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.

Picture by Neil MacAllister

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.

Yes

Last week I was driving to work and McAlmont and Butler's Yes suddenly came blaring out of my stereo. What a slice of pure euphoric pop! Released in May 1995, this was Bernard Butler's first musical offering to the world since his departure from Suede in 1994 during the tense recordings of their second album, the dark Dog Man Star.

It is safe to say that Suede made a huge impression on the UK indie scene, so much so that they blew over into the mainstream. Their first 4 singles (previously blogged about here) were exceptional slices of guitar pop, full of hooks and riffs, but also full of intrigue and intelligence. Singer Brett Anderson and guitarist and co-singwriter Bernard Butler looked and sounded incredible and were quickly christened as the 90's Morrissey and Marr, making front covers, Top of the Pops, the Brits and gaining the stamp of approval from David Bowie.

Butler was a whirlwind on guitar, pacing around stages and studios looking like he was having the time of his life by wringing, shaking and hammering on his guitar for all he was worth. Anderson shaked, shimmied and looked like a classic front man from the off. What a duo, brilliantly backed by a super tight rhythm section of Matt Osman and Simon Gilbert. Girls ... and boys swooned.

They had a frantic 3-years of activity following the release of debut single The Drowners, it is little wonder there was tension in the band from all the writing, recording, touring and promo.

Butler left and went quiet. I think there were rumours of him joining various bands at times, but he surfaced with Yes and a partnership with singer David McAlmont. The two met in the Jazz Cafe in Camden and Butler was soon playing his new friend his first positive piece of music since leaving Suede.

And oh how positive it is, McAlmont wrote a verse but couldn't come up with a second, so Butler just told him to repeat the first with the duo hoping to commit something that could be held up as a classic single like those they loved from the 60's.

The official video, the full version has another minute on the end

McAlmont's lyrics match the positive surge of Butler's music. The strings soar and instantly sound euphoric, Butler's guitar crashes and provides a constant rhythm throughout, while seemingly simultaneously chiming and riffing.

The lyrics could easily be McAlmont's interpretation of whatever Butler told him about leaving Suede. The title, the simple Yes, is pure positivity, Butler has recovered from the dark post Suede months, he does look better and he does feel alright.

David McAlmont's vocal is exceptional and after a quick 1st verse that sounds like McAlmont relaying a conversation they are into the sky scraping chorus. The about me, about me, about me line that McAlmont yelps out is the perfect bridge into the chorus. Then they do it again for good measure, only they take it even higher and it sounds even better.

They hit the second chorus at 2-minutes and then repeat it again before leading to a stunning build up to a full on 2-minute climax. They take it higher, Butler's guitar is relentless, the strings are thrilling and McAlmont takes his vocals up a gear or three, the drums crash and pound and it all combines to sound fresh and vital, even 23-years down the line. It is timeless pop - epic, euphoric, sublime and soulful.

The song ends with it gradually breaking and slowing down into applause. I like to think that they simply couldn't keep the pace up or put anymore into it. They have played and sung their hearts out.

Enjoy the live version from Later with Jools below - look at Butler on guitar! And here is a link to the full, near 5-minute single version.

So you wanna know me now

How I've been

You Can't help someone recover

After what you did

So tell me am I looking better?

Have you forgot

Whatever it was that you couldn't stand 

About me, about me, about me?

Because yes I do feel better

Yes I do I feel alright

I feel well enough to tell you what you can do with what you got

To offer