Named after the debut single by Teenage Fanclub.
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This blog is all about being a music lover in Glasgow; reviews, interviews, memories, old faves, new discoveries (past & present) and more. Thanks for visiting - I hope you discover something amazing you've never heard before, or that you rediscover an old favourite.
Regular features/playlists; Never Ending Mixtape / Cover Version of the Month/ Trust Me.
Twitter - @murrayeaston
Email - murrayeaston {AT} gmail {DOT} com
The final additions of 2019 to my Never Ending Mixtape include classic songwriting, cover versions, under the radar McCartney (check 2M5 - amazing), soul, brand new music from Pocket Knife, electronic goodness from Groove Armada, Confidence Man and Underworld, blissful indie and a song from a band called Scott and Charlene's Wedding which is brilliant indie garage guitar pop. Then we have a pure bliss out with The Pastels and Tenniscoats collaborating and two songs by 90's underground garage band Love Positions from Australia - one a cover, the other one that was covered by The Lemonheads. There is the pop brilliance of Madonna's Borderline, some gems from Big Star and loads more.
You'll find a full list of songs that have been added below.
Thanks to everyone who follows this playlist and thanks if you are checking it out for the first time. I hope you find something you enjoy.
Click below, or search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify. Scroll down for the latest additions or click shuffle and dig in.
Fear and Doubt - Lightships
Train Leaves Here This Mornin' - Dillard and Clark
Don't Let Me Down - Dillard and Clark
The Warmth Of The Sun - Lightships
I Know That Much - The Lathums
Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy - The Tams
I'll Be Around - Otis Gaye
Home Tonight - Paul McCartney
Hot As Sun/Glasses - Paul McCartney
That Would Be Something - Paul McCartney
2M5 - Paul McCartney
All My Happiness Is Gone - Purple Mountains
Maybe I'm The Only One For Me - Purple Mountains
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - Gladys Knight and the Pips
Wild Mountain Thyme - Michael Head
Manger Constructeur - Pocket Knife
Does It Make You Feel Good? - Confidence Man
Boyfriend (Repeat) - Confidence Man
Ova Nova - Underworld
Moon In Water - Underworld
Diamond Jigsaw - Underworld
Cowgirl - Underworld
Rez - Underworld
I Won't Kneel (White Light) - Groove Armada
Paper Romance (White Light) - Groove Armada
History (White Light) - Groove Armada
Dreamin - Twerps
Back to You - Twerps
Don't Bother Me - Scott and Charlene's Wedding
Ambition - Subway Sect
Shoorah! Shoorah! - Betty Wright
The Music Box - Ruth Copeland
Gimme Shelter - Ruth Copeland
River Song - Dennis Wilson
Only With You - Dennis Wilson
The Blind Stagger - The Charlatans
Sunshine Comes - Even
Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon - Neil Diamond #10 - Velvet Crush
Sodane - The Pastels and Tenniscoats
Kiss - Love Positions
Into Your Arms - Love Positions
Back In The Corner - Scott and Charlene's Wedding
Imperial - Primal Scream
Borderline - Madonna
Cold Little Heary - Michael Kiwanuka
Nightime - Big Star
I'm In Love With A Girl - Big Star
Little Girl Don't You Understand - Bobby Freeman
Everlasting Love - Carl Carlton
Primal Scream and the Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom are a match made in heaven. I have caught the band in the venue many, many times over the years and they always threaten to blow the roof off the place. In fact, at one show circa 98 with the Mary Chain supporting I think they might have succeeded!
This show was like an FA Cup final for Gillespie and co, the last night of a tour to promote their Maximum Rock n Roll compilation, there was a real sense of occasion to the night. And oh how they attacked and went for victory with pace, style and class. You could imagine a Fergie style pep talk - just go out and enjoy yourself.
