Sunday 20 February 2022

The State We're In

 


Trust Me #31 - The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

The Chemical Brothers have worked with Beth Orton on a number of occasions over the years. I was reminded of how well they gel when I started watching the excellent BBC adaption of Adam Kay's This Is Going To Hurt the other night. You'll find it on the iPlayer. It's emotional, gripping, real, funny and it has an excellent soundtrack.

In one episode a shattered and fragile Kay stumbles from his work into the dying embers of his friends stag do. The State We're In by The Chems kicks in, a psychedelic folk ballad spliced with electronic goodness. What a choice of song to portray this moment, it works beautifully.

I must have listened to it a dozen times this week. 6 minutes 27 seconds of genius. Lysergic, dreamy, trippy, gentle yet euphoric ... Orton's voice rises and falls at all the right moments, in all the right ways, the Chems bring the beats in just when you need them and create all kinds of glorious noises as they go.

Orton earned the tag of comedown queen in the 90's, The State We're In is the perfect example of why, yet the closing 85 seconds see The Chemical Brothers lift the song to the stars - sublime.

Never said it was sunshine but you took it all of the time

All of the time, all of the time, all of the time

You took it all of the time

Beth Orton's beautiful Trailer Park and Central Reservation albums are being reissued on Record Store Day on 23rd April.

You'll find a list (and links to) of all the previous songs featured in the Trust Me series below.

And you can check them all out via my Spotify playlist by searching for Everything Flows - Trust Me or by CLICKING HERE


Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave
10. Sometimes by James
11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time
12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre
13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields
14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals
15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser
16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes
17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth
18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter
19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground
20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub
21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub
23. Belfast by Orbital
24. Clouds by The Jayhawks
25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral
26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair
27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke
28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones
29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze
29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells
30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor


Friday 18 February 2022

Never Ending Mixtape part 69

 


Welcome to the latest additions to my Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify.

Spotify has (rightly in my opinion) received a lot of bad press over the last few weeks. Neil Young has removed his work, Spotify has diverted substantial funds to paying podcasters and is going to sponsor Barcelona to the sum of £280 million over 3-years. Money that could and should go towards fairer deals for the artists on the platform.

I use Spotify for convenience. A high percentage of the music I listen to on the platform is stuff I own on CD or vinyl. I still buy physical releases, tickets and merch from the bands/artists I love. So I don't feel guilty about using Spotify. I just wish they would sort out a fairer deal. I'll be writing a blog on that soon. I've already started, but it may take a while!

Anyway, back to music. Some real gems to look out for. Empire of the Sun, Kate Bush and Aphex Twin side by side, some really cool remixes including the classic Vince Clark take on the Mondays Wrote For Luck and check the Air Moog Cookbook remix! We have some incredible songwriting, cool soul cuts, indie pop and some brilliantly ambitious soundscapes.

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or CLICK HERE


Concrete Schoolyard - Jurassic 5
The Truth - Handsome Boy Modelling School ft. Roisin Murphy
Walking On A Dream - Empire of the Sun
Love and Anger - Kate Bush
Pulsewidth - Aphex Twin
Dead Love - The Charlatans
Blackened Blue Eyes - The Charlatans
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths
Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before - The Smiths
In The Stone - Goon Sax
Blossom - James Taylor
You Tore Me Down - The Flamin' Groovies
Yes I Am - The Flamin' Groovies
He Made A Woman Out Of Me - Bobby Gentry
He's My Sunny Boy - The Supremes
Funky - The Chambers Brothers
Some Velvet Morning - Gabor Szabo
No Reason - Big Thief
Barracuda - John Cale
WFL (Vince Clark remix) - Happy Mondays
Young Offender - Sonny Marvello
No Matter What - Badfinger
Come And Get It - Badfinger
Summertime Clothes - Animal Collective
You Can Do It - Caribou
100% Endurance - Yard Act
New TV - PACKS
Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
Assessment - Beta Band
All Too Well (10-minute version) -Taylor Swift
Nothing New - Taylor Swift ft. Phoebe Bridgers
Bubblegum - Confidence Man
You Do - McAlmont & Butler
Captured By Your Love - Felice Taylor
The Whole Of The Law - The Only Ones
Les Fleurs - Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band
Your Love Is Just Too Much - Gene Harris & The Three Sounds
Cleo's Mood - JR Walker and the All Stars
Outta Space - Billy Preston
Black Purd's Theme - Bernard Pretty Purdie
Kelly Watch The Stars - Air (moog cookbook remix)
You Are My Sunshine - Jackie Shane
Give Me A Chance - Venetta Fields & The Ikettes
Snow Globes - Black Country New Road
Not Alone - Bernard Butler
It Gets Easier - Andy Bell
California Shake - Margo Guryan









