had been ill-advised and hasty in signing their deal with Silvertone and they were trying to get out of it. Within a year, a period that halted the best band in the world in their tracks, the Roses were free and they signed to Geffen for a reported £1 million.

Silvertone, scuppered recordings when they appealed against the court decision to free the Roses. They also went on to release Adored, Waterfall and Resurrection as singles from the album. The court case, money, drugs, travel, deaths and births meant that it would be mid-1993 before work began properly on what would become The Second Coming. It eventually came out in December 1994.

Never Mind The Pollocks - photo by Kevin Cummins

Back to Turns Into Stone though ... another Silvertone cash in, although this was welcomed by fans - bringing together b-sides and non-album singles, it's an absolute gem of a compilation.

Reni's high-hat ushers in the sublime 12-inch version of Elephant Stone, then he is all over his drums, Mani comes in on bass (his first recording with the band) and Squire sprinkles chiming riffs like sugar over the top. Literally the icing on the cake. He places a cherry on top after a minute and 15-seconds later Brown yells break and his band take it up another notch. There is a break down and another build up, before finally Brown begins to sing, 10-seconds shy of 2-minutes. 

The second half of the first verse contains lines that meant so much to me as a teenager ... and they do to this very day.

Dreaming 'til the sun goes down

And night turns into day

Reni is on fire, Mani holds the groove and Squire is free to flow. This is an incredible single and it is little wonder that Hooky was lined up to produce the album, only timings didn't fit ... eventually leading the Roses to John Leckie, which worked out rather well.

Seems like there's a hole

In my dreams

Or so it seems

Nothing means

Anything ... anymore

From a different planet, in their own world - like all the best bands

The Hardest Thing In The World was the b-side and had been played as early as May 1986. Merging the Roses harder sound from their earlier days with their growing feel and understanding for guitar pop, it's a glorious burst of energy, wrapped up in 2-minutes 43 seconds.

Searching for a perfect day

It never happens that way 

Going Down is another gem from Squire and Brown's incredible songwriting streak of 1986-87. Melodic and melancholic, it's a real favourite of mine. I love the imagery in the lyrics, the tale of someone in love, lust and awe.

Penny's place a crummy room

Her dansette crackles to Jimi's tune

I don't care I taste Ambre Solaire

Her neck, her thighs, her lips her hair

And then of course the magical;

There she looks like a painting

Jackson Pollock's number 5

I really love the dreamy outro;

To look down on the clouds, you don't need to fly

I've never flown in a plane

I'll live until I die

Guitarist, songwriter, artist and dreamer - John Squire

The chiming guitar pop perfection of Mersey Paradise is one of the first guitar riffs I took the time to learn. Built around the D chord, Squire creates a chiming masterpiece and Reni is all over his kit - pounding, rolling and grooving. When Brown lets out an oh yeah before the final chorus, it is the sound of a singer in love with his band and music.

Lost In Music - Ian during the magnificent outro to I Am The Resurrection - Live at Blackpool

Standing Here is a real favourite of mine. I should be safe forever in your arms is a lyric that melts my heart every time I hear this song.

Starting with Squire conjuring glorious sounds from his guitar, the band then fall in behind him, Mani and Reni lock into a groove, with Reni shuffling effortlessly about the drums. Squire just sounds like he is improvising over the top of them, a beautiful jam. Listen carefully for Reni's stunning backing vocals at times.

I really don't think you could know that I'm in heaven when you smile

As a teenager Standing Here appealed to me more than any other song for a while. Lines like that described how I would feel every day if a girl I fancied smiled at me. 

The breakdown into I don't think you think like I do (another amazing lyric) then leads to arguably the most beautiful 2-minutes in the Roses cannon.

Squire's guitar is just so considerate and melodic, Brown's whispered vocals are spine tingling, Reni is just soooooooo good. The outro is very arguably the most blissful moment in the Roses discography.

I could park a juggernaut in your mouth

And I can feel a hurricane when you shout

I should be safe forever in your arms

Pollocked - Photo by Kevin Cummins

Dating back to 1986, Where Angels Play was first played live in January 1987 and remained unreleased until Silvertone releases I Wanna Be Adored as a single in 1991. Brown is steadfast and defiant in his delivery of the lyrics, while the shimmering 60-second outro is sublime. This fades out and I wonder if there is a long version sitting in the vaults somewhere.