And they did. The lights dropped and Andy Stewart's I Belong To Glasgow blasted out of the PA. As it faded the riff from Don't Fight It Feel It started and the band sauntered on, Gillespie resplendent in pink suit, Simone Marie Butler looked like the coolest bass player in the planet and Andrew Innes just grinned and set about his electric guitar with glee.
The band tore through Swastika Eyes and blitzed into Miss Lucifer with Gillespie urging the crowd to shake it baby, shake it baby and everyone did as they were told. The pace was ferocious, Accelerator was white noise punk rock and Kill All Hippies grooved.
Yup - the pace was ferocious and the Barras was hot last night Finally worked how to create a GIF!
There was a let up with a glorious (I'm Gonna) Cry Myself Blind and then a stunning I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have, Gillespie was all over the stage, jacket tossed aside and leading the crowd with glee. Original Scream guitarist Jim Beattie joined for the chiming pop perfection of Velocity Girl and Imperial, the latter of which was a real highlight for me.
Then the pace picked up again, the rock n roll romp of Dolls, the sensational Burning Wheel. But it was the closing 6 songs that nearly did take the roof off the place.
Loaded was greeted like a lost friend, the groove kicked in and the place was bouncing. Then it was Movin' On Up with Gillespie urging us to be the gospel choir cause his manager said they couldn't afford one! And then an incredible blitz through Country Girl. Gillespie, Simone and Innes regularly came together to smile at the way things were going.
Everyone needed to come up for air and the band left the stage for five minutes only to be urged back on and they started where they left off. Come Together was beautifully euphoric with the crowd singing along and then it was the double whammy of Jailbird and Rocks, delicious maximum rock n roll to end the night.
Gillespie looked like he didn't want to come off stage. A glorious grin was plastered across his face as he took in the scenes and the famous Barrowland roar.
There have been a number of occasions where I have been surprised to find a song was a cover version rather than an original. I've never been shocked though...until now.
Bjork's outstanding 1995 single It's Oh So Quiet is a cover version! The song was originally released by American singer Betty Hutton away back in 1951 ... as a b-side!
And even then ... that was a cover of a German song Und jetzt ist es still performed by Horst Winter in 1948, with music written by Austrian composer Hans Lang and German lyrics by Erich Meder.
So there you go!
Back in 1995 the song was everywhere, helped by a sensational video by Spike Jonze that perfectly captured Bjork's sparky energy in tandem with the song.
Which is why I can't believe it is a cover! I read the NME and Melody Maker on a religious basis every week. How did I miss the fact this was a cover version? Is it because no-one thought to check anywhere in the world? Everyone just assumed it was Bjork because it seemed so perfectly Bjork?
It doesn't matter.
It's Oh So Quiet is perfect for Bjork as you can hear and see from the aforementioned promo film below. Everything is in slow motion as the song begins with Bjork hushing her audience beautifully, then, with a delightful spin, Bjork springs to life with a stunning verse/chorus about the joy of falling in love ending with the brilliant;
You've never been so nuts about a guy
You wanna laugh, you wanna cry
You cross your heart and hope to die
Bjork jives, taps and dances through another verse and chorus, the song then goes as quiet as possible, there is the gentlest of melodies and Bjork's voice is almost inaudible, beautifully so. I love this section of the song and the video. Bjork looks so lost in it, so beautiful.
Then things go increasingly crazy as Bjork dances, runs up walls and plays with umbrellas, there is another quiet verse and then Jonze's video goes full on musical as a mailbox comes to life and there is a dance routine on the street with everyone joining in before Bjork floats skywards.
It's Oh So Quiet is a beautiful song, Bjork performs it so magnificently that until two days ago I thought it was her own. I missed her recent performance at the Hydro but was in the mood to listen to her older material and wanted to check when this song was releases, upon googling I found it was a cover!
As for the original. Well, Bjork stays pretty true to it. Even though it was released away back in 1951. As a b-side! Betty Hutton maybe doesn't slow and quieten things down quite as much as Bjork, but she totally romps the louder sections. Hutton's version introduces backing vocals, the section where she begins you ring the bells is like a bolt of lightning and when she squeals this is it, I get a shiver down my spine.