Sunday 13 February 2022

The Bellshill Beat - Radio show


“Hey everybody, this is Dave Grohl from The Foo Fighters. You’re about to hear the best documentary the BBC has ever done on Radio 1, The Bellshill Beat.”

So begins a mini-documentary, presented by Steve McKenna and broadcast on Steve Lamaq’s show way back in 1998. LISTEN HERE


Grohl threatens to break into a giggle during his intro and humour is at the heart of this documentary. Bands from Lanarkshire have never taken themselves too seriously, as evidenced by some of the many soundbites sprinkled through the show, with Stuart Braithwaite from Mogwai in particularly fine fettle and Norman Blake from Teenage Fanclub joking about Phil Collins being a fan… 


Ah the bands! Many are name checked at the start; Belle & Sebastian, BMX Bandits, Teenage Fanclub, The Delgados, Superstar, The Yummy Fur, Mogwai, The Pastels, The Soup Dragons…


Not all of these bands are/were technically from Bellshill (or even Lanarkshire), but it is safe to say that Bellshill played a key role in the Scottish music scene.


‘There was never a scene and there never will be, it was just a co-incidence’

Sean Dickson, The Soup Dragons.


Dickson is probably true. It was always more about friendships and a genuine love of music, rather than creating a scene. The ‘original’ Bellshill Beat bands, fantasies and ideas certainly centred around a friendship between Duglas T Stewart (BMX Bandits), Sean Dickson (The Soup Dragons) and Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub). The trio started releasing music in the mid-80’s and haven’t stopped, occasionally still getting together to play with Duglas in BMX Bandits.


The BMX Bandits family tree

Drawn by Duglas for the Serious Drugs documentary - this will need updated!

In addition to Bellshill, it should also be noted that Glasgow played a key influence in how these friends got to mix with like minded people, with the legendary Splash One club, Stephen Pastel and his seminal label 53rd and 3rd playing major roles.


Back to Bellshill though!



‘I think definitely, a lot of Lanarkshire is quite run down. A lot of the industry has gone.

It’s quite a depressed area in a lot of ways…

There is a need to escape … to escape in your own mind, to somewhere different, to an alternative place, and the rock n roll world is certainly a different place.’

Douglas T Stewart, BMX Bandits


‘Hi this is Norman from Teenage Fanclub.

All I can think of when I think of Lanarkshire is post industrial wasteland.

I grew up in Bellshill, it’s a pretty grim place, there’s not a lot going on there.’

Norman Blake, Teenage Fanclub


Norman and Duglas are sadly pretty accurate regarding Bellshill and Lanarkshire (certainly in relation to 1998 when this show was recorded). Thankfully both, like many others who have gone on to form bands, chose to channel frustrations and imaginations into creating music, drawing great inspiration from classic bands like Love, The Beach Boys, The Velvet Underground and Big Star.



“I think with all of those bands, the most important thing was melody and harmony.

It wasn’t so much musicianship, image or volume.

It was just who could one up the next person on making the sweetest possible melody.

Teenage Fanclub were shameless with some of their melodies and lyrics.

There’s only so many ways you can say ‘I love you’ so many times, but there just didn't seem to be a limit on any of that … and the song stuck in your head for f**king ever.” Dave Grohl.