Simone is Where Angels Play backwards. A trick the Roses repeated several times to create trippy psychedelia. 

I wrote a feature length blog on Fools Gold (12-inch version) HERE that included the intro - Fools Gold was (and is) the sound of Stone Roses at their peak, almost 10-minutes of funk groove via bass, beats, wah-wah guitar, samples and the coolest person in the world at the time on whispered vocals about friends searching for gold and ready to steal it off each other.... oh and the Marquis de Sade.

Later I would say - The beat and bass groove are in from the start, it's fresh, it's funky, it sounds like nothing 4 white boys from Manchester should be creating. But then things were changing dramatically in 1989, particularly in Manchester, a city embracing ecstasy and all kinds of music from Detroit to Ibiza - people wanted to dance and expand their horizons - international, continental.

Fools Gold on Top of the Pops

What the World Is Waiting For is a burst of guitar pop telling tales of religion, gold and greed, making it the perfect companion for Fools Gold that it was released alongside. 

He loves his brother

He'd sell him for a fistful of gold

Things move up a notch to the outro;

Any time you want it, then it's there

All you gotta do is stop it on the corner and ask

Say hey, you don't live today

Stop the world, stop the world, I'm getting off

I've also written a feature length blog on One Love and Something's Burning that you can check HERE. I describe the songs as  - Squire on guitar, Mani on bass and the effervescent Reni on drums stretched out blissfully to create almost 16-minutes of dreamy, groove based psychedelia.

Riding in on some outrageous Squire guitar heroics, Mani and Reni fall effortlessly into a groove behind him, allowing Ian to come in with a hushed promise, sung in an almost menacing whisper.

Any time you want me

Any time at all

Any time you need me

All you gotta do is call

Mani and Ian at Spike Island

The bridge to the chorus is all kinds of trippy cool. Brown sings about being a dolphin who doesn't live in the sea, before the beautiful line you feel my flow and you flood my brain , slowing things down into a delicious groove ...

Show me your vision, your wild apparition

And sink to the depths of your soul

... before Squire delivers some star spangled riffs as the band hit the chorus;

One love, we don't need another love

One love, one heart and one soul

Reflecting on One Love in 1998, Ian Brown said "The chorus wasn't strong enough. We tried for an anthem. We wanted to cover all bases and ended up covering none."

After another run through the first verse and a slightly different bridge, the chorus is then extended, ending with a lyric that would become the title of their phenomenal Turns Into Stone compilation of non-album single and b-sides.

Your fruit's in season

And these feet fall surely sound

And what goes up must come down

Turns into dust, or turns into stone

Remarkably, all of the above (and more) is delivered in 2-minutes 45 seconds, leaving the Roses a full 5-minutes to play with on the 12-inch version. Mani's bass is central to the extended outro, allowing Squire ample room to play and Reni to jam along with some kind of sample/programmed beat.

The beat goes on - Alan 'Reni' Wren - a generational drummer

Tantalisingly, the song seems to have found another groove just as it ends. It could have gone on and on. The Roses look super cool in the video, playing and grooving as flames shoot up all around them.

John Squire, One Love video shoot

Something's Burning is as fluid and trippy a song as the Roses produced. The first 70-seconds sound like the band just mucking around with programmed beats and some effects for inspiration, then Squire coaxes a gentle riff from his guitar and a whispered Ian Brown vocal comes in, singing proverbs through the first verse.

There is a lift into the chorus and I particularly love the flowing melody of the final line.

I can see the love and the hate in your eyes

Penny for the thoughts behind your disguise

What you gonna go and what you gonna day?

I'm not the only one believing there's an easier way

And then a little groove into the next section that ends with a classic Ian Brown line;

It doesn't pay to disorientate me

It doesn't cost to be someone

I am the vine 

And you are the branches

I've said it before on this blog and I'll say it again. The Fools Gold and One Love b/w Something's Burning singles are a glimpse of where the Roses could have gone if they hadn't got caught up in legal wranglings. Can you imagine an album full of blissed out psychedelic grooves, jams and beats? 

Turns Into Stone is a remarkable collection of songs and the album is a real favourite of mine. I've enjoyed revisiting it a few times to write this blog and hope that by reading it, you might be encouraged to stick it on too.

Videostore - Broken by Rock

Videostore is a slice of unashamedly feel-good scuzzy pop written by Alan Clarke and performed/recorded with his band Broken by Rock, where Alan is joined by Derek McKee on drums and Andrew Clarke on bass. 

