Supersun came to my attention via a scene that is naturally developing among a young group of kids in and around Glasgow who share a mutual love of guitar bands - ranging from The Beatles, The Velvet Underground and The Byrds, through to classic Scottish bands like Teenage Fanclub, Velocity Girl era Primals, Eugenius and The Mary Chain. They seem to have found each other or be in the process of finding each other, which is amazing. It's creating a lot of energy.
Led by Adam Graham, Supersun are not just crafting infectiously melodic and harmonious tunes, but also actively nurturing the city's vibrant scene through their exciting new night, The Cabbage that is held upstairs in The Doublet Bar on Park Road.
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Back in November, I was fortunate to attend the first night (also Supersun's first (and so far only) gig) that featured The Violets, Fatale and Supersun, before all 3 united for a gloriously loving ramshackle sing-a-long of Teenage Fanclub's Everything Flows. There was a fanzine, stickers, and friends playing records after the bands had finished. Just a lovely, positive, friendly and welcoming scene. The second Cabbage night is on 15th January. It sold out in 5-minutes. There are only 40 tickets, but that is fantastic!
The Cabbage Forever - Instagram page
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As an older guy still kicking about the scene, I feel inspired and uplifted when I learn about all these young bands getting into the kind of music I was discovering when I was their age. The beat goes on.
Supersun, as you'll learn in the interview below, is very much a family affair, injecting their shared history and undeniable chemistry into a sound that marries the sun-drenched harmonies and chiming guitars of the 60's - Adam and his brother Jack both play twelve strings. Shack and The Coral came to mind during their set - there is a loving dash and splash of modern psychedelic jangle-pop in the Supersun sound.
Adam's ambitions for Supersun are driven by a deep pride for Glasgow's musical heritage alongside a love and understanding of new guitar bands breaking through. He sounds determined to leave his mark on the city - through music and events.
I caught up with Adam to discuss the origins of Supersun, their influences, the ethos behind The Cabbage and what is coming up next ...
1. How did the Supersun form? Where are you all from and what do you each play? How did you get to know each other?
Supersun has ended up as a bit of a family affair. There’s me, Adam – the one who sings the songs and plays guitar. Then there’s my brother Jack and sister Julia, who provide the blood-harmonies and colour things in with a few other sounds. Finally, there’s our cousin Chris who plays bass. I needed a vessel for the songs I’d been writing – asking the others to join was just the obvious choice, and the easiest. Since then, we’ve really come together as a force of something I believe to be pretty special.
2. How did you start creating music together? Does anyone take the lead on writing? Or do you jam ideas?
My brother and I have been playing together for as long as I can remember. We have been writing and performing as The Plastic Youth for a while now – Supersun is the new project, with myself emerging from behind the drums. At the moment, I’ve been taking the lead on the writing front, but the real essence of the songs only sparks once everybody has added their charm.
3. What kind of music are you listening to at present? Have any bands influenced you?
We are all massive fans of the 60's – this is what we grew up with in the house and what has ultimately informed our style, especially the harmonies. Our sound feels fresh, something I’ve not really heard before. We encapsulate the charm of the 60's with the pulse of the baggy 90's, with some nods toward modern psychedelic jangle-pop. A bunch of bands that have really influenced the sound would be The Beatles, Donovan, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, The La’s, Melody’s Echo Chamber, and Alvvays.
4. You've started a night at The Doublet called The Cabbage. What is the idea behind the night? And the name?
The Cabbage is a celebration of all that has come from Scottish youth across generations – from the past masters of Scottish music to the fresh faces on the block. The idea of The Cabbage originally came about to offer Supersun and the bands around us a different route into the industry – an alternative to average, uninspiring nights. At its core, we are the new youth culture, dedicated to championing the next generation of Scottish artists – having a good time while we do it.
As for the name, I remember working with Gerry Love on The Plastic Youth album, we were talking about naming the tracks. He mentioned their song The Cabbage, I don’t know if it was a caution of giving something a mental name or just pointing it out as one of those things you do at the time. Either way, when I was thinking of a name for the scene, I thought that’s perfect – I’ll use that. It’s a nod to Scottish music and captures that feeling of being young and not caring too much.
5. When you think of Glasgow and music, what comes to mind?
Pride. I feel proud to be from Glasgow, knowing everything that has come from the city in regard to music and art. I also feel a drive to etch our name onto its cultural tapestry.
6. What do you have coming up in terms of gigs, recording and releasing?
We are pretty fresh on the scene, so the future’s wide open. There is definitely something special stirring in Scottish music – our future lies in helping it off the ground and leading the charge. We have a few tricks up our sleeve; the first we can share is our upcoming show with The Cords and BMX Bandits. We are sitting on a number of big tunes, so the plan is to get them out as records as soon as we can. Other than that, we are going to continue creating exciting stuff with The Cabbage and Fool Creations.
Come along for the ride – let’s see where it goes.
Supersun play Mono on Thursday 12th February for the launch of Fool Creations. TICKETS
Fool Creations is Adam's new events and record distribution company. Find out more about them in February.
