Fatale at McChuills

Fatale played their first ever headline show at McChuills on Friday night - Halloween. As singer Ben Robertson pointed out when thanking everyone for coming, it felt like the band had come full circle. McChuills was where they played their first gig, back in May. Now, just shy of 6-months later, they had sold it out.

After playing King Tuts Summer Nights in July, a venture through to Edinburgh in September and then Tenement Trail in October, it definitely feels like Fatale are on the rise.

Tenement Trail was great, but this was the best I have seen the band. A headline slot gave them longer to play with, so a packed McChuills was treated to a 45-minute, 11-song set.

Making the most of the screen behind the stage, Fatale came on and fuzzed up their guitars for opening number September. The visuals of logos behind them added to the vibe and a hyped up, dressed up Halloween crowd were well up for it. There was a definite sense of occasion to the night.

The Vaselines Molly's Lips was played next and they tore through it, Robertson was in the crowd at times, bouncing a-long with them. Another Sunrise, with the brilliant hook I'm going out tonight, is becoming more familiar to me with every gig. Definite future single potential.

Speaking of hooks and single potential, new song By The Tide is another that I look forward to hearing again soon. The hook I don't care about what's going on is one I would have loved to have sung as a teenager, but it feels just as relevant to me now. 

A cover of the Mary Chain's Taste of Cindy was a glorious riot. Scuzzed and fuzzed up guitars. Top marks to the couple (pictured below - parents of Adam from support band Bogle) dressed as Jesus and Mary Chained! 

Bogle were on first and their set mixed songs that sounded like early Pink Floyd with songs that sounded like the early Ride EP's. They can play! I'm way more into Ride than Floyd, so those songs were my personal favourites. I really enjoyed their dreamy shoegazey guitars and harmonies. I'll hopefully write a blog on them sometime soon. Their debut EP Shimmer Guitar Pop was aptly named. Also hailing from Lanarkshire, I hope to catch them again soon.

Speaking of Jesus Christ, Fatale singer Ben Robertson had been wandering around dressed as Christ (or now I come to think of it - was he Caesar?)  earlier. He had changed into stagewear for the show but kept his crown of thorns on. I assumed it was Christ because of Fatale's brilliant song Jesus Christ - a song that left its mark on me after I first heard it back at their Tuts show in the summer.

The guitars of Euan and Christopher collide gloriously, there are more hooks than Rocky Bilbao fighting at his peak. Most bands would love to have the verses to this tunes as choruses! The bridges/pre-chorus are even catchier and then there is the chorus itself;

Jesus Christ knocked on my door

Just let me sleep ten minutes more

Coming out with songs of praise

Righteousness lost in the haze

With Han Solo (James) driving things along furiously and beautifully on drums and bassist Oscar in the groove, this is a delicious slice of guitar punk pop. 

How could I hold my head up when you're down

How can I stand the world when you're not around

The little fuzz bass break after the middle eight is superb. Then it's straight back into the chorus for a final blast. Think God Knows It's True era Fanclub meeting The Undertones for a couple of pints of Guinness and then having a jam. Catchy guitar brilliance.

Ending with their (fast becoming) traditional one-two of their demos (CHECK THEM HERE) and currently the only material they have released.

I'd never have thought that The Velvets Femme Fatale would become a sing-a-long anthem for teenagers in 2025, but Fatale are making it one! Their (largely young) crowd lapped it up.

Ben announced that set closed Moves You will be released as their debut single in the very near future. The band tore through it, slowing things beautifully for a breakdown. 

Understand what I'm going through, tried to paint, but it's never you

Understand what I'm going through, tried to paint, but it's never you

It's never you

After another chorus and searing and soaring guitar solo, it's back into the groove with a verse and the catchy hook that is the chorus.  

Keep an eye on Fatale's Instagram for updates.

Demodelica

 

Primal Scream's Screamadelica recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. It is, without question, a seminal record, one that not only captured the times, but also celebrated days gone by and looked to the future. 30-years on, it's still doing that, a mark of how extraordinary an album it is.

Bobby Gillespie and his band have been in a reflective mood of late; they haven't released any new material since 2016's Chaosmosis. However, there are times in life when it is good to pause and reflect on achievements, to celebrate them, to remember ... if you can. 

