This Is Memorial Device at The Tron Theatre

On Saturday 30th March 2024, 250 true believers visited the wonderful Tron Theatre in the Merchant City area of Glasgow.  We were drawn to this gem of a venue by a book, an author, a band, curiosity and our passion for music and the arts.

David Keenan's This Is Memorial Device, originally published in 2017, became a word-of-mouth cult favourite, developing an online X/Twitter community that has kept the fire burning, the word spreading.

I discovered the book via this growing online community (that I'm now honoured to say I'm part of) during lockdown. In many ways, it was the perfect time. The world had kind of stopped, escapism from reality was more important than ever and so, I dove headfirst into 1980's Airdrie, a town where it's not easy to be Iggy Pop! 

Told through the voice of Ross Raymond, a fan of local post punk psychedelic band Memorial Device, and various band members, associates and other fans, the book left me and many others wondering if this band ever did actually exist. Maybe we were hoping that they did! Because they left a mark. That's all you can wish to do as a band, as an artist. Create and leave a mark.

David Keenan weaves a passionate crazed psychedelic tale and I was intrigued to see how this would transfer to the stage. 

The answer? Beautifully.

Set in Ross Raymond's basement, full of memorabilia and relics from Memorial Device, the audience are immediately drawn into Raymond's world, into his memories. Played by Paul Higgins, the passion that Raymond displays for this little known band is utterly infectious and inspiring, lighting the stage and imaginations.

As someone who holds on to all kinds of memorabilia, and who also thinks back to local Carluke (also in Lanarkshire) bands like Librarian and All Too Human from my youth, I found this all too believable. I imagine a few people still have the old cassette demos and setlists stashed away in their lofts.

Raymond told stories of how he met Big Patty (guitar) and then Lucas Black (vocals). How the band forms with Richard Curtis on drums and Remy on bass We see the family tree of Airdrie bands on a powerpoint, illustrating Keenan's attention to detail and vivid imagination - which in turn feeds the myth/rumour that this all happened.

Paul Higgins, as Raymond, is a ball of energy; digging out backdrops, cassette demos and interviews (that are played as videos on screen with Sanjeev Kohli and Julie Wilson Nimmo playing some of the associates and fans) and then using mannequins to create each member of Memorial Device. Higgins is magnificent, you can't take your eyes off him, his portrayal of Raymond's passion is electrifying.

The stories of gigs playing to a handful of people in rehearsal rooms as trains rumble overhead, of travelling to Kilmarnock to play a Bikers Bar, of finding their droning sound inspired by the demolition of a building in the East End of Glasgow, to heading to London to sign a deal, only to fuck it all beautifully up .... they are all so relatable, so believable ... cause that kind of thing has happened. 

Over 75-minutes the audience were lost in the story, the characters and the music. The dawn chorus song played at the end was absolutely gorgeous. Was it new music especially composed for the play by Stephen Pastel and Gavin Thomson (see below)? Or was it really the unearthed dawn chorus recording made by Lucas Black towards the end of his life - noted in the discography as 'field recordings' sonically dicked with by Patty Pierce and Remy Farr? Either way, it was beautifully dreamy, beautifully perfect.

(EDIT) SOUNDTRACK UPDATE

"All the music is made by myself and Gavin Thomson - although other Pastels contributed too. The Morning of The Executioners (the end piece) is the music that we imagined Big Patty and Remy came up with for Lucas's funeral. The soundtrack is coming out in June." Stephen Pastel

Overall, the play brought Keenan's book to life, made it feel even more real, made me continue to question - did this really happen? It made me wish and believe that it did. It made me think of music mad friends with loads of memorabilia of bands big and small. Size doesn't matter, if you truly love a band, you truly love a band. This Is Memorial Device made me think of how important it is to be a true believer in whatever you're doing - even if only a dozen people truly get what you're trying to do. You've made a difference in their lives.

Memorial Device made a difference to Ross Raymond. You are left in no doubt.

In The Jingle Jangle Jungle

 

The Brian Jonestown Massacre were (and still are) notorious for their prolific drug consumption, which, coupled with leader Anton Newcombe's fierce temper, often led to members falling out and fighting on stage, or even quitting the band mid-gig.