Grohl hits the nail on the head. Think of the melodies of The Delgados All You Need Is Hate, Belle and Sebastian’s Judy And The Dream Of Horses, The Vaselines Son Of A Gun, Superstar’s Superstar and Teenage Fanclub’s Sparky’s Dream. The melodies, whether psychedelically tinged, or almost nursery rhyme like, are at the heart of everything.


And all of the bands in the documentary have an honesty about them and a punk DIY ethic that serves many of them well to this day. Melodies + honesty + dreams + DIY ethic + hard work … There is no magical formula, but all of these qualities could be applied to the Lanarkshire bands mentioned in the documentary. 


Towards the end of 2021 I blogged on Teenage Fanclub’s breakthrough album, Bandwagonesque, from 1991. A lot of people who are my age and above (mid 40’s) got into independent guitar music through this album and it is safe to say that a lot of people were inspired to go on and form their own bands … and labels.

‘Unashamedly I was a Teenage Fanclub acolyte.’ Stewart Henderson (left), The Delgados


The Delgados played a key role in what was to come in the second half of the 90’s, starting their own Chemikal Underground record label, proving you could do it your own way. Chemikal went on to release a steady stream of eclectic music, including; Mogwai, Arab Strap, BiS and De Rosa.


‘There’s hunners and hunners of brilliant bands have came out of Lanarkshire. My favourite Lanarkshire band is probably The Jesus and Mary Chain, even though William Reid is a wanker. But they’re not really, because I’ve decided my favourite band is actually The Yummy Fur from Blantyre cause they’re absolutely brilliant.’ Stuart Braithwaite, Mogwai. 


‘There’s just a lot of good bands from Lanarkshire, there’s not a scene. In Edinburgh they should stop the sale of musical instruments to the general public.’ Mogwai


The Bellshill Beat Radio 1 documentary is available on YouTube.


You’ll also find a BBC Scotland documentary by Duglas T Stewart under the same name - blog coming on that next month. But check part 1 & part 2



10 records by bands featured on The Bellshill Beat 

(with a few more mentioned for good measure)


  1. E102 - BMX Bandits, 1986, 53rd & 3rd

So many people have been in BMX Bandits over the years. In that sense, they have to be considered one of the most influential Scottish bands of all time. So it’s kind of right that this list starts with their 1986 debut single. Ramshackle, loving pop music at its best. It showed others that they could do it. Dreams and fantasies could come true.



2 & 3. Son Of A Gun & Dying For It EP’s - The Vaselines, 1987 & 1988, 53rd & 3rd

Nirvana would cover 3-songs from these very limited release EP’s with Jesus Don’t Want Me For A Sunbeam, from Nirvana’s incredible MTV Unplugged performance really helping on the royalties front for a number of years.



4. I’m Free - The Soup Dragons, 1990, Big Life

Sean Dickson took The Soup Dragons to another level, largely thanks to their indie/dance second summer of love inspired take on The Stones I’m Free. They would follow up the Lovegod album that featured the hit single with 1992’s Hotwired that saw them play huge shows in America and tour the world thanks to songs like Divine Thing.



5. Bandwagonesque - Teenage Fanclub, 1991, Creation Records

A seminal album that Spin Magazine voted album of 1991 over the likes of Nevermind, Screamadelica, Out Of Time and Loveless. Humble as always, Teenage Fanclub were quick to point out that their friend Steven Daly, formerly of Orange Juice, was music editor of Spin at the time. Regardless, this album ages like a fine wine. Check my 30th anniversary blog HERE



6. Serious Drugs - BMX Bandits, 1992, Creation Records

Arguably the finest example of the original Bellshill Beat friendship circle working together. Written by Duglas T Stewart with friends Norman Blake and Joe McAlinden, this melodic, melancholic and reflective song is truly beautiful, with great depth. Blake sings on the released version.



7. Monica Webster/Brand New Car - The Delgados, 1995, Chemikal Underground

I was going to include The Delgados incredible album The Great Eastern, but this is arguably an even more important release - their debut single on their own label that would go on to release records by Arab Strap, BiS (who memorably appeared on Top of the Pops with Kandy Pop) and Mogwai among others. The Delgados learned from the likes of 53rd & 3rd and even Postcard Records before them - they didn’t need to go to London to find a label. They could start their own.