But Bjork's version top trumps the original for me. Simply stunning.
Digging into back catalogues and rediscovering a lot of music from my teenage years is what predominantly took up most of my 2019 in music. If you scan through my 70+ blogs from 2019 there is only a handful of album reviews.
I don't know why this is. I read reviews, friends have raved about albums by Nick Cave, Lana del Rey and Big Thief, but I haven't had the urge to buy a copy or even stream them.
On reflection, it has been quite refreshing not chasing down newly released music. I've got loads of bands I love, loads of records to play (and CD's!) and a lot of the journalists, DJ's or artists I admire turn me on to music, largely from years gone by - Pete Paphides, Andrew Divine, Greg Wilson, Duglas T Stewart and Gerry Love for example.
Discovering an outstanding piece of music will always thrill me - whether it is newly released or whether it was released 50-years ago.
I've dug deeply into Motown and the incredible (and seemingly endless) collection of out-takes and rarities this incredible record label has to offer. Song #3 by Marvin Gaye is astonishing and this is one artist in particular who has a real treasure trove of archive material online. Song#3 is one song I would love to own on vinyl! Here is my blog on that particular Marvin gem.
This blog is titled 2019 albums of the year though. So here is a piece on each of my top 5 favourite albums of 2019.
As I always like to point out in my end of year albums blog, there are countless albums that have been released this year that I haven't bought or checked out and will only discover down the line.
Feel free to comment with your own top 5 or tweet @murrayeaston
1. Kiwanuka - Michael Kiwanuka
This is an artist that a few friends have been telling me to check out for a while. I have kicked myself for waiting until his third album to do so. I read a review that described Kiwanuka as kind of like a modern day What's Going On? meets Screamadelica. I immediately checked it out.
What an album! Beautifully written, performed and produced. There is ambition, there is soul, emotion and it all sounds so unbelievably natural! I'm still finding so much in this astonishing collection of songs from the driving opener You Ain't The Problem to the gloriously emotional closer Light. The writing, performance, playing, arrangements and production (by Danger Mouse) are top class.
I had to lose to understand
Strung out from all this
I look forward to catching Kiwanuka live at the Barrowland in March 2020. It is a complete sell-out and I am sure he will be back in Glasgow at some point in 2020.
2. Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
I was only introduced to this album in late November with the following recommendation - Genius and tragic. Like one big long suicide note. An upbeat suicide note.
Purple Mountains is David Berman, formerly of the Silver Jews and the album was released in July, shortly before Berman's death, ruled as suicide, in August, just days before a scheduled tour to promote the album.
Purple Mountains is a ragged, heartfelt, soul baring, direct album - straight from the heart, straight from the thoughts of the writer. It was largely recorded live, with two members of the band Woods helping to form a band to accompany Berman, they also produced. Many of the vocals were first take.
From what I've read, Berman finished Silver Jews and pretty much switched off from music and society in 2009 to read books and be alone. In an interview to promote the album Berman says I saw no-one and did nothing, also highlighting how depressed he was and that there were over 100 nights he didn't think he would make it to dawn.
Berman's mother died in 2014 and within a week he had picked up a guitar and wrote I Loved Being My Mother's Son. Berman also split from his wife of twenty years, the cause highlighted in She's Making Friends, I'm Turning Stranger - Berman was essentially a depressed hermit.
It's reflective and soul searching stuff, essentially a suicide note on vinyl. Somehow Berman can sing all my happiness is gone and make it sound quite uplifting. The dead know what they're doing when they leave this world behind is another lyric from the beautiful Night's That Won't Happen.
If I had discovered this album a little earlier it might be my album of the year. There is so much depth to it, so much reality, so much gut wrenching soul and reflection.
