Named after the debut single by Teenage Fanclub.
This blog is all about being a music lover in Glasgow; reviews, interviews, memories, old faves, new discoveries (past and present), playlists and more. Thanks for visiting - I hope you discover something amazing you have never heard before, or that you rediscover an old favourite.
Regular features/playlists; Never Ending Mixtape / Cover Version of the Month/ Trust Me.
Insta - @everythingflowsglasgow
Welcome to part 110 of my Never Ending Mixtape where the latest additions take us from 5,012 songs to 5,074 with the addition of Here Come The Tears by The Coral (pictured below).
Over 5,000 songs! The idea behind this playlist was simple - I'd just add songs in no particular order, with no thought behind the song, artist, genre ... or anything. The complete opposite of the old days when I would make mixtapes or mix CD's!
The result is pretty eclectic!
Thanks so much if you are one of the 385 people who follow the playlist, also if you visit from time to time and welcome if you have just discovered the blog and playlist!
Check out some of the latest additions below.
As always, I hope you find something wonderful that you've never heard before, or that you rediscover an old favourite song. I personally play my Never Ending Mixtape on shuffle, but play from the start, the middle, or scroll down (could take a while!) to the latest additions.
Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or CLICK
Recent discoveries
These Memories by Almeta Lattimore
Music Makes Me High by Salty Miller
Daa Nyinaa by Ata Kak
Heaven Sent An Angel by Revolver
We Got The Love 2008 by Inner City Jam Orchestra
New releases
Don't Fall Asleep by Jacob Alon and Anna Calvi
Roses on the Esplanade by Stone Anthem
Here Come The Tears by The Coral
Old favourites
If You're Ready by The Staple Singers (pictured above)
Primitive Painters by Felt is six minutes of pure, shimmering perfection. Released in August 1985, it is completely timeless. This is a song that always stops my in my tracks.
The first few seconds are immediately hypnotic, then interlocking guitars kick in, underpinned by Martin Duffy's Hammond organ, then the beats come in. This is a dreamy and hazy intro, 75-seconds to get lost in. Lawrence comes in, his vocals sound a little muffled and (deliberately) lost in the mix ... but then the extraordinary vocals of Elizabeth Fraser explode over the top of everything, gorgeous swirling guitar, soothing organ and Lawrence lost in the flow.
Yeah, you should see my whole trail of disgrace
"I’m a monotone singer, and she’s the most expressive singer in the world. Put the two together, and it’s a brilliant contrast." Lawrence
Lawrence's vocals, almost spoken word, anchor the song, while Fraser's lift Primitive Painters into a euphoric haze. Sky-scraping, ethereal, captivating, celestial. Indie-psychedelia. Indie-opera. Unique. Just sublime.
The instrumental at 3 minutes 40 seconds introduces a new, more piercing, guitar sound, extra beats kick in, then it all comes back to Lawrence, lost in the flow and with Fraser singing alongside him. She lifts everything.
"When Liz Fraser sang on 'Primitive Painters,' it was the most amazing thing I’d ever heard. She just went into the booth and did it in one or two takes. I remember standing there thinking, 'This is it. We’ve made a monster.' I thought it was going to be a number one worldwide smash. It should have been."Lawrence
While researching the song for this blog I was pretty astonished to learn that there was no pre-conceived plan to have Fraser singing on the song. Her partner in life and music, Robin Guthrie was on production duties. As Felt and Guthrie were listening back, the producer ran upstairs to where Fraser was working on her own lyrics and songs and declared; "I want you to sing this song."
"I wrote the lyrics out for her on a piece of paper, she went in, listened to it once on headphones, and then just improvised around it. It was as real as that. It was a remarkable moment. When you listen back to something like that, we knew we'd got it." Lawrence, Uncut Magazine, July 2015
When Fraser’s vocals soar over the top of Lawrence's repetitive delivery in the outro it’s sheer magic. Fraser is like a rocket, bravely shooting through the stars for unchartered territory without a care for any consequences. It’s an astonishing, open-hearted, emotional performance. Hearing Fraser cry out in the climax is a spine tingling, goosebump inducing moment every single time I hear it.