8 & 9. Tigermilk & If You’re Feeling Sinister - Belle & Sebastian, 1996, Electric Honey & Jeepster

Not really a Lanarkshire band, but they're mentioned on this documentary, so ...


Launching with an album on Stow College’s in-house label Electric Honey and then swiftly following it up with their first LP on Jeepster was a mere hint of how prolific Belle & Sebastian were. They would go on to release 3 EP’s the following year and then The Boy With The Arab Strap LP in 1998. They played on the tweeness that others had toyed with, creating their own scene leading to the legendary Bowlie Weekender in 1999 - the bands own festival.



10. Mogwai Young Team - Mogwai, 1997, Chemikal Underground

Mogwai were (and are) a kind of hilarious bunch of young upstarts making at times ferocious, at others euphoric and at others gorgeous music. They were certainly very different from anything else at the time and they still are - unique. They would wear Kappa tracksuits and make for fantastic press with the likes of the Blur: Are Shite t-shirts. Mogwai were quick learners, they would form their own label Rock Action and are fiercely independent - often booking their own shows/tours. Mogwai’s use of song titles to showcase their humour and politics remains to this day.







Saturday 12 February 2022

Anything Goes & Everything Flows DJ mix 9



Welcome to my 9th DJ mix blog and playlist. A series of 60-minute playlists/mixes trying to create the vibe I would get from entering The Variety / McChuills in Glasgow on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, where DJ's would work their magic to get the crowd in the mood for moving on to a club, or in my case, often opting to just stay in the bar. 

This time I've gone for a slightly different vibe, a late Saturday afternoon in McChuills kind of vibe where DJ's or old Nick behind the bar would have even more freedom to play all kinds of stuff. Maybe they would reach a little deeper into their record collection for this kind of slot/time.

Kicking off with a slow improvised groove by Lizzy Mercier Descloux, I hope this mix throws up all kinds of new discoveries for you; the instant rush of Hush by Joe South, the warm and lovely Will You Promise by Ebo Taylor, the oustanding psychedelic It's Not Easy by Ofege is a song I only discovered at the end of 2021. I'll be blogging on the band in the future.

Elsewhere Grace Jones and DJ Shadow make it seem so effortless, Nancy and Lee sound super cool, how good is Like A Ship?! I'll be blogging on that song soon. And the two closing songs are sublime.

Enjoy. You'll find it on Spotify under Everthing Flows DJ Mix 9 or CLICK HERE

No Golden Throat - Lizzy Mercier Descloux

Le couer au bout des coigts - Jacqueline Taieb

Fantastic Man - William Onyeabor

L Elephant - Tom Tom Club

Hush - Joe South

It's Not Easy - Ofege

Yegulle Tezeta - Mulatu Astake

Will You Promise - Ebo Taylor

Williams Blood - Grace Jones

This Time (I'm Gonna Try It My Way) - DJ Shadow

I Heard It Through The Grapevine - The Slits

Big Red Balloon - Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood

Sunday Morning - Margo Guryan

Like A Ship - Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

Action Line - Dorothy Ashby

Love Is A Hurtin' Thing (7-inch version) - Gloria Ann Taylor



Monday 7 February 2022

I Can Feel Your Love



Trust Me #30 - I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

Whenever I visit the wonderful Monorail in Glasgow, I often gravitate to the soul section. There are always wonderful compilation records available and for me, they can easily make a case for the most value for money records in the store. Most recently, I've bought 2 of the Shaolin Soul compilations - songs that RZA from Wu-Tang Clan has sampled - he has unbelievable taste!

Kent Records are arguably the masters of the soul compilation. Originally released back in 1982, their For Dancers Only compilation is a record I pulled out of the rack while browsing in Monorail one day, many years ago. I am a real sucker for sleeve notes and some soul comps go to the trouble of having a track-by-track run through. 