The closing Maybe I'm The Only One For Me has the lyric if no-ones fond of f**king me, maybe no-ones f**king fond of me. Berman finding humour and a clever line despite his feelings.
A quite astonishing album.
3. Pii 3 - Stephen Solo
Picture by Brian Sweeney
Recorded largely on an iPhone, Stephen Solo's Pii 3 can't help leave you wondering what this guy could do with a studio budget. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes bonkers, always interesting. Pii 3 is full of melodies and creativity from a unique artist. Suddenly Heaven and Reasons To Run are real favourites.
This is the 3rd in a trilogy. Clear an evening in your diary, dig out your headphones and work your way through the 3 Pii albums. There might be a tear in your eye by the time you reach the The Digital Dead which closes the trilogy. An exceptional artist.
Solo's songs discuss and confront love, birth, parenthood, aspiration, reality - often grim, the use of humour to get by, getting older, relationships, escapism ... the way Solo portrays his thoughts, dreams, fears and the dark reaches of his mind is unique.
I will always, always run to you
For the same old reasons
4. Varshons 2 - The Lemonheads
Evan Dando's taste for beautiful, clever and sometimes funny songwriting shines through on this second collection of covers he has released with whoever he has playing with him in The Lemonheads at the time. This gets better with every listen.
The record is like a lovely warm blanket, Dando's voice is one I appreciate more with every year. Things by Paul Westerberg is a little stunner, his duet with Marciana Jones on The Jayhawks Settled Down Like Rain is sublime and his transformation of Round Here is unbelievable. Check a live clip with Marciana HERE
Jesse's getting ready, I'm gassing up the Chevy
I'm gonna pick her up at 6, I hope she's gonna wear
The jeans with the tear that her Mama never fixed
I've listened back to Evan and The Lemonheads a lot this year and hope he releases some new music in the near future.
5. Lux Prima - Karen O and Danger Mouse
That man Danger Mouse again, turning in some beautiful music and bringing out a side of Karen O that I would love to hear more of. The 9-minute opener (and title track) sets the tone. There is no rush, a beautiful long intro, strings, and Karen O's vocals are stunning over sparse funky beats. But when the lush orchestration comes in - oooft.
Then you have Reveries with minimal instrumentation and Karen O singing in a gorgeous hushed voice that really draws you in.
As I slip down underneath
Please don't tempt me with your ecstasy
So when I go, I go quietly
Out of your arms
Through space I fell
Karen O says: "After making music for the past twenty years and embarking on making this record with Danger Mouse I knew a couple of things: one was that the spirit of collaboration between us was going to be a pure one, and two was that the more I live the less is clear to me. When you create from a blurry place you can go places further than you've been. I think we both were excited to go far out."
In the summer of 2004 I bought a compilation album called Songs for Mario's Cafe by Saint Etienne. Well before then, I had learned that Bob Stanley from the band had exceptional taste in music that was matched by his knowledge and thirst for more.
Every single song on this compilation was like finding treasure. I hadn't heard any of them before! I'll be blogging on some of my favourite compilation albums in 2020.
One of the songs that stood out from this particular compilation was a song called TheMusic Box by an artist called Ruth Copeland. I was blown away by the music, production, voice and raw emotion that leapt out of this song.
Starting with a children's choir singing a la la la la la la la melody, that you can instantly sing-a-long to, The Music Box makes use of the choir throughout, with Copeland singing in a crystal clear voice over a funky Motown style beat.
Copeland is on a plane to meet a lost love who has written to say he is marrying and has a child. In her pocket she carries the letter and a music box that her lost love had given her. Reading between the lines, the music box kept the flame alive. Now, Copeland feels she has to return the music box which plays their song.
The second verse is heartbreaking, Copeland meets he lost love, hands him the music box and walks away, hearing him open the box and play their song.
I could only hand to him the music box and turn away
And as I walked away from all our love I heard him play
The la la la la la la la melody is what the music box plays, leading to an incredible section of the choir singing the melody and Copeland breaking down, literally sobbing along over a beat that is crying out to be sampled, if it hasn't been already.