Elizabeth Fraser, 1985
Photo by Michael Cohen
There is an intensity to the song, but also loads of space, aided by Duffy's Hammond notes, that allow everything else to build and swirl around it. Dreamy psychedelic goodness. Maurice Deebank wrote the music and his majestic cyclical guitar sounds somehow float like feathers, sting like hard rain and soar like eagles. At times gorgeous, and going back to the start of the blog, capable of just stopping listeners in their tracks every single time. Unique. Primitive Painters pulls you in and when you leave you wonder what on earth you have just experienced.
Primitive Painters was released on Cherry Red Records, the perfect label for Lawrence's unique style, values and ambition. The song shot straight to Number 1 on the Independent Singles Chart, holding the top spot for two weeks. Within the underground community, it was an anthem.
"Primitive Painters was the pinnacle of that early era for us." Ian McNay, Cherry Red Records
Could Primitive Painters go beyond the usual Felt audience?
The NME staff were such massive fans of the song that they planned for Lawrence to be on the front cover of the magazine to coincide with the release of. For an indie band like Felt, on a label like Cherry Red, this would be a massive breakthrough. The NME sold 200,000 copies a week in 1985, and Lawrence's face would be on display in newsagents across the country.
Tragically, Lawrence and Felt were ditched just as the issue was going to print and the cover feature was pulled. Lawrence was devastated, and it became one of those classic 'what if' moments in alternative music history.
Mainstream radio didn't pick up on it and the single failed to reach the top 75. While Primitive Painterswasn't the smash that Lawrence hoped for, its legacy is enhanced with every passing year. It is a stunning song.
I read Will Hodgkinson's Street Level Superstar - A Year With Lawrence at the start of this year. It is a fascinating book - heartbreaking, soulful, funny and sad. Reading it only served to heighten the intrigue and mystery around the singer and songwriter. Something he seems to have encouraged and played to over the years - but it also just seems and feels like ... that is him. A one-off!
Lawrence - photo by Phil Sharp
Lawrence is an obsessive and with Felt he wanted to execute a flawless artistic concept. His self-imposed manifesto was that Felt would release exactly ten albums and ten singles across the span of ten years (the 1980's), and then they would vanish.
There were flaws to this beautiful piece of marketing madness. Lawrence, Ian McNay at Cherry Red and Alan McGee at Creation were perhaps the only people who cared about this, or believed in it. Somehow, against the odds, Lawrence built the body of work he had the vision for ... and disbanded Felt.
The genius and madness of Lawrence is also captured wonderfully in David Cavanagh's epic My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry For The Prize book about Creation Records. Alan McGee's quotes about living with him are hilarious.
Check out this Felt - A Decade In Music video to see a beautifully produced retrospective on the incredible ten-album journey that Lawrence set out to achieve.
Post Felt, Lawrence has released music with Denim, Go-Kart Mozart and Mozart Estate. He continues to tour (somewhat sporadically) to this day, slowly growing his cult fanbase, his myth and legend. Still dreaming of being a pop star.
Primitive Painters is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE. Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.
105-107. Wigan Casino - Three Before Eight - Time Will Pass You By by Tobi Legend, Long After Tonight Is All Over by Jimmy Radcliffe, I'm On My Way by Dean Parrish
WOW. Last night's Flaming Lips show at Kelvingrove Bandstand as part of the Summer Nights series was truly life affirming.
Psychedelic pop songs about love, life, death and the universe. Songs about humans triumphing over machines and determined scientists racing to find cures. I found myself crying during the beautiful Do You Realize? Tears just started flooding down my face. I can't remember the last time that happened to me at a concert.
