2014 review by Crash Club

One of Neal McHarg's favourite albums of 2014 from one of his favourite bands

I first met Neal McHarg when Nevada Base ventured out to Ayrshire to play with Neal's band Crash Club. I admired the way he played the bass, there was real attitude. We got talking, discovered we shared similar taste in music  and have talked on and off ever since and when I got tickets to Primal Scream's secret show at the Poetry Club last year, Neal was one person I knew that would truly appreciate a ticket.

Neal's passion for music is clearly evident to anyone who has ever met him. He has a thirst for new music and a desire to delve back into musical history to discover all kinds of stuff.

Crash Club have really kicked on in 2014 and 2015 is shaping up to be a big year for them. They play King Tut's on New Year's Eve with Medicine Men and Tijuana Bibles.

I caught up with Neal to find out what he had been listening to through 2014. I'm sure you'll agree that it is a superbly eclectic mix. I hope Neal dj's sometime!

1. What singles/songs that have been released in 2014 have stood out for you?

the war on drugs -  red eyes
I remember hearing about them for a while and never really getting excited then I heard the new album and being blown away, this is the stand out for me.

Todd terje - Delorean Dynamite
thanks to a night out with Nevada base’s calum muir I discovered this track, the drive of the track just caught me straight away, yet parts of it sound so chilled, amazing mixture.

Medicine Men – Show What You're Made Of
Can’t get enough of this, tho big Ian defo gets enough of me telling him how much I love it ha. Brilliant groove and it just gets big as it goes on. Live wise its just unreal. 

Medicine Men

Tijuana bibles – Crucifixion
Dirty sleazy rock and roll at its finest, fat fuzzy bass line to tony’s husky vocal this is how rock n roll should sound.

Vigo Thieves – This Love
Remember hearing this for the first time on my way to Ayrshire and just feeling uplifted and having to listen to it over and over again, ridiculously catchy. 

   

2. What albums released in 2014 have you enjoyed?

black angels – clear lake forest
they really can’t do anything wrong in my eyes, yet another great explain of why their one of my favourite bands ever.

klaxons – love frequency
was really surprised by this, I wasn’t really a fan of the new rave stuff they done and we I listen to this for the time, I was amazed at how early 90’s influenced it was. Right up my street.

the war on drugs – lost in the dream
as I said earlier, the album is just outstanding.

deathcats -  all hail deathcats
got to love james and the boys, one of the hardest working bands in Glasgow and this album is great fuzz rock, Saturday night golden retriever is my personal stand out.
jagwar ma – the time and space machine dub sessions
Jagwar ma are right now my favourite band in the world, the album last year was unbelievable, and tho these sessions appeared on line last year, the vinyl only came out this year, and its so different track remixes yet still brilliant.



3. What old music/bands have you discovered/gone back to in 2014?

the bee gees – first 
they get a bad rep for cause of the whole disco stuff, but people forget how good the bee gees actually are! First is a 60’s classic.
john kongos – he’s gonna step on you again
all thanks to the happy Monday doing a cover of this with step on.  Love both but hadn’t really listened to the original for a long time.

supergrass – in it for the money
I miss supergrass loads, and with gaz releasing his next solo album, I went back and listened to my favourite supergrass album

Relaxed Muscle -  a heavy nite with…
my mate G loves Jarvis cocker during this part of his love, and when it was first out I wasn’t really listening to much of this period, but found my way back to it at the start of this year.

Nirvana- Bleach another album you kinda forget about just because what was to follow  blew your mind. brilliant all the same.

4. What has been the musical highlight of 2014 for you?

Seeing nine inch nails at primavera sounds was one hell of an experience so that is definitely a highlight, along with jagwar ma at the art school for stag and dagger.
but being asked to open for the klaxons and to finish of the year playing with 2 bands I love and have worked with in medicine men and Tijuana bibles will be up there as well. 