Trust me, this is a gem. Check it out below and dig into her limited back catalogue that includes a sensational 8-minute cover of Gimme Shelter.
Following on from 10 favourites by The Vaselines, The Lemonheads and The Pastels, ahead of two sold out shows at the Barrowland Ballroom on 17th and 18th December, it is the turn of Primal Scream to receive some love and attention.
Primal Scream came bounding into my life with the Movin' On Up video and single. They looked super cool and sounded incredible. I bought Screamadelica off the back of it, expecting more high energy rock n roll. Instead my mind was blown by the ambition, talent and soundscapes spread across this exceptional double album.
I have followed the band ever since then, catching them numerous times at Glasgow Barrowland, in a tent at Glasgow Green, at festivals, traveling to Manchester to see them play Screamadelica for the 20th anniversary and I have followed them on their sonic journey through music.
Screamadelica, Give Out But Don't Give Up, Vanishing Point and XTRMNTR is an exceptional run of albums from 1991 to 2000.
Pre 1991 the Scream were still determining who they were, their two patchy albums, Sonic Flower Groove and their second eponymous album released in 1991, were splashed with highlights like Love You and I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have, but in general it seemed like the band couldn't decide if they wanted to be The Byrds or The Stooges. The band were best known for the b-side Velocity Girl, 90-seconds of pure jangle guitar pop magic.
Sonic Flower Groove era Scream
Meeting Andrew Weatherall and being introduced to ecstasy changed them - for the better. Although it took time to change everything, even when Primal Scream released Loaded as a single Gillespie had greasy hair and dressed in leathers, his performance on Top of the Pops for that single is ridiculous to watch. Check it HERE
With a sharp mod style haircut Bobby Gillespie was suddenly the coolest person on the planet fronting the coolest band on the planet. Looking good enough to match his never undeniable excellent taste in, knowledge of and thirst for music.
Boundaries were being broken down in music all over the world and the Scream suddenly saw all kinds of new possibilities opening to them with Andrew Innes, Gillespie's partner in crime, starting to play a key role. Andrew Weatherall took them to another dimension.
The controls were not just set for the heart of the sun, Primal Scream were going higher than the sun.
The band arguably went too high, burned too brightly and they had to come down. Kind of. Give Out But Don't Give Up (and the recent Original Memphis Recordings) show a completely different side to the band - rock n roll, funky jams and gorgeous ballads - that they had touched upon with the incredible damage.
They went further, 1997's Vanishing Point is exceptional. The band, buoyed by the addition of Mani from the Stone Roses joining on bass, produce a melting pot of sounds that is truly their own. It is notable that the album was largely self produced.
This radio station was named Kowalski
Primal Scream went even further with XTRMNTR in 2000 - bringing in all kinds of guests to create truly incredible and pulsating music - Kevin Shields, the Chemical Brothers and David Holmes were among those joining the party. I would love to the 20th anniversary of this album to be marked with some live dates where the album is played from start to finish.
Has there been an album as energetic and as angry released since? Is there a band out there with the talent, anger and background that the Scream had at this time? Will there ever be again?
Primal Scream also utilised b-sides, recording cover versions, jams and releasing som stunning remixes. Although only one has made it into my list below, favourite b-sides include How Does It Feel To Belong?, Hammond Connection, Screamadelica (from the Dixie Narco EP) and the Burning Wheel (Chemical Brothers remix).
The post 2000 albums did take a dip in quality for me, but the exceptional tunes kept coming; Autobahn 66, Country Girl, Sometimes I Feel So Lonely and 2013 being just four.
The last few years have seen Primal Scream become a little more reflective in old age - revisiting the Memphis Sessions (who could blame them after Andrew Innes' extraordinary discovery of the tapes!) and with the singles compilation and tour.