On the For Dancers Only sleevenotes, the words every track is a great 60's dancer leapt out at me before the curator, Harboro' Horrace, went on to say the record was for dancers, drinkers and DJ's. Those words were enough for me.

That's the other reason why I love soul compilations - indeed, all kinds of compilations. They are great for DJ-ing as (unless your a purist) they mean you don't have to cart quite as many records around! When I bought this some friends and I would put on the odd DJ night in the downstairs basement of a pub called O'Henry's (now the Yes Bar) across from the famous Horseshoe Bar in Drury Street, Glasgow.

We always played vinyl. And on the rare occasions I do DJ, I like to use vinyl. I'm not a purist who plays originals only and I totally get the ease of using downloads/streaming, but I love the thrill of the needle drop and the skill of getting the next song right.

the aforementioned Shaolin Soul record - when I DJ'd in Mono in November 2021

Anyway, For Dancers Only was full of songs I could play when I DJ'd but one jumped out at me in particular - the mighty I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor.


After a glorious introduction with horns leading us into a groove, there is a run of I Can Feel Your Love backing vocals sounding sweet and sublime, and then we're introduced to Felice Taylor's voice cutting through; strong, true, soulful and packed with emotion.

I can't explain this feeling that I get when you pass by
I guess I always knew that your love would get me by and by
I see the stars above me and my heart starts to cry
Cause you're the only one that I need by my side

And I can feel your love, oh yeah, coming down on me
And I can feel your love, oh yeah, coming down on me

What a vocal! The song is relentless, the backing vocals are delicious, the beat is perfect and somehow beautifully understated, the horns stab in all the right places.


And then things are lifted in a short instrumental section with horns to warm hearts before kicking back in to soar higher.

My darling when, I feel alone
I feel like I, just can't go on
Nothing seems to go right
Baby when you're, out of sight

What a song! It never fails to make me smile or reach for the volume to crank it up. I Can Feel Your Love continues to blow me away every time I hear it. Enjoy.


You'll find a list (and links to) of all the previous songs featured in the Trust Me series below.

And you can check them all out via my Spotify playlist by searching for Everything Flows - Trust Me or by CLICKING HERE

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave
10. Sometimes by James
11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time
12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre
13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields
14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals
15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser
16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes
17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth
18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter
19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground
20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub
21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub
23. Belfast by Orbital
24. Clouds by The Jayhawks
25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral
26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair
27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke
28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones
29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze
29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells





Saturday 5 February 2022

He's Gonna Step On You Again

Cover version of the month #74

Happy Mondays cover John Kongos


In the hazy spring of 1990, Happy Mondays released Step On, a single that just seemed absolutely perfect for the musical landscape across the UK, a country still basking in the aftermath of the Second Summer of Love (which really went on for 3 summers 1988 - 1990).

Shaun Ryder was literally on a giant E in the video, Manc photographer Kevin Cummins captured him in full flight for the cover of the NME, a stunning shot, with Ryder's grin highlighting that he was in on the mischief. 

Step On was the start of a huge 2-years for The Mondays, thanks to the release of their iconic Pills, Thrills & Bellyaches album that was released in November 1990. What an album to brighten up winter! Kinky Afro was another huge single from the LP, that and Step On both reached number 5 in the charts.


It was decades down the line when I learned that Step On was actually a cover version! Despite owning the 12-inch single and LP, I'd never checked the writing credits! I, like the vast majority of anyone checking out The Mondays, just presumed that it was another Ryder original.

House piano chords, a baggy beat, Ryder whistling and then what has become his legendary intro;

You're twisting my melon man, 
You know you talk so hip man, you're twisting my melon man
Call the cops

Step On grooves, the jarring guitar riff, constant beats, funky bass and the injection of piano throughout keep the energy up from start to finish. Ryder ad-libs, throwing in the kind of jibberish that made him utterly unique as a frontman and songwriter.

Check The Mondays iconic video HERE if it doesn't display on your browser below.


I've experienced dancefloors erupting to Step On and it still makes me want to dance like Bez every time I hear it. All these years down the line it has remarkably retained a (melon) freshness.