We were treated to multiple blasts of confetti, inflatable pink robots, huge colourful confetti filled latex balls/balloons bouncing around across the Bandstand - one burst above me and it was wonderful, I have the burst balloon at home - Flaming Lips memorabilia! The light show was sensational, lasers beaming out, bright lights, Wayne Coyne swinging a huge bulb around on a lead, a bright, bright light directly behind the singer cast beams everywhere, he got into costumes and balls ...
I'm still smiling. I'm exhausted just reflecting on the show, Coyne must be shattered, but energised by knowing that every time his band play, they bring absolute joy to people.
Lynn and I started in the very back row of the Bandstand, determined to see the full wide screen spectacle. But as soon as the opening synth teaser to The Golden Path started, we picked our way down to the front to join my sister Carla and friends who had been there from the get go. The Golden Path is a real favourite of ours.
She Don't Use Jelly is glorious guitar punk pop with a psychedelic tinge. The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power) was hugely uplifting. The aforementioned Do You Realize? is even more powerful live than it is on record, truly beautiful. A cover of Sabbath's War Pigs was heavy and fun and the closing song Race for the Prize was triumphantly joyful.
Everyone left smiling and buzzing. Mission accomplished.
Ahead of the release of their debut, vinyl only, EP entitled Saint Mungo, I caught up with Fatale guitarist and songwriter Christopher Jollie to find out how things are going.
Fatale only played their first gig back in May 2025 and have had quite a year since! A recent highlight being airplay for their song Jesus Christ on 6Music, BBC Radio Scotland and Amazing Radio.
Read on for reflections, producers, guitar pedals and sounds, plans, gigs Chris has been to and what he is listening to - including a playlist.
Look out for a blog on Fatale's Saint Mungo EP at the start of August.
Visit Fatales linktr.ee for news on forthcoming gigs and to sign up for their enewsletter.
It's been a year since we first spoke for this blog. How has it been for you and the band? Any personal highlights?
It’s been a blur honestly, from the first gig selling out McChuills, to kicking off the new year with a sold out King Tut’s, everything’s just fallen into place. Tut’s felt like a real shift for everyone. The walk from the State Bar into the back entry felt like a scene from a coming of age film. We’ve had a lot of help along the way from a great team of people around us which has helped massively too.
How has your songwriting and the sound (and performance) of the band developed in that time?
Young folk aren’t getting handed any hope just now, and I think - subconsciously or not - the songs have always reflected a refusal to accept that you have to live accordingly. Songwriting wise, I’ve found a more distinct identity in the lyrics, but the music is always the first port of call. We’ve all come along a great deal in musicianship, and the live & studio performances are evidence of this.
Christopher - King Tuts, January 2026
How important for you is it to get your songs out into the world on vinyl?
Ever since our first gig, we’ve wanted to have songs out. Looking back now, we’re all glad we’ve held off. To have an EP full of songs we wouldn’t change for the world is a beautiful feeling and the first time we lay our hands on the record will be emotional.
Any plans to release digitally for now?
There’s currently nothing in the works to release these tracks on streaming, which is all the more incentive to get the record.
What was the recording process like for you guys? How important was it to find the right producer?
We recorded Moves You four times before it ever felt right, which proves the importance of the right producer. Chris McCrory is full of ideas and gets the music. As soon as we decided to do the EP to tape, the live energy came across as if we were playing to the Barras.
Recording was surreal. We’ve sat with these songs for some time, so to have them realised was a beautiful experience. Hearing the songs back, out the blaring speakers, made us realise we had a proper record on our hands.
The guitar sounds are fantastic, super warm and feel natural. Did it you have to work hard to find that sound, or did it all happen quite quickly and organically?
Feedback and overdrive make our hearts race, so that’s always been at the core of the sound. My guitar rig on the record consists of a cheap Jazzmaster, a Vox AC15, and an OCD pedal. Kevin Shields read and weep. Euan, on the other hand, was far more adventurous. I shall pass my phone to Euan for his rundown.