Primal Scream in Memphis
Gillespie has always known how important Primal Scream were, or were going to be. And he is a music fanatic, he knows how to play the game, how to talk his band up on the level they should be.
And this current singles tour, a greatest hits tour if you will; maximum rock n roll, punk rock energy, euphoric house music, bluesy soul ballads - all combined will only cement what a truly incredible band Primal Scream are. They should be cherished ... they are.
Somehow I have tried to select 10 favourites. I could easily have selected 20.
Autobahn 66
Mani's bass for the Stone Roses is fantastic, but I think he really makes his mark with the Scream. I love the rumbling bass, the beats and the beautiful instrumental melody before Gillespie comes in.
Dreaming, I'm still dreaming
Dreaming my life 'til the day that I die
Dreaming my life 'til the day that I die
Autobahn 66 has a pulsating energy and delicate dreamy beauty to it. It's a real favourite of mine.
Everybody Needs Somebody (Original Memphis Recordings version)
There is a lyric in this song that got me the first time I heard back in 1994 and it still gets me every time. It's when Gillespie sings;
a little bit of soul
is worth more than gold
everybody needs somebody
The BBC documentary on the Original Memphis Recordings is fantastic. I love how Bobby rhymes off all these incredible people working on the album, names he has got to know through record sleeves and I love how he talks so passionately and proudly about his band mates and how they stepped up their game to play at the standard required for this album, in the setting they had in Memphis and with the musicians, engineers and producer involved.
This is such a gorgeous song, Denise Johnson's backing vocals are heavenly and I love the way the song breaks down to rise gloriously. A stunner.
Shoot Speed/Kill Light
I mentioned Mani's bass above, on this sonic electro punk blast it is at the heart of the song, allowing guitars to blitz all around it. On record this sounds like the vinyl might not cope with it, live it is one of the many songs Primal Scream have in their arsenal to shake things up, to move to another level, to threaten to tear the roof off the place. White Noise, White Heat. Incredible.
Benicassim Festival - live
Come Together (Farley mix)
I have blogged extensively on my love of this song, most recently HERE. My favourite version is from the 2011 Screamadelica shows where the Scream mix 3 versions together - you'll find that on the link above. Utterly euphoric pop, acid house, soul, gospel music.
I'm free, you're free
I want you to touch me
So come on touch me
It's all too much
Movin' On Up
This was the first Primal Scream record I bought after seeing the video on the chart show. Bobby Gillespie pulling all his Jagger moves, looking great, sounding great and with a big gospel choir singing my light shines on. This still sounds so fresh all these years down the line. Brilliant on record, utterly sensational live.
Rocks
I remember this coming out as a single and being incredibly excited by it. The Scream Team looked completely wasted on the cover, you stuck on the record and it was up tempo Stones-y rock n roll. High energy, high fun, high times for the Scream Team as they shot into the top 10 for the first time. Deservedly so.
The lyrics for the verses flow out of Gillespie like Dylan fronting the Stones before Mick and Keith come in for the chorus.
Velocity Girl
Released as b-side to Crystal Crescent back in 1986, this 90-second guitar pop gem was lumped in with C86. It stood out a mile and was allegedly the inspiration for the Stone Roses moving away from the sound of their Garage Flower era songs towards the likes of Made of Stone. This is clever, pure pop. I blogged on Velocity Girl back in April - HERE
New video from 2019 for Velocity Girl
Higher Than The Sun A Dub Symphony In Two Parts
In my opinion this is Primal Scream's best song. Lyrically, musically and with the production, they just get it absolutely spot on. This is psychedelic bliss; Gillespie sings;
I'm beautiful I wasn't born to follow
I live just for today I don't care 'bout tomorrow
What i got in my head you can't buy, steal or borrow
I believe in life and let live
I believe you get what you give
The music is trippy and beautiful, really taking the listener on a journey. Looking back and listening to Primal Scream's eponymous album in 1989, there is nothing to suggest what would come. You'll get more of an idea from reading old Bobby Gillespie interviews.