Dig!, the 2004 documentary, beautifully captures their creative energy, DIY punk ethic and insatiable appetite for drugs. Now, we get to dig (pun intended) a little deeper into the early years (the first 10) thanks to tambourine player Joel Gion's autobiography In The Jingle Jangle Jungle.

Gion is an almost mythical legend of the American independent, alternative and psychedelic scene. Labelled the 'American Bez' by some, he stood with Anton through it all the weirdness, the fights, the fuzziness, the facial hair and even when he walked away, he turned and came back.

In The Jingle Jangle Jungle captures the madness of forming, performing and storming (I don't think you could ever say 'norming') in and within The Brian Jonestown Massacre. 

Gion comes across as a loveable (and knowledgable) music fan who literally stumbled across the band he was looking for and was invited to join. Did he fall in with the right crowd or the wrong crowd?

Well, that is for you to decide. Regardless of your thoughts, it's quite the ride!

Gion seems to wander aimlessly through this phase of his life with no particular ambitions or aims, tossing his beloved record shop job aside to take drugs, party and play tambourine in the band. Before long he is staying in a warehouse, manufacturing LSD sheets and delivering drugs across San Francisco. 

On more than one occasion Gion becomes as broke as you can get; starving for food and craving for drugs. His beautiful soul, cool vibes and chaotic lifestyle means that he always has a floor or sofa to crash on. Most of the time.

Joel wears his beloved Beatle boots down to the extent that they are hollow. He scrapes the remains of drugs off floors and he beautifully (and very often hilariously) captures BJM adventures around the country. The band also, miraculously, scrape by; financially, physically and mentally, driven (whether they like it or not) by the relentless creative energy burning within Anton Newcombe.

Gion's faith in Anton is heartwarming. He recognises the fine line between madness and genius and sticks with Anton when everyone else leaves him. Of course, Gion might not really have had an option. What else was he going to do? 

Burn outs and fall outs are inevitable when you hurtle through life at 100mph. At one stage, Gion escapes to family, but when he returns he is immediately sucked back into the BJM rocket ship and becomes co-pilot. 

At times, the rocket ship is probably on auto pilot, but that is all part of the (not so harmless) fun. That BJM survived and went on to thrive is a remarkable tale. Gion's writing style takes you right into the heart of the journey - his vivid descriptions place you there, his humour gets you through it. 

It was a joy to attend Joel's reading at Monorail at the end of February, his voice accompanied me as I tore through this book night after night. Highly recommended.

Order directly from White Rabbit Books 

2024 - Scottish music scene

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to my first blog of 2024.

At the time of writing my blog has been viewed over 971,000 times, so I'd like to thank everyone who has visited and I plan a little event later in the year to mark the 1,000,000 mark! 

The Scottish music scene continues to evolve and thrive with; new artists emerging, world class acts coming to Scotland to play to the best fans in the world, small venues promoting new music, legendary bands continuing to create and inspire and festivals like Glasgoes Pop and Tenement Trail growing and developing.

I'm kicking off my 2024 blogs with a list of things I'm looking forward to over the coming months; new artists, shows, albums, festivals and nights for dancing! Hope to see you along the way.

4 Scottish artists to look out for

Kerr Mercer - This young teenage singer-songwriter has been honing and toning his craft for a few years and during this time he has written hundreds of songs. Now, after a solid six months picking up support slots around Glasgow and Edinburgh, Kerr is ready to step forward for his debut  headline show at the Poetry Club on Friday 19th January. It's sold out and Kerr will be playing King Tuts on 20th March. Equally at home behind a guitar or piano, I'm really looking forward to Kerr's first release. Look out for an introducing blog later this month.

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Homework - see introducing blog from December 23. Homework saw in New Year with a show at Mono alongside Norman Blake. The 4-piece take their Fanclub-y/Pavement-y sound to King Tuts on 27th January. I really love their debut EP and look forward to hearing what they release next.