Primal Scream lived at 100 mph for a lengthy period, so they could almost be forgiven for forgetting about albums they recorded. They kind of did! 2018's The Original Memphis Recordings (BLOG HERE) was an extraordinary find by Andrew Innes, with the guitarist literally discovering an album (that would go on to become Give Out But Don't Give Up) in a cupboard. Country tinged soul, Primal Scream cutting loose, Gillespie pouring his heart out on some outstanding ballads and the band blasting out rock n roll.

And now to celebrate Screamadelica at 30, Primal Scream have brought together all the 12-inch singles from the time in a lavish, luxurious boxset. The Farley mix of Come Together is simply sublime. 

They've also brought out Demodelica, a collection of previously unreleased demos and work-in-progress mixes, the hackney studio demos and home recordings are of particular interest to me.

Andrew Weatherall is a name forever associated with Screamadelica. Yet if you dig deep into the albums history, you learn of Andrew Innes suddenly getting his hands on a sampler, new equipment and of a band keen to blur and smash boundaries. Bobby Gillespie seems to have a new air of confidence around him and a freedom to experiment.

So, for me, Demodelica is an important public release, in that it allows us a peek into the bands creative process at the time. Of course Weatherall was important to Screamadelica, but listen to the lyrics of Higher Than The Sun, the arrangements on the demos, Innes and Gillespie were on to something. 

That comes across in a beautiful ragged Damaged with (presumably) Robert Young on electric guitar and Gillespie sounding confident in the beautiful ballad he's created. He's not quite got the I never felt so happy lyrics yet, just singing the melody.

The opening Jam Studio Monitor Mix of Come Together would go on to pretty much be the Farley mix of the song, with Weatherall taking it to incredible heights with his lengthy version. I love both of them.

Movin' On Up is coming together nicely, the lyrics not quite there, the feeling and intention definitely is. 

Higher Than The Sun features twice, the Isle of Dogs home studio mix highlights how fully formed the instrumental part of the song was almost from the off. You then hear things progressing with Gillespie singing on the Jam Studio Monitor Mix.

The Home Studio version of I'm Comin' Down is gorgeous, just vocals, electric guitar and tambourine man, Gillespie sounds like he really is coming down. There is a great bit after the chorus at 2-minutes 18 seconds when Gillespie says 'let me hear you play it one more time' and Young delivers a great guitar solo.

I'm coming down

I can't face the dawn

I'm coming down

I feel too far gone

There are 3 versions of Don't Fight It Feel It on here. The first is 2-minutes long, the sound of Innes playing with his sampler, The Beatles Hey Bulldog features heavily, beats, psychedelic synth sounds and house piano chords are introduced.

Hypnotone come in to mix things on the second Isle of Dogs Home Studio mix, stretching things, something is happening, the idea is developing, horns are introduced, there are more things going on.

But it's when Denise Johnson comes in on the third version with the lyrics that perfectly capture the mood of the music, of the Scream Team and the the generation of kids that were partying all night, that the song lifts. And the voice, ooooffffft, Johnson adds euphoria and soul.

Gonna live the life I love

Gonna love the life I live

The Hackney Studio Vocal Melody recording of Inner Flight captures some magic in progress, Gillespie finding his way over a guitar laden with effects. The work-in-progress continues with the Henry Acapella Jam Studio recording, just over a minute of gorgeous vocals that sounds like it could easily fit in on the recent Feel Flows Beach Boys boxset.

The lysergic lullaby Shine Like Stars also has 2 versions, the Eden Studio Demo is mesmerising, sounds and samples being worked on as Gillespie sings beautifully.

Demodelica closes with the Eden Studio Demo of Screamadelica, the beats sound sublime as warm guitar chords wash like waves, wah wah guitar is introduced over synths that are under pinning everything and then a vocal comes in - utterly joyous.

Demodelica is another welcome and important addition to the Primal Scream story, their discography. I think it highlights just how far they had come from 1989's eponymous album, all speed and leather trousers. 

Speed made way for ecstasy, Andy Weatherall fell in love with their ballad I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have and remixed it into Loaded, he phoned Gillespie and Innes from clubs to tell them dancefloors were going insane when he played it. Loaded gave the Scream their first top 20 hit and a taste of success.

Gillespie always had a vision for Primal Scream, Demodelica is the sound of Bobby and his band edging closer and closer to capturing the magic of the bands he loved and loves ... the sound of Primal Scream becoming a different band.

Check the blog I wrote on Screamdelica at 20 here.

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