Higher Than The Sun features on both sides of Screamadelica, the original version on side 1 is sublime, the Dub Symphony In Two Parts on the flip is outrageously good, it really does head higher than the sun - stunning!
Primal Scream - Higher Than The Sun
All 3 sections edited together
Swastika Eyes (live)
Good on record, so good they included 2 mixes on the XTRMNTR album, but live this song becomes an absolute monster. Provocative, punk, electro, high energy, techno... anyone on before or after Primal Scream at a festival was obliterated by this song with Mani in sensational form on bass. The imagery and energy that leap from this song is sensational.
Damaged
This gem of a ballad comes after the euphoria of Come Together and Loaded on the Screamadelica album, easing you back to earth after sky scraping highs. This may well be my favourite Gillespie vocal and the groove that the band get locked into is simply heavenly - they are on it.
If I had to choose in order, Damaged would probably be my second favourite Scream song behind Come Together. The love lyrics are beautiful, the guitar solo is inspired, and Gillespie's confessions of happiness, security and love sound like the microphone has been inserted directly into his heart.
Cover version of the month #49 Dillard and Clark cover The Beatles
I've written about Don't Let Me Down by The Beatles a number of times through the blog, most recently in my Confidently Top 10 blog. It is my favourite Beatles song - so pure, so heartfelt, Lennon so in love that he has to say it in four words rather than three.
So I'm not going to talk about the original version that makes me picture the fab 4 on the Apple rooftop, Lennon's hair blowing in the wind and the friends gelling and laughing as they play their final show. Just watch and listen - magical.
Instead, I'm going to discuss the Dillard and Clark version that I recently discovered. I'm digging into the back catalogue of Gene Clark following the BBC documentary The Byrd Who Flew Alone.
Through the Morning, Through the Night was the second album released by Dillard and Clark, coming out in August 1969, only 10-months after their debut LP.
I've yet to find out how Dillard and Clark discovered the song before it was released on The Beatles Let It Be album in May 1970, but somehow they did.
Their version keeps the bluesy feel of The Beatles but turns it into country bluesgrass blues. Clark's voice is unaccompanied for the first few seconds before bass, drums, acoustic and lead guitar kick in. The vocal is beautiful and when the harmonies come in, especially if you are listening on headphones, it is pretty spine tingling.
My favourite section of the song is the middle eight;
I'm in love for the first time
And I know it's gonna last
It's a love that lasts a lifetime
It's a love that has no past
Clark changes a couple of words and the way his voice lingers on no past is just stunning. Dillard and Clark with over one minute of Clark repeatedly singing don't let me down backed by beautiful harmonies/backing vocals. The song fades ... I wish they had kept it going, it is sublime.
Yesterday was the very first Great Western multi-venue festival in the West End of Glasgow. Music fans had the chance of buying a ticket for a specific venue or a multi-venue ticket.
With The Pastels curating an excellent bill in Maryhill Community Central Hall including Lightships, Sacred Paws and Molly Nilssen - I quickly settled on the idea of staying in the one place. My friend Lorna started out at 3pm and hopped around to see Malcolm Middleton in the stunning Mackintosh Church, also checking out a psych band she couldn't remember the name of in the Hug and Pint and some spoken word in The Doublet before my friend Joe and I joined her at 6.30pm ahead of Lightships. Lorna even gamely hopped off to check !!! at the QMU and made it back for The Pastels.
Maryhill Community Central Hall is a superb venue and I hope the promoters 432 presents consider using it more throughout the year - seats on 3 sides and plenty of space to stand. The smaller room 2 was also excellent.
In Gerry's pre-show interview with The Scotsman he said - for me it's just a case of crossing the line and running about the pitch for a few minutes and going back off and being ready for the next season. That's the way I see it.
On the evidence of last night, Gerry is a midfield maestro like Paul Scholes - capable of turning up and turning it on. With a little training he will be on Champions League form next season.