5. What are you plans for 2015?

We’re going to put out a vinyl with yoko pwno next year which will be brilliant to do, keep the momentum going for this year and step it up another level with the live show, introduce some visuals and stuff along with the lights, and target doing some festival shows this year.

2014 review by Chay from Electric Fields

As we were nearing the due date of our second baby I didn't make the very first Electric Fields Festival this year. Not a bad excuse I hope you agree!

I am kicking myself as the line-up, location (Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries) and weather looked fantastic and price tag was pretty unbeatable. Not even I would try for a guest list when the ticket price is £25!

Check this fantastic promo film from 2014 HERE

Electric Fields was the idea of a couple of people who are well versed in the independent, DIY and new bands scene in Scotland. I'm fortunate to have got to know Chay - the booked for Electric Fields through his work with the Solus Tent at the Wickerman Festival. Chay's line-up for the Solus Tent this year was exceptional - that is because he has his finger firmly on the pulse, so keep an eye out for the Electric Fields line-up and check out the amazing early bird offers for tickets. 

So lets see what has stood out for Chay from the huge amount (and variety) of music he will have listened to and watched in 2014.
1. What singles/songs that have been released in 2014 have stood out for you?

I'll keep all my answers mostly Scottish.  Anything by Neon Waltz, even the covers as they've got great taste.  The new United Fruit stuff is fucking awesome, so all of that.  Hector Bizerk's The fish that never swam EP.

Neon Waltz

2. What albums released in 2014 have you enjoyed?

I still haven't bought the new Twilight Sad album yet, which I need to rectify, and The Xcerts.  Aphex Twin.  Bear Arms.  Dead by Young Fathers.  Rave Tapes by Mogwai, but the t shirt that came with it has gone awol.  

3. What old music/bands have you discovered/gone back to in 2014?

I picked up two particular music biogs at the same time earlier this year so I spent some time revisiting the respective artists - Billy Mackenzie with 'The Glamour Chase' by Tom Doyle and James Young's 'Nico.  Songs they never play on the radio'.  My wife bought me the Viv Albertine autobiography for my birthday, which was handy as I dig out The Slits now and again.  I'll throw Locust Abortion Technician by Butthole Surfers in there too.  It's been a few years and evil is as evil does.

4. What has been the musical highlight of 2014?  

Electric Fields.  I don't think I can begin to explain how good it felt doing it.  It took so much work to put it together but it was totally worth it because we've got such a fantastic team of people working to achieve the same goal.  Having a beer with the stage manager Kenney Harris after the last band had packed up and left, it was a mixture of relief and adrenalin.  We didn't stop grinning for about 2 hours.  

5. What are you plans for 2015?

Right now I'm working on Electric Fields, as are the rest of the team.  There's some other things brewing that I can't go into so 2015's going to be a busy but fantastic year.

Wickerman Festival 2014 review

The Wickerman burned and so did a fair few people in the crowd as the 2014 Wickerman Festival experienced a Heatwave on the Friday before the almost traditional short shower on Saturday evening.

I headed down on Thursday for the first time. Good weather and a weekend with mates and music seemed like the perfect recipe - it was. It seemed like loads of others had the same idea and Wickerman veterans I spoke to noted that the campsite was at least 100% busier on a Thursday than previous years.

Thursday isn't an 'official' day at Wickerman; but you can start camping then and the Greenman Inn (the bar) is open for business. We arrived and set up camp quickly so we could get in for Them Beatles who had packed out the tent. They looked sharp in black suits, white shirts and skinny black ties, belting out classic hit after hit and ending with a euphoric Twist and Shout. I wish they had played for longer. After that it was a local bands playing covers followed by a DJ until the small hours.

Elliott, Martyn and me

Scorching sunshine turned our tent into a sauna by 7am, so Elliott and I got up and headed to the Down 'n' Dirty showers and thankfully the queue wasn't that long. The facilities there were excellent and Wickerman has to be commended for their regular cleaning of toilets throughout the festival. Martyn had been out partying until around 6am! However the sunshine and the promise of a slap up breakfast got him through the day.