I first heard this song when Broken by Rock played the Old Hairdressers and I fell for it immediately - catchy, funny, hooky and perfect lo-fi guitar pop that's full of character. I found myself singing this for a few days after Broken by Rock recently played The Doublet - photo below.

Now released as a single on all the usual streaming platforms, you can check it too and see if you also find yourself singing-a-long. I bet you do! 

This is like a Fruit Pastille! Remember that advert? I bet you can't put a Rowantrees Fruit Pastille in your mouth without chewing it.

I bet you can't listen to Videostore by Broken by Rock without singing-a-long! Give it a go!

Under 3-minutes long, a sampled intro leads to fuzzed up guitars and then Alan's naturally melodic voice comes in. The verses are playful, the chorus is a hook that you can instantly sing-a-long with. I love the second verse;

My Mum she works at the record store

Two doors down from the video store

She came in looking for Rocky 4

(said) "This is a pretty cool video store"

The hook is simple and effective;

Come on, come on

Do you wanna work at my videostore

Alan - "Guest vocals are supplied by Rachel, and Camilo Pineda kindly allowed us to sample audio from his YouTube posted videos from a US videostore in the early 90s. The recording has a lo-fi aesthetic that fits with the analogue subject matter—it recalls days of hanging out in the local videostore, considering what movie you're going to pick for that evening's entertainment while friendships (and more) blossomed. It was actually kinda cool to be the guy that worked behind the desk... would you wanna work in my videostore?"

Alan kindly answered a few questions for the blog, so read on to hear about family life growing up in Fife, the power of a cardboard box drum kit and the bands that sparked a lifelong musical journey.

1. Can you remember the first time you wrote a song on guitar? Chords and lyrics?

I started writing songs when I was about 16 or 17 and quickly started recording them with my brother, Stephen.

We grew up in Inverkeithing, a small town in Fife. Apart from playing football in the local park in the summer and Pac-Man on our Acorn Electron 32k, there wasn’t much else going on, so forming a band and writing music seemed like a good idea! All four kids in our family played instruments (piano, violin, and viola), so there was always music happening in the house.

Our recording setup was truly DIY:

• We used a tape recorder and a ghetto blaster.

• The rhythm section was a taped bass line, someone hitting a cardboard box for the bass drum, and a KitKat tin for the snare.

• Once the rhythm track was done, we’d play it back and record the vocals and guitars on the second cassette recorder.

We wrote together, so the details of who did what are fuzzy now, but songs like There’s A Man and Let Me Go came out of those sessions. Falling Down was mainly written by me (I think!) when I was 17. You can actually hear that original recording right here:

➡️ Listen to "Falling Down" (Original Recording)

2. Who inspired you to play guitar?

Three people really cemented my desire to play: my dad, Tony Cunningham, and Brian May.

• My Dad: He wasn't a great guitarist, but he had an EKO acoustic and lyric/chord sheets for songs like David Bowie’s Space Oddity, The Everly Brothers, and John Denver’s You Fill Up My Senses. Watching him try to play them made me want to give it a go.

• Tony Cunningham: Tony was a local chap who gave lessons at a youth club. He had seen Led Zeppelin in the 70s and could play Stairway To Heaven, which I found very impressive. He taught me all the basic chords and got me properly started.

• Brian May: Brian May made me want to crank up the volume! We had some Queen live videos growing up, and watching him play Hammer To Fall and Tie Your Mother Down made me realise going electric was the only way forward.

I then got into a lot of hair metal, but it was the funky swagger of the Run DMC version of Aerosmith's Walk This Way that really switched me on to bands like The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, and early Blur.

3. How old were you when you formed your first band? Tell us about it.

I was 15 and a bit of a music nerd, hanging around the music department at school during lunchtimes, messing about with their Yamaha DX7 synth. Some older kids asked me if I wanted to play keys for their band.

The singer's name was Lorraine Hossack, so naturally, the band was called Hossack’s Cossacks!

We did one gig—a lunchtime performance at school. I played the piano, and we did a set of covers. The highlight was Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd, with about 300 school kids in the hall all singing along to "Hey Teacher, leave those kids alone!"

After that one-gig tour ended, I formed The Reaction with my brother Stephen (two years below me) and Neil MacNamara, who was a great drummer and, crucially, had his own drum kit! We played a few school shows and even got asked to play at another high school in Edinburgh, which felt like a massive deal at the time.