I was amazed when I found out that Step On was a cover of a song called He's Gonna Step On You Again by John Kongos, a singer from South Africa. Kongos had a number 4 hit in the UK in 1971 with the song.

Starting with a stomping rhythm and squealing electric guitar, the original Step On has a real groove and a brilliant lift into the chorus that The Mondays really play on. The guitar riff out of the chorus is amplified is one of the few things Ryder and co keep in and they play on the groove - perfect for those heady Madchester days. The stomping rhythm that introduces the song also plays it out, ripe for an extended remix.

It's an inspired cover, The Mondays totally bring the song to life, injecting fresh vibes. Recognising the groove from the original and with the help of Paul Oakenfold they bring it bang up to date.


You can find links to all my previous cover versions of the month below and a playlist on Spotify by searching Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions. Or CLICK HERE

Previous covers of the month

13. Hurt


Tuesday 1 February 2022

James Grant, Norman Blake & Bernard Butler at Celtic Connections

 

I'm still basking in the warm glow generated by Sunday night's Celtic Connections show in the wonderful setting of Saint Luke's in Glasgow. Everyone attending was especially glad of the warm glow when they left the venue into howling wind and pouring rain!

Three incredible songwriters and musicians are behind my good feelings. James Grant, Norman Blake and Bernard Butler were brought together by the FRETS team in a kind of songwriting circle environment.

The trio lined up across the stage, each taking it in turn to tell the story behind the song they were about to play, before all 3 would then play the song. Their banter was genuinely hilarious. James Grant - total deadpan, Norman Blake - surreal comedy stories and Bernard Butler - just about keeping up with it all.


Brilliant banter and stunning songwriting. Grant kicked it all off, discussing how they wanted to be billed, rhyming off their names in various orders before declaring his personal favourite - Grant, Blake & Butler.

Looking resplendent in cowboy shirt and with super sleek hair, Grant started with State Of Art, laying down a marker to his friends. Norman followed with I Don't Want Control Of You, although he couldn't remember what album it was on. I particularly love this song when it is stripped back, the heartfelt meaning of the lyrics shines that little brighter. Butler then played Although, demonstrating a strong and soulful voice along with his impeccable guitar playing.

Butler's hair was impeccable too. Thick and long, he continually flicked it from his eyes, only for it to fall immediately back again. My wife and friend Lorna swooned. 

Yes, the euphoric single that Bernard wrote and released with David McAlmont in 1995 was my highlight of the night. Butler highlighted his friends incredible vocal, going on to say there was no chance he was even going to try and replicate it. The trio went on to deliver a rich and soulful version, with Blake and Grant providing excellent backing vocals at the end.

Thanks to Derek Kirwan for capturing it HERE but please check this rip roaring version from Later with Jools recorded back in the day - simply sensational. Whoever was on after them must have been thinking .... what the ....


Norman introduced Teenage Fanclub's seminal debut single by saying he had recently found the test pressing up in his parents loft,  the trio played a beautiful kind of Teenage Fanclub Have Lost It version. Afterwards, Bernard spoke with genuine affection for a moment when he was invited on stage to play Everything Flows with Teenage Fanclub in London, just before he left Suede. It was his favourite song then and his favourite song now. He made a little joke about knowing the direction he wanted to go in, before playing a beautiful version of The Wild Ones. Bernard also highlighted he was still using the same guitar from that very night.

Grant oozed confidence throughout. I'm not very familiar with his work at all, but I'll be digging into it over the months ahead. His songs were first class, Last Ship On The River (with Love and Money) was really beautiful.

I didn't expect to hear Norman stripping back The Concept, but, with the help of James and Bernard, he delivered a beautiful version, complete with long outro. Butler's guitar playing was exquisite.


After a rapturous reception and clamour for an encore (three more tunes, three more tunes) Grant, Blake & Butler closed with their three voices and guitars gelling on Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl, with Grant highlighting Young's stance against Spotify through the week.

I do hope FRETS brings this trio together again. I do hope the sound engineer recorded the gig! Check the full setlist below. This was a real treat of a show.