A walk round the site and the obligatory picture in front of the Wickerman (Highland dancing) led us to the Secret beer garden and some ice cold mojito's and a sugar boost set us up for the day.

Like many others, we plonked ourselves down in front of the main stage to enjoy the glorious sunshine. The Hosts were impressive guitar driven pop rock whilst Skinny Lister brought punk folk to the festival and got people dancing down the front. Their double bass player had a brilliant 'this machine kills dub step' message painted on and their female singer was impressively energetic, swigging from a big jug of cider.

Skinny Lister

Cider with ice was the order of the day for us! We had a nice cold drink and watched some of the Mountain Bike stunt team performing stunts beside the Solus Tent.

We caught the last 3-songs from Atom Tree in the Solus Tent - their blissful electronica was warmly received - as was the chance to shelter from the sunshine. Reports on site said that water consumption was up 100% already compared to the whole weekend in 2013.

Machines In Heaven were then on next door in the GoNorth tent. They were as tight as always and their beats drew in a crowd from the sunshine outside.

Atom Tree

After that I experienced one of my highlights of the festival. We wandered down towards the main stage but the music coming from the SoChill stage/beer garden drew us in - it was Chic's Thinking Of You. The DJ was fantastic, spinning soulful disco, song after song. People were dancing in the sun and the DJ responded to us, keeping us dancing and then coming out from behind the decks to stand and sing a long with his arms spread wide and a huge smile on his face. I discovered the DJ in question is a northern soul/disco fan called Mark Linton. I'll be looking out for him playing in Glasgow as he was brilliant.

DJ Mark Linton

We had to leave though as we certainly didn't want to miss Martha Reeves and the Vandellas on the main stage. We met up with Craig and Jennifer just in time, they were late in as Jennifer had to work in the morning. As the festival basked in temperatures of 31 degrees there was only one song with which Martha could start - Heatwave set the tone for a short and sharp set (Martha's band took longer than anyone else to line check. It is a pleasure to be in the company of artists like this - you just don't know how much longer they will be around. Martha's voice was high at times, deep and soulful at others. Nowhere To Run was delightful and Dancing In The Streets a dream, especially with Martha causing much laughter as she said 'call the popo, I ain't finished yet', as organisers tried to halt her set as she was over-running. 

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas playing Heatwave in a heatwave

Quite an act to follow? Not for Alabama 3 who produced the performance of the day for me - just perfect. Their mix of gospel, country, rock'n'roll and electro produced a party vibe that suited the festival and the weather perfectly. Their backing singer was euphoric, the band were on fire, the rhythm section was just outstanding.

Alabama 3

The sun was beginning to set as Shed 7 took to the stage and launched into their hits from the 90's. Britpop fans rejoiced as songs like Getting Better, She Left Me On Friday, Disco Down and a superb Chasing Rainbows were played with a real passion. I think the band were quite taken aback by the reaction from the crowd. They have always had a strong fan base in Scotland and it was clearly on display down the front.

 Shed 7

I was really torn between giving Dizzee Rascal a chance to impress and heading up to see Young Fathers in the Solus Tent. I did a bit of both. Dizzee Rascal's 100 mph garage/grime/rap just isn't my cup of tea at all, although a lot of youngsters loved it.

Young Fathers had the lights turned low in the Solus Tent, creating a real mysterious vibe. Unfortunately I only caught their last 3 songs. I wish I had caught more as their power, passion, delivery and on stage presence was nothing short of mesmerising. The closing I Heard was truly exceptional. 

A long day in the sunshine caused us to grab some food and a chat before heading to the tent where we could still hear the sounds of Dizzee Rascal belting out his hits and then the pound of the dance tent until the early morning. 

It had been quite a day - my plans of spending a good amount of time wandering round the tents went out the window thanks to the glorious sunshine. However that is what being at a festival like Wickerman is all about - don't make too many plans, just go with the flow.

