What They Do To Me

I can't remember what possessed me to suggest to my fellow Teenage Fanclub Fanclub members that we should try and compile a tribute album of b-sides and rarities. Possibly someone had posted in the Facebook group chat about the possibility/dream of a b-sides, sessions and rarities boxset and someone reminisced about previous TFC FC tribute albums recorded albums like Bandwagonesque and Thirteen.

Anyway, something sparked an idea. But with a vast array of b-sides and rarities (upwards of 80), where would this project start and end?

That was going to be dependent on interest levels and quality. There was no shortage of either!

Over 40 fans from around the world registered an interest in covering a song. Either themselves or through bands that they are members of. Spain, USA, Argentina, Australia, Phillippines, Ireland, Slovenia ... The quality, diversity and love coming from around the world was mindblowing.

In addition to offers of support from TFC FC members from around the world to record covers, I also received offers of help by Tom Burgess and Mark Rolfe - thankfully! Tom is an incredibly creative guy and a talented musician in his own right, so I knew he'd keep the project on the right track in terms of quality. And Mark is also a musician, fellow Star Wars fan, runs his own small digital record label - Winnetka Records and is also skilled in the art of mastering  - so we had an outlet for releasing the album!

As the project began to grow arms and legs, I checked in with David Barker, a TFC FC member who also happens to be an integral part of the bands history, releasing debut single Everything Flows (where I got the name for this blog!) and debut album A Catholic Education on his label Paperhouse Records. 

David is still releasing records through his Glass Modern label. With the project growing all the time, I was keen to check what we could and couldn't do. I certainly didn't want to piss off the band we were paying tribute to!

Releasing an album of cover versions is quite a big project! David was really helpful and extremely experienced as Glass Modern were building towards the release of the Glass Remade / Remodelled compilation album. It's well worth checking out and includes Gerry Love covering The Pastels.

After talking with Dave and in order to avoid any complications, we decided to go with a free digital only release with a suggested donation to charity. I checked in with Norman to see if the band would like to choose a charity and he very kindly said that we should choose as it was our work. We've chosen Simon Community Scotland and you and make a donation HERE

Pretty soon we were taking suggestions for the album name (my own suggestion of Genius Envy wasn't taken forward!), artwork and recordings started to come in!

And after a while, we decided to release the album in 2 volumes in order to break up the work and also to ensure the songs had some space to breath. 

So ... after many months ... Volume 1 came out on 1st December! 

What a delight it is!

There is a great mix of Blake, McGinley and Love originals, along with a sprinkling of covers by The Beatles, Dylan/The Byrds and The Bevis Frond. After all, Teenage Fanclub are fond of covers themselves!

I'm so proud of the way this has come together. It sounds incredible - recordings in bedrooms, garages and studios around the world in tribute to Teenage Fanclub.

Here is a short piece on each song. Enjoy the album and please make a donation.

What They Do To Me Volume 1: b-sides, rarities and deep cuts
A tribute to Teenage Tanclub

so far gone - min min lights, (australia) (written by gerard love)

Min Min Lights blast through Gerry's So Far Gone that came out on the God Knows It's True single, released between A Catholic Education and Bandwagonesque. It's a faithful cover and you can tell the band are having fun. Incidentally, Min Min Lights also play Fanclub tribute concerts under the name Starsign! 

sidewinder - the pace cars, (sweden) (gerard love & brendan ohare)

Ah the chiming guitars, Swedish accent, harmonies and warmth that pour from this recording get me every time. One of my favourite Fanclub tunes. There is a beautiful purity to it and The Pace Cars (great band name!) really bring that out.

some people try to fuck with you - deep clean, (usa) (norman blake)

This particular recording really blew me away when it came through. I think it was one of the first I received and it set a high bar! Released on the Mellow Doubt single, this era of the band really highlights how prolific they were; releasing albums every couple of years and singles packed with b-sides due to labels releasing two CD's with different b-sides to maximise sales. Fanclub fans didn't complain! 

genius envy - the mondo & lc project, (philippines) (raymond mcginley)

There is a line in this song where Raymond McGinley sings so what if you see other people, I only get jealous if I listen to The Beatles, so go and get someone new.

I love it! And I love the way The Mondo & LC Project introduce Beatles strings and effects to their cover. The love for the band and the song shine bright. 

tell me what you see - the proper authorities (usa) (lennon & mccartney)

When people were staking their claim to record b-sides and rarities, this is one that caught me by surprise! I hadn't heard Teenage Fanclub covering Tell Me What You See. The band recorded it around the time of Thirteen for a label compilation album.

I love it - the band romp through it and so do The Proper Authorities. The biggest compliment I can pay them is that I've gone back to the Help! era of The Beatles as a result of their cover. What a song!

headstand - the slow return (england) (gerard love)

One of my favourite Fanclub b-sides! I love this recording, there is a little bit of The Flaming Lips to it. The vocals have a psychedelic feel to them, drawing on the emotion of the lyrics. 

speeder - japanclub (japan) (teenage fanclub)

A collaboration between real Fanclub devotees from Japan. With Kaori now residing in Glasgow. I meet her regularly at gigs around town. Kaori HAD to be on the album and I love the DIY raw punky vibe to this instrumental.

mr. tambourine man - wet paint (ireland) (bob dylan)

Oh this melts my heart! A gorgeous duet on Dylan's sublime poetry and imagery. Teenage Fanclub really covered The Byrds version rather than Dylan's. Wet Paint really take this somewhere dreamy in the closing minute. 

the count - gary page (england) (raymond mcginley)

Come put your arms around me, I can't count the times you found me

Quite why The Count was a b-side is beyond me! One of Raymond's best songs and Gary does a cracking job with it, his aching vocal is beautiful.

he'd be a diamond - broken by rock (scotland) (nick saloman)

Another cover of a cover. Broken by Rock are my friends Alan Clarke and Derek McKee. I think Alan produced this one all by himself though and I am a big fan of the punk pop DIY vibe he has lovingly created. I used to love hearing Norman and Gerry's voices harmonising on this. Check them performing live on BBC Scotland's The Quay Sessions. What a stunning song!

getting real - michael vickers (england) (gerard love)

2-minutes of guitar pop perfection courtesy of Gerard Love. Michael stays true to the original; pounding drums, a driving riff and melodic vocals. 

the world'll be ok - vlado nosal & the avedons (slovakia) (raymond mcginley)

This cover really got me. I felt quite emotional when it came through and I listened on headphones. Cause the world isn't OK right now. Everything seems to be going wrong. Just when you think it can't get any worse ... it somehow gets worse! I really do hope the world'll be OK.  This cover gave me hope.

when i still have thee - rocket kings (england) (norman blake)

I'd love Teenage Fanclub to introduce this to their sets. What a beautifully pure cover.

long hair - starboard hazes and broken by rock (scotland) (norman blake)

I recorded this with my friend Derek from Broken by Rock, who also feature on volume 1 with their cover of He'd Be A Diamond. Del (former drummer for Creation band Boyfriend) has an amazing home studio set up. He recorded absolutely everything and then I went over and recorded the vocals in one take! Definitely need to go over to Del's another time!

one thousand lights - seahorse migration (scotland) (raymond mcginley)

Seahorse Migration is a brilliant band name! Made up for this project! This is gorgeous. I love the DIY feel, the melodic vocals and the gentle xylophone.

country song - dirtwater stank, hank b & stevie sticks (scotland) (gerard love)

Volume 1 closes in style with this fantastically grungy sounding cover of Country Song. I love the guitars on this.