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Dillon Squire - see introducing blog from June 23. Squire and his band produce guitar pop with a nice raw edge, full of melodies and hooks as demonstrated on songs like Dark Circles and Bulldozer. After a string of releases and well received shows Dillon headlines King Tuts on 20th January and 2024 could be a big year for him.

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The Cords - Teenage duo The Cords (15 and 17) are being mentored by my sister Carla through a course at The Rig Arts Centre in Inverclyde. Eva (guitar and vocals) and Grace (drums) have raided their parents record collection and been inspired to write indie guitar pop songs that have a shyness, innocence and melodic edge that wouldn't be out of place on a C86 or Sarah Records compilation. Hopefully The Cords will release some singles through 2024.

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4 places/nights to get you (and me) dancing

Last year my New Year resolution was to go dancing once a quarter. I probably just about managed that. I intend to dance even more in 2024. It's great for the soul, your mental and physical health and fantastic for socialising. You get to listen to and discover fabulous music ... if you go to the right places.

The Admiral (Woods) 

The Waterloo Street pub kicks off 2024 with their annual Bowie Night on Saturday 20th January. Demand for tickets was high, with the basement section selling out in hours, resulting in owner Dave Ross closing his pub to make it a private Bowie party across both floors! I'm really looking forward to it.

The Admiral also plays host to DJ Gerry Lyons on a regular basis and he has 90's Britpop v 00's electro night on 2nd February. Gerry knows his music and his audience very well and pitches his nights as club nights for really old people. They run from 7.30pm-11.30pm meaning people can catch the last train and let the babysitters away!

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Simply Thrilled

Robert and Hugh who run Simply Thrilled have been putting on nights in the basement of The Admiral Woods, though Robert has promised something different for 2024. Lovely people, with very similar musical taste to me, I am intrigued to learn what they have planned.

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McChuills

Regular readers will know that McChuills is my favourite bar. Andrew Divine and Stevie Elements are just 2 of McChuills regular roster of DJ's with exceptional taste in music. The last time I was in, it was old Nick behind the bar playing tunes and it was brilliant - eclectic and it really got the place going. You can't go wrong with McChuills.

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The Old Hairdressers

The Old Hairdressers on Renfield Lane, slap band in Glasgow city centre, is like a pop-up dive bar with a scuzzy underground vibe. The loft upstairs is great for a gig or club night. So I'm putting on a night on Friday 8th March with Starboard Hazes and Broken by Rock playing live before DJ Phil Redfearn gets people dancing for a couple of hours at the end. TICKETS HERE

My sister Carla also regularly attends the Pull Shapes night that plays an eclectic mix of indie and pop music and I intend to hit that up sometime this year. 

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4 gigs I have tickets for

Kerr Mercer at The Poetry Club 

Young Scottish singer-songwriter Kerr Mercer is one to watch in 2024. I caught Kerr playing Saint Lukes as part of Tenement Trail in October and he blew me away. Every song sounded like it could be a single. Since then, Kerr has played a string of support slots in Glasgow and Edinburgh, including a show at The Barrowland with Calum Beattie. Kerr's Poetry Club show is long sold out, but you could get a ticket for his King Tuts show on 20th March. See you there.

Andrew Wasylk and Gerard Love at The Mackintosh Church

What a double bill this is. I first caught Andrew Wasylyk in this beautiful West End venue when he supported The Pastels a number of years ago. Andrew's arrangements are entrancing and he has been building a tremendous catalogue of music, pretty much releasing an album a year. Wasylyk is likely to have a 7 or 8 piece band with him to help layer sounds while he sits (and dances) at his piano and gives them nods to go for it or slow it down. 

Andrew is joined by Gerry Love who will (fingers and toes crossed) hopefully be completing and releasing his new album this year. It's still to be confirmed if this will be under his own name, or Lightships. Tickets here.