 Friday at Wickerman was scorching

Saturday

Sunday was cooler. I think even the most hardened sun worshippers were quite happy. We had a lazy morning outside the tent talking to a lovely couple from Edinburgh who were there with their 17-month old son Roco. I am definitely thinking of taking my daughter next summer when she will be 4.

We opted for mojitos to start the day again. That all important sugar boost!

Elliott and I had caught The Tea Street Band at King Tut's when they supported Jimi Goodwin, so we went down to the main stage to catch their set. They played well and have a real clubby element to their guitar tunes.

The guy in the red jacket must have had a good Friday!

We pretty much stayed by the Main Stage again other than a few wanders. The weather was still reasonably good at this point and there were a number of bands I wanted to see.

Model Aeroplanes were one of those and they didn't disappoint. It is about 9-months since I last caught them and the progress in that time is very evident. Confident in taking to the big stage, the 4-piece played a great set of 3-minute pop songs with influences from the likes of Vampire Weekend. There is a real buzz about this band in the Scottish music scene and they lived up to it and enhanced it. Well worth checking out if you haven't already.

Model Aeroplanes

Big Country went down well with the crowd. Big guitar tunes with a Celtic edge to them drew the masses from the campsites.

The 2014 version of Big Country

The Zombies were brilliant. Musically they were pretty untouchable, extending songs into brilliant funky jams, playing a delicious cover of the Motown classic What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted?, a beautiful version of Time Of The Season and closing with a crowd pleasing romp through She's Not There. I really enjoyed their set and hope to see them if they come back to Glasgow.

The Zombies

We nipped back to the tents to get jackets as the rain clouds were coming in and there was some light rain for a few hours. Nothing heavy though and it must have been one of the few times at a festival where some people were actually pleased that things were cooling down.

When we returned I had the pleasure of interviewing Del Amitri front man Justin Currie for the brilliant lads at Tenement TV. I play seven-a-side football with Justin and he kindly agreed to come in for an interview. I'll post a link when it is ready.

My sister Carla's band TeenCanteen were booked to play the GoNorth tent, so there was time to hang out with them in the VIP area before heading up the hill to to the tent and await their show. I managed to peek into the Solus Tent to watch a bit of the Amazing Snakeheads from behind the stage. The tent was rammed for them.

TeenCanteen played very well, probably the best I have seen them. The 4 girls were in excellent form, coming directly from the Indie Tracks Festival where they had played the day before. Their harmonies were exquisite and their sunshine indie pop went down well, drawing in a good crowd. You're Still Mine got a great reception whilst the closing Motown beat of Coming Up Roses and the sing song chorus ended their set with the crowd wanting more.

There was only time for a quick well done cuddle with my sister and the band as we headed back down to the main stage for Del Amitri. They kicked off in style with Always The Last To Know and Kiss This Thing Goodbye. The band were sensational when I caught them back in January at Celtic Connections and they were even better at Wickerman. Spit In The Rain was utterly gorgeous, as was Tell Her This while Move Away Jimmy Blue was one of my songs of the festival,  as was Nothing Ever Happens which caused us all to hug and sing-a-long. A real festival moment.

The Ramones-esque Drunk In A Band caused Craig and I to bounce around like loonies. Craig was celebrating his 30th birthday in great style. There was also a wedding underneath the Wickerman at one point!

Del Amitri hadn't quite finished though and romped through a surprise cover of Motorhead's Ace Of Spades, sharing the vocals among them.

Celebrating Craig's birthday in style with Del Amitri

And that was almost that. We were partied out but had time to grab a drink and head up to watch the burning of the Wickerman and the fireworks.

What a weekend; Wickerman seems to get better every year and more and more people I know are checking it out. The festival site is spacious, the atmosphere is friendly (and family friendly) and the selection of bands is eclectic and brilliant; from 60's legends through to the best bands breaking through from Scotland and beyond.

I'm just off the phone to my friend Martyn who experienced his first Wickerman at the weekend and despite being a little fragile today his first question was - are we doing it again next year?

YES!