4. What’s been your musical highlight with Broken by Rock to date?

Broken By Rock is really just a great excuse for my friends and me to make some noise, escape the pressures of real life, and have fun. The thing I love most about it is the community that has gradually built up around the band—playing with brilliant acts and having great friends come to our shows.

We have a very DIY ethos, focusing on writing and recording at home, though we did have a session in Edinburgh at Post Electric Studios (the first time I’d recorded in a "proper" studio), thanks to a generous birthday present from my sister. That was great fun and produced our singles, Popstars and Kingdom. Off the back of that, we had some radio play on Radio Scotland and were invited to chat with Michelle McManus, which was a real treat!

I’ve also been very lucky to play with my pal, Stu Kidd, in KiDD. Riding on his musical coattails, I’ve had the pleasure of supporting Euros Childs, Norman Blake at Frets, David Scott of The Pearlfishers, and playing Tim Peaks Diner at Kendall Calling with the BMX Bandits and The Cords.

5. Do you have any fixed plans with the band? Or are you playing it by ear?

There is certainly no strategy board in my rehearsal room for Broken By Rock!

We usually play 2–3 gigs a year and try to release music when we can. I’m really looking forward to our track Videostore coming out—I'm very appreciative of Camilo Pineda in the States for letting us use the audio samples and footage for the promo video.

Gig-wise, we are playing a Teenage Fanclub tribute night in support of the Tiny Changes charity, set up in memory of Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbits. We’d encourage folk to come along for some choice Fanclub covers—there’s also a very cool new band called Acer Trees who are definitely worth checking out.

6. Lastly, what music have you been enjoying lately?

I've been listening to a mix of new and old tunes. Top of the list lately:

• A Firmer Hand - Hamish Hawk (Brilliant live!)

• Mahashmashana - Father John Misty (The whole album is great, especially "She Cleans Up.")

• The Shakes - Savage Mansion (Great collection. Members are now in Former Champ—check out their single Crooked Little Line, one of my 2025 faves.)

• The Making - Lavinia Blackwall (Unbelievable songs, production, and vocals—highly recommend.)

I also downloaded a Super Furry Animal Essentials Playlist onto my phone for my holidays. It became the perfect soundtrack to driving our rental Fiat 500 around the crazy hairpin bends in the Dolomites!

Finally, I can't get enough of the Music Maps Podcast, which features brilliant weekly hour-long interviews about music and books about music. ➡️ Listen to Music Maps Podcast

Tenement Trail 2025 - review

I took a moment on Saturday to reflect on the regeneration of the area around the world famous Barrowland Ballroom. So many amazing places have cropped up in the last decade - Saint Luke's, BAaD, The Gate, The Winged Ox, Van Winkle and 226 Gallowgate ... not to mention the way the old market now contains funky food outlets and super cool coffee bars. 

It never used to be like this! All the above venues came together to host Tenement Trail 2025, joined by McChuills, which is just a few minutes away from the venues across the road, behind, or to the side of the Barrowland.

Take 50+ new and breaking bands and artists and plant them in the middle of this and you have a super cool festival.

My friend Joe and I headed towards the Barrowland for 1.30pm. Here is how our day panned out;

2.45pm - Vanderlye at The Winged Ox

After lunch we headed straight to The Winged Ox (the bar at Saint Luke's) to catch our first band of the day. Vanderlye have released 7 singles/EP's over the last few years, building their sound and momentum. They might have wondered if they had pulled the short straw as they began their set with 20-30 people in the room. But before their first song had ended, it was absolutely rammed. Those that got down early were rewarded with an atmospheric and anthemic set. Guitars swirled Becky Clarke's voice soared with ease, gelling with singer and guitarist Sean McGarvey. Their second guitarist was creating some cool psychedelic sounds that reminded me of early Verve. 

3.30pm - Katie Nicoll at The Gate (secret acoustic set)

En route to our next gig, we decided we had time to stop into The Gate for a quick pint and were rewarded by chancing upon a secret acoustic set by singer Katie Nicoll that was about to start. While we could only stay for a few songs, there was time for Nicoll to showcase a song called Jodie Said that we both enjoyed. The chorus flowed superbly. 