Two Lines opened the show, Gerry's guitar collided beautifully with Dave McGowan's and we were off. Lightships line-up was Gerry, Dave, Noel O'Donnell (drums), Tom Crossley (flute) and Bob Kildea (bass). It seemed to go on for a glorious ten minutes.
We had two new songs which bodes well for the next season. The first one was, dare I say it, very Fanclub with a lyrics about choosing to walk from the airport. The whole set was beautiful, but I think the band grew stronger as they went on, Gerry would nod when he was ready to end a song, but the outro instrumentals were stretched out a couple of times as the band locked in a groove around circular riffs. Sunlight To The Dawn was a sublime end to the first Lightships show in many years.
We chose to catch up with a lot of people we knew after Lightships rather than head to the second room. There was a brilliant community atmosphere - apt for the venue.
Sacred Paws were an absolute delight. It's been a good number of years since I last saw them. I think that was quite an early show. The core two-piece of Rachel Aggs (guitar and vocals) and Eilidh Rodgers (drums and vocals) were backed up with an additional guitar and bass at times, but I couldn't take my eyes of Rachel and Eilidh. Their energy and enthusiasm had large sections of a packed crowd dancing away and I caught my friend Alan dancing his heart out up the back section of the seats - so did Rachel and she acknowledged him.
Before we knew it Sacred Paws had drawn us down from standing at the back of the side section of seats to the front for a little boogie. Rachel jumped down from the stage to join in with a crowd to our left. Sacred Paws were on absolute fire and it was one of those beautiful moments when the band knew it and the crowd knew it. I will definitely be going to see them next time they play Glasgow.
I've got a couple of Molly Nilsson's albums and I was looking forward to seeing her in Room 2. She was singing to a backing track, but that didn't stop her from being captivating - her red hair was striking and her silhouette was multiplied by the lights on to the back wall. I did only stay for a couple of songs as Lorna made it back from !!! and my sister managed to finish work a little early to get up in time for The Pastels, so we went to get a drink and a space.
I highlighted my love and appreciation for The Pastels in a recent blog. There was a lot of love in the Community Halls last night. The band were predominantly a 6-piece for the night, joined towards the end of the set by a 7th member to play (tubular) bells. Slow Summits was released 6-years ago and it made up most of the set last night. The 6 or 7-piece band sounded sublime, Stephen and Katrina seemed to take it in turns with lead vocals, at other times they were both involved.
Baby Honey was as outstanding as ever with Stephen coaxing excellent sounds from his guitar and the band ended with a surprise (at least for me) outing for their cover of Different Drum to huge delight all around me.
Stephen highlighted that The Great Western should become an annual event. If so, I hope The Pastels get to curate Maryhill Community Halls every year.
In The Year 2525 is a futuristic psychedelic garage pop song released by the American band/duo Zager and Evans. Written by Rick Evans back in 1964, the song was originally released on a small regional label in 1968, before being rereleased and hitting number 1 in the summer of 1969, both in American and the UK.
I first heard it when it was played in the Scottish independent film Small Faces and I fell for it instantly. The production is incredible, the delivery is immediate and powerful.
Talk about taking the listener on a journey; thoughts are pre-programmed into pills, machines take over resulting in parts of the body losing their purpose, kids conceived in test tubes ... talk about being ahead of its time!
Everything you think, do or say
Is in the pill you took today
The song flies through time in 1,010 year intervals, 2525, 3535, 4545 .... leading to 9595 and the singer contemplating if man will still be alive.
In the year 9595
I'm kinda wonderin' if man is gonna be alive
He's taken everything this old earth can give
And he ain't put back nothing
This is an incredible song. It is pop in the fact that it is instantly memorable, it is exceptionally clever, the power and delivery is sensational, the production is perfect and the fact that it is so out there, so futuristic and it got to number 1 - it's pretty mind blowing.
#10 - Velvet Crush