Steve Mason at Saint Lukes

Steve Mason released one of my favourite albums of 2023 and my friend Lorna caught him 3 times at the tail end of the year, including a trip to Hamburg! I've heard nothing but good reports about Mason's live shows where he works up grooves with his band and gets lost in the music. Mason has a wonderful ear for music, a deep desire to create and has a beautiful voice that is naturally melodic and soulful. Tickets here

This Is Memorial Device at The Tron Theatre

I've just started re-reading David Keenan's wonderful psychedelic tale of the post punk, new wave music scene in Airdrie, with Memorial Device at the heart of it. The book has various characters from the scene reminiscing about meeting each other, gigs, rehearsals, songs and releases - including the legendary Mushroom Giro Scene EP. Now adapted for the stage, with music by Stephen Pastel, you can catch performances at The Tron Theatre at the end of March. Will Mary Hanna show up?! Tickets here

4 albums I'm looking forward to

Gerard Love/Lightships

I'm not the only one (im)patiently awaiting news about when Gerry Love will be releasing his next album. Although one thing fellow fans have learned over the years is that it is always worth the wait.

Gerry has yet to confirm whether the album will come out under his own name or that of Lightships, the guise Gerard released an eponymous album under in 2012. 

It's coming on a year since Gerry and friends travelled to record with Bill Ryder-Jones in Merseyside and social media indicates that they have also recorded at CHEM19 in Blantyre. 

A summer / early Autumn release would be perfect for Gerry's dreamy melodies and beautifully layered soundscapes. Fingers crossed! 

Bill Ryder-Jones

Speaking of Bill Ryder-Jones, lechyd Da is out on 12th January. Ryder-Jones has spoken of working exceptionally hard to create this album that includes a children's choir and strings. And it is bound to tug on listeners heart-strings. Bill plays a solo instore show at Mono on 16th January before returning to Glasgow in March for a show with his band at Room 2. Tickets here Order the album from Monorail here

Gruff Rhys

Gruff Rhys is also releasing an album in January. Sadness Sets Me Free is out on Rough Trade on 26th. Incredibly, this will be the 25th abum of Gruff's career (individually, collaboratively and as a member of various bands) spanning 35-years. 

Singles to date showcase Rhys' sublime voice and knack for finding unique melodies. Strings soar and swirl and it all sounds beautifully grand, melancholic and cinematic at times. Gruff plays Saint Lukes on Monday 19th February.

J Mascis

J Mascis releases What Do We Do Now? on the legendary Sub Pop label on 2nd February. I'm a big fan of J's solo material like See You At The Movies and Wide Awake. It's not a million miles away from Dinosaur Jr, but there is a more mellow feel to his solo material. J plays acoustic a lot more, but can still let rip with an electric guitar solo over the top. J's melodies shine through and the singles released in advance have been excellent.

4 more albums I am looking forward to

What Now? by Brittany Howard - 2nd February

Where's My Utopia? by Yard Act - due at the end of February.

Glasgow Eyes by The Jesus and Mary Chain  - due at the start of March

Dua Lipa - title and date tbc. 

4 other things

Summer Nights at Kelvingrove Bandstand 

I always look forward to the line-up for the Bandstand shows being announced. I'm hoping that The Charlatans might play. Underworld would also be a great shout.

Summer Nights KGB Facebook

Glas-goes Pop

I've not been able to make the first 2 years due to family/holiday commitments. Booking my ticket and putting it on our kitchen calendar means I am going this year! This DIY festival has quickly developed a loyal fanbase who know that they'll get a quality bill of independent guitar pop acts from through the years.

Glas-goes pop tickets

Barrowland shows 

My first Barrowland show isn't scheduled until 11th May when Camera Obscura take to the stage. But I hope to maybe pick up a ticket for a couple of shows before then with my eye on The Bunnymen and Orbital in particular. And no doubt there will be loads of shows to come in Autumn.

Barrowland website

TENEMENT TRAIL 2024

I only briefly popped into Tenement Trail 2023 back in October. A storm was blowing and trains were cancelled, but that didn't stop music lovers from packing into venues of all sizes down the Gallowgate to catch new and up and coming bands. Walking around the Barrowland market was a buzz as people picked up wristbands, bands walked about carrying equipment and venues opened their doors and quickly filled up. Just being in that atmosphere gave me goosebumps and I vowed to return for the full day in 2024.

Tenement Trail website