4pm - Fatale at 226 Gallowgate

We headed across the road to 226 Gallowgate and wondered if we were late for Fatale as we could hear them as we entered. Thankfully it was just a quick line check. The bar quickly packed out and we were grateful to be near the front to get a view from the side, as those at the back wouldn't have seen much. Fatale were only playing their 4th gig, but they have generated a buzz with their shows from their debut at the Vicar Street Social night in McChuills back in May, to King Tuts in July and Bannermans in Edinburgh in September.

Fatale played a furiously fantastic fuzzy guitar pop set. A choice cover of The Vaselines Molly's Lips (more like the Nirvana cover) second song in highlighted their influences. Another Sunrise followed and the hook of wanting to go out is one that I can imagine being popular when they get round to recording and releasing. Own Embrace was introduced as a new one and it sounds like the band are developing all the time. After seeing Fatale at Tuts I described their song Jesus Christ as the catchiest guitar song I've heard in a long time. I stand by that as I found myself singing along and I've only heard it once. 

Ending with the two songs they released as demos, a sublime cover of the Velvets Femme Fatale and a glorious romp through Moves You, their forthcoming debut single, Fatale will most certainly have won some new fans. Next up for them is a show at McChuills on Halloween. TICKETS.

5pm - Madra Salach at Van Winkle

Joe had checked out Madra Salach from Dublin online and was keen to see them, so we headed straight over to Van Winkle and got a couple of pints just before the venue was packed out. The six piece outfit blew us away! Singer Paul Banks and his band opened proceedings with recent debut single Blue & Gold. Banks stretched his vocal chords to sing from the bottom of his soul and with all his heart. 

I found it hard to take my eyes off Banks. His captivating presence through his voice, eyes and expressions - think a bit Lydon and MacGowan (not to mention the cracking sheepskin coat he wore for the first song and then quickly discarded) wowed the crowd. His band mates created atmospheric soundscapes for him to sing over. Their Celtic folk soul sound was both familiar, yet unique, they definitely have their own take on traditional music.

Closing song The Man Who Seeks Pleasure (Is the Man Who Seeks Pain) was a genuine spine tingling moment. It will be interesting to see if they can capture this kind of intensity on record. This was beautifully raw, heartfelt and soulful. Banks gave it his all and his band played as if their lives depended on it. 

5.45pm - Youth for Sale at The Winged Ox

Resisting the urge to stop for a burger at the outdoor BBQ and Guinness Bar that was set up outside Saint Luke's, we headed back to The Winged Ox for Youth for Sale, a 6-piece band from Cambuslang that a few friends had recommended. I could immediately hear why - their dreamy indie sound was pretty sweet and they had the talent to swap instruments and take tuns on lead vocals. A choice cover of Alanis Morrisette's Hand In My Pocket was sublime. I'd definitely go and see them again.

6.15pm - Etta Marcus at Saint Luke's

After an afternoon of gigs and beer/Guinness, the need for food was calling loudly. We resisted again to head though to the beautiful auditorium of Saint Luke's for Etta Marcus.

Although, the vibe was in contrast to the energy, intensity and fun in the smaller venues that we had experienced to date, we weren't really feeling it. Maybe it was a case of the wrong timing.

So, after a few songs, the call of a BBQ'd burger and Guinness won us over and we headed outside. A few of Madra Sach were sat at the table behind us and I had a quick word with the drummer who seemed a lovely guy. They were delighted to be in Glasgow and hope to be back before too long.

McChuills with DJ Vinny

Post burger and Guinness (top marks to the team at Saint Luke's for this combo!), we were a little unsure of how long we'd stay out for. 

Deciding to be sensible in our old age (partly due to Joe having to be back to let the babysitter away!), we decamped to McChuills for one (or was it two?) final Guinness and some top tunes in the bar courtesy of DJ Vinny who played The War On Drugs, Stone Roses and all kinds of stuff that I can no longer remember. But enough to keep us entertained until we headed for our 9.20pm train, so we were home and in our beds long before headliners and secret sets! We'll need to catch Chloe Slater another time.

Tenement Trail 2026

We'd had a brilliant day and we didn't even make it to the Barrowland and BAaD! But then Tenement Trail has something for everyone. Whether it's the thrill of seeking out new bands, or going to see the more established bands further up the bill later in the day. 

I think we'll book a hotel next time and make a real day (and night) of it!

Early Bird tickets for Tenement Trail 2026 are on sale now.