I always love when my sister Carla phones me up. I especially love it when she phones and I barely get a word in as she sets off telling me about her latest adventures, her creative energy burning bright, passion shining like the brightest stars.
During the filming of her documentary Since Yesterday - The Untold Story of Scottish Girl Bands, Carla travelled to Dunbar to meet Jeanette McKinley to learn all about her time in Scotland's first girl band - The McKinley's!
Carla told me about what she had learned; the glamour of the 60's - Jimmy Page playing on Sweet and Tender Romance, supporting The Stones at Wembley Arena, playing with The Beatles, being on Ready, Steady, Go!, interest from Brian Epstein ... and then the tough stuff; no money, sharing a bed and a bag of chips on tour, being dropped ...
Since Yesterday reflects on The McKinleys and loads of other Scottish girl bands and redefines what success is. Whether that is simply getting on stage as teenage girls in front of hostile predominantly male crowds, recording Peel sessions or being in a band with your sister or your friends.
Carla raved about Sweet and Tender Romance and no wonder. This is 2 minutes and 9 seconds of 60's power pop. A pounding piano motif ushers in a cool groove before Jeanette and her sister Sheila create a Spector-esque wall of sound through the force of their harmonies.
Jimmy Page comes in at 1 minute 13 seconds and lets rip on lead guitar. Page only plays for 15 seconds but it is electrifying. The sisters come back in for one final chorus, repeating the closing line several times and that's it. Glorious!
Like a leaf on the breeze
I fly high on the sky
Then I fall on my knees
When you whisper goodbye
Sweet and tender romance
Last night I had the absolute privilege of seeing and hearing Jeanette sing the song at Mono, following the Glasgow premiere of the documentary. Backed by the Hen Hoose band, Jeanette (in her 80's) still has it. We also had the delight of seeing Louise Rutkowski from Sunset Gun singing Be Thankful for What You Got and Rose McDowall bring the house down with Since Yesterday. All three were tremendous - once a pop star, always a pop star. We were then treated to the first performance in 40-years by Sophisticated Boom Boom who were beautifully raw and cool.
Anyway, back to Sweet and Tender Romance. Written by Bill Bates, Ken Lewis and John Carter, the song was originally released by Bick Ford in April 1963, PJ Proby was among another few artists to record and release the song in a little over a year before The McKinley's version. Many years later The Bangles would record the song.
I love the pace and raw power of the song. There is teenage innocence portrayed through the lyrics, someone is completely head over heels in love. Jeanette and Sheila's voices are so natural together, I just fell for this song hook, line and sinker and hope you do too.
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