Bo's New Haircut / Rather Not Stay by The Cords

Back in January I interviewed The Cords, a young band of two sisters from Inverkip. They'd been on my radar for a while, thanks to my own sister Carla who met them at Rig Arts Centre in Greenock where she helps out with a community class. Carla sent me recordings that she had captured on her phone and raved about their creative nature and pure raw pop guitar sound. Pretty much everyone who meets and sees The Cords live goes on to rave about them. 

Eva and Grace Tedeschi are young teenagers who, if they had a Delorean, access to a flux capacitor, plutonium or the ability to harness a bolt of lightning, would set their time circuit settings to circa 1985 so they could try and get a song on NME's C86 compilation. 

The Cords have racked up some impressive support slots (including The Vaselines and The Umbrellas) and won the heart of Lauren who runs the label Heavenly Creatures (check the Adventure Club album they have just released) and most (probably all) of Monorail where they regularly hang out and buy records.

And now, if you haven't seen them live yet, you can hear why.

Bo's New Haircut / Rather Not Stay is the debut single by The Cords, released on limited edition tape. 

Bo's New Haircut has an instantly pure and catchy vocal melody over fast paced guitar (with limited or no effects) and beats. Told from the perspective of their dog Bo, this is over in a beautiful 100 seconds and a flash of sunshine. Three verses. Fast paced fun indie guitar pop. Pure. No pretence. No bullshit. Just naturally cool without trying. 

I think it might be cool if I looked like you

Give me a new haircut and I will be happy

Grace (drums) and Eva (guitar an vocals) - The Cords

Rather Not Stay sounds absolutely ripe for a good old indie disco (National Pop League) at the Woodside Social Club! After a slow burning 20 second intro, the fuse is well and truly lit and the song explodes delightfully into life. Eva's vocals sound pretty angelic and her lyrics are full of teenage innocence and honesty. The chorus will win your heart.

I don't want to go away

But I'd rather not stay

Produced by Simon Liddell and Jonny Scott and mastered by Nova Sound, The Cords have captured a beautiful moment in time for their debut single. I can't wait to hear what they capture next.

The Monorail edition SOLD OUT IN 15-MINUTES!

A Heavenly Creatures version is out this evening complete with handwritten lyrics and lollipops! 

NOW - available on all streaming/download platforms.

Keep an eye on The Cords Instagram where they may be announcing a show real soon. 

Velocity Girl

Edie Sedgwick, inspiration for Velocity Girl

33-years after its original release in as the b-side to Crystal Crescent, Primal Scream's Velocity Girl is as pure and as perfect as ever. In the same year it was released the song would open the NME's seminal C86 cassette compilation, going on to inspire bands to pick up guitars and let them jangle and chime.

Early Primals

Somewhere in Manchester, a young John Squire picked up a copy and it is notable how the Stone Roses sound changed from the punk debut So Young b/w Tell Me in 1985 and the songs collected on the Garage Flower compilation to 1987's Sally Cinnamon.

It is easy to hear why the song inspires. Velocity Girl is 82-seconds of a sugar pop rush, a guitar is strummed and a beat kicks in with Bobby Gillespe singing about a girl he is seemingly infatuated by but also aware of how much she could hurt him.

The vocals are over in under a minute following a plea of leave me alone, allowing time for the chiming guitars to take centre stage to drive the song to conclusion.

Velocity Girl is short, but it packs a perfect knockout punch.

Here she comes again, with vodka in her veins

Been playing with a spike, she couldn't get it right

Spelndour in silver dress, velocity possessed

The world was hers against fell apart again

I don't need anyone to hurt me, no not anyone at all

Cause my so called friends have left me

And I don't care at all

Leave me alone, leave me alone, leave me alone

Remastered ahead of its inclusion on Primal Scream's forthcoming singles compilation Maximum Rock N Roll, the single is out now digitally before a limited 7-inch is released on 24th May, it's first repress since 1986.

The video featuring a modern Bobby Gillespe spliced with footage of Edie Sedgwick (Andy Warhol) from the film Ciao! Manhattan.

I had an Edie Sedgwick type character in mind when I wrote Velocity Girl. I read Jean Stein's biography about her and I wanted to meet a girl like that. Hanging out with Warhol, The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan and shooting speed while looking absolutely fabulous. Super hip and beautiful. She was the muse. I love her.

Bobby Gillespe

Everything Flows Podcast 3

Everything Flows Podcast #3

Pure guitar pop, a trippy psychedelic remix, soaring and searing punk rock, classic soul, disney-esque wonder, new teenage guitar music from Ayrshire and brilliant modern pop.

Tracklisting below, click HERE to listen.

Velocity Girl - Primal Scream
Soon (Andrew Weatherall mix) - My Bloody Valentine
Sugar Kane - Sonic Youth
California Soul - Marlena Shaw
It Is You - Natalie Prass
Bring You Home - November Lights
1995 - Molly Nilsson

Previous Everything Flows Podcasts

Podcast #1 featuring Teenage Fanclub, David Bowie, Dr Cosmos Tape Lab, Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, JR Green, The Undertones

Podcast #2 featuring The Troggs, Happy Meals, Rose McDowall, The Frank Popp Ensemble, Fun Boy Three, Jo Mango and The Pictish Trail, Miaoux Miaoux, Yo La Tengo

Dreamers

I have enjoyed and admired the creative talent of Duglas T Stewart for over 20-years. Duglas has a new project that he is working on called Dreamers - a departure from his work with BMX Bandits - or maybe the next step.

The Bandits last 3 albums (My Chain, Bee Stings and BMX Bandits In Space), have delivered career highlights, with Duglas reaching new heights with his songwriting and delivery. His ever willing band of collaborators extended to help him produce results that he probably dreams of - akin to his great hero Brian Wilson and also Daniel Johnston.

Duglas with the great Brian Wilson, Brian with the great Duglas T Stewart

Check out the likes of So Many Colours, The Sailor's Song and the exceptional The Unforgiven for starters. A far cry from the C86 days yet retaining the warmth, melodies and love that Stewart has a natural knack for.

Duglas recently wrote this on the BMX Bandits website. (click the link for the full post)

"2014 was a difficult year for me. I know there are people out there who have it much worse than me but that doesn’t help, actually it just makes you feel worse and guilty that you’re not feeling good. On the last night of the year I recorded a song.  I thought I was going to be celebrating the arrival of the new year and new hope for the future in Hamburg but I was home alone in Bellshill. I was in a mess. I recorded a version of Somewhere from West Side Story. I found an orchestral backing track, added some of my own stuff to it and put it through some echo and sang one take straight into the computer mic. At least that’s what I think I did. I couldn’t actually remember doing it until I found the file on my desktop. It sort of made slightly harrowing listening for me but I think I captured something that has something, a rare authenticity. It’s certainly for real. I sent it to the mighty Bill Wells for his opinion. He said he thought it was “very special” and I trust his taste."

I was extremely moved by this recording. It is the sound of a broken heart, still clinging to hope, love and dreams. It is the sound of an artist looking for solace in song. It is beautifully and heartbreakingly fragile, my heart strings are pulled with every listen.

Duglas has released a further Dreamers song entitled Rust, another raw beauty.

The BMX Bandits will always have a place in my heart, but I am looking forward to hearing Duglas complete his Dreamers project with some more 'very special' music.