Euan - Thank you Chris. My rig on the record was what the boys would describe as prog, which in reality is 5 pedals. I used a Fulltone boost pedal that the Fanclub use, cranked to the max, to get a natural distortion from my Vox AC15. Sorry if this is too nerdy. Also, a random VHS reverb and an MXR delay are very important to my lead tones. I think what I learned though, is that it’s really important to get the dynamics on the guitar, and on the EP it’s basically a lot of hitting the strings as hard as possible.
Are you planning a return to the recording studio any time soon?
We’re trying to get the time to go in with a few cool people, but we’re just focused on getting as many new songs, which are coming faster than ever. They’re feeling like an evolution from Saint Mungo which is always good.
What do you have coming up in the months ahead?
We’ve got a few multi venue festivals lined up for October which should be a good laugh. The next year will be focused on getting us a good deal of live shows, with the intention of getting ourselves in front of as many people as possible.
Been to any good gigs lately?
Geese were a standout. The lights, the Primal’s cover, the band, all phenomenal. Westside Cowboy (pictured below), who we caught at TRNSMT, were another magical experience, helped by coming out to the The Concept. Ended up chatting to them after the gig about all the bands we were into, which was surreal. The next time we’ll be in the Barra’s green room it’ll be ours, hopefully.
Jacob Alon is one of Scotland’s finest just now, so ethereal and inspiring. Seeing them at TRNSMT, backed by a great band, was enough to make you reconsider whether you should even bother making music. Brogeal, our mates, played two raucous nights at the Art School earlier this year which we all enjoyed. Radhika with The Cords and Stone Anthem at Mono was another fantastic show.
Outside of that, the Cabbage, and the bands that are associated, have all made us proud to be a part of it all. Bogle, The Floor Dwellers, Lupercalia, Supersun (self indulgent of me, I know), and The Violets, are all some of the most exciting bands coming out of Scotland just now.
What are you listening to at present?
I’ve been listening to a lot of Sebadoh as of late. Soul and Fire is such a beautifully written song. There’s also a fantastic cover of the Velvet’s Heroin, by Thurston Moore & Bobby Gillespie that I stumbled upon recently, which has made a walk down Buchanan Street into something else entirely. We made up a playlist (Saint Mungo's Star Children) full of the songs that inspired the making of the record which is linked on the website. As a last aside, I’ve got really into 60’s French Pop, Roller Girl by Anna Karina (video below) being a standout.
Discogs can provide a good indication of the value soul fans place on a song and record. 215 people have a 7-inch of Mary Love's Lay This Burden Down, but 1,498 want a copy. For those willing to sell, they can get up to £300 from collectors and fans willing to go that high. Fear not, the good folk at Kent Records have included the song on a couple of their excellent compilations - which is where I discovered the song.
I rediscovered it recently while browsing the soul section in Monorail with my sister Carla on Record Store Day. I advised Carla to get the Mary Love compilation that they had. And I'm glad that she did. Little sisters don't always take their big brothers advice!
Lay This Burden Down is 2-minutes and 35 seconds that are simultaneously heartbreaking and utterly exhilarating. Released in 1967, the energy leaps out of the record from the off, the rumbling bass and piano are joined by a fast and steady beat. The energy rises at 10 seconds in when Mary Love begins to sing.
I know I'm heading in the wrong direction
'Cause I'm weak from the lack of affection
I've been afraid to accuse you my darling
'Cause I didn't wanna lose you my baby
I've been knowing about your other love a long time
Given you a chance to make up your mind
Then Love explodes into the chorus, recognising what she needs to do, learning from her tears.
But
Tear stains on my pillowcase
Tells me not to hesitate
I've got to lay this burden down
I've got to lay this burden down
I've got to lay this burden down
The arrangement by Arthur Wright and production by Richard Parker is sublime, absolutely perfect. Everything flows, the band (the Arthur Wright Orchestra) are exceptional and Mary Love is completely in the zone. No wonder this song sends people on to dance floors to this very day.
The second verse feels even faster, the thunderous wall of sound, driving beat and bass that feels like a heart about to burst. The pace is phenomenal, Love singing about the stress of trying to hold on to a love.
And then back to the chorus, Love's tear soaked pillow cases underlining what she already knows in her heart of hearts. Love's voice entwined with her backing singers sounds sublime, through speakers or on headphones (for extra appreciation). Heartbreaking and euphoric.
It's grip on my heart, I've got to shake it
Hang around another boy, I've got to make it
I've got to get away so I won't be saved
By the things that make me weaker and fall deeper
I've made up my mind, to make a change
My whole life, to rearrange
But
Tear stains on my pillowcase
Tells me not to hesitate
I've got to lay this burden down
I've got to lay this burden down
I've got to lay this burden down, yeah,
After an instrumental Love's voice soars and brings us back to the chorus, with a little bit of glorious ad libbing afterwards over her backing singers. What an absolute gem of a song, so much soul and emotion in just 2-minutes 35 seconds - POW!
Lay This Burden Down is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE. Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.
105-107. Wigan Casino - Three Before Eight - Time Will Pass You By by Tobi Legend, Long After Tonight Is All Over by Jimmy Radcliffe, I'm On My Way by Dean Parrish
Calico Skies is a gorgeous mid-period Paul McCartney song from 1997's Flaming Pie album. It's one that I always come back to and regularly discuss with my good friend Dougie.
Dougie and his lovely wife Fiona played Calico Skies to their newly born daughter Ailsa when they were en route home from the hospital. When you hear the chorus you might suddenly find something making your eyes water. A perfect choice.
In case, like me, you wondered what a calico sky actually is, here is what google returned - it is a meteorological term for a sky covered in patchy, high-altitude clouds, typically cirrocumulus or altocumulus. These clouds break up into small, distinct and puffy white or grey sections separated by blue sky, closely resembling the patchy, multi-coloured coat of a calico cat.
So there you go!
As for the song, McCartney is at his melodic and romantic best. The acoustic guitar riff is playful, McCartney's voice is tender and sincere. There is no doubt who McCartney is singing to - Linda - the love of his life.
It was written that I would love you
From the moment I opened my eyes
And the morning when I first saw you
Gave me life under calico skies
Then we have the gorgeous chorus, McCartney pouring his heart out. Pure love and pure care. Beautiful. This melts my heart every single time I hear it!
I will hold you, for as long as you like
I'll hold you, for the rest of my life
McCartney then ups the romance! What a guy. What a songwriter. The second verse is heartfelt, a complete outpouring of love, beautiful to hear and to read. Imagine having someone write poetry like this for you. Macca was head over heels for Linda.
Always looking for ways to love you
Never failing to fight at your side
While the angels of love protect us
From the innermost secrets we hide
Then back into the chorus, that sounds even better second time in.
McCartney has described Calico Skies as "a gentle love song that becomes a gentle protest song", as you can tell from the third verse. The last line really nails Paul's colours to the mast.
Long live all of us crazy soldiers
Who were born under calico skies
May we never be called to handle
All the weapons of war we despise
Then we're into a double chorus which includes a subtle but clever single word change second time round, with Paul changing hold to love.
I will hold you, for as long as you like
I'll hold you, for the rest of my life
I'll hold you, for as long as you like
I'll love you, for the rest of my
For the rest of my life
McCartney turned 84 in June, shortly after releasing his latest album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane. His rich catalogue of music from The Beatles, Wings, as The Fireman, his classical work and his 20 solo album is truly exceptional.
Since Love Me Do b/w P.S. I Love You, Paul has written/co-written and released hundreds of songs into the world. For its warmth, heart, charm and melody, Calico Skies is a real favourite of mine.
Calico Skies is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE. Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.
105-107. Wigan Casino - Three Before Eight - Time Will Pass You By by Tobi Legend, Long After Tonight Is All Over by Jimmy Radcliffe, I'm On My Way by Dean Parrish
