Sundress

Trust me #117
Sundress by Ben Kweller

I've spent considerable time revisiting the sunshine, open road, warm breeze guitar pop of Ben Kweller over the last month. Kweller had a magnificent run of 00's albums; his debut Sha Sha (2002), On My Way (2004), Ben Kweller (2006) and Changing Horses (2009). 

There was a large gap between 2012's Go Fly A Kite and 2021's Circuit Boredom, but Kweller seems to have the bug again, releasing Cover the Mirrors (including collaborations with Waxahatchee and The Flaming Lips) in 2025. 

Kweller recently played King Tuts on 10th June, his first Scottish show in a decade and it was an absolute joy. Ben hinted that he will be back in 2027, so maybe another album is on the way - he'll need a bigger venue! Tuts was absolutely rammed. I left wanting to get my guitars down from the loft, plug in my amp and play. Kweller played songs from across his career, beginning with two of my absolute favourites - Thirteen and Falling, with the latter generating a huge sing-song chorus. Talk about setting the tone from the off!

Along with The Polyphonic Spree, Ben must have been one of the first artists that my younger sister Carla recommended to me, rather than the other way round. So it was great to go and see Ben with her alongside me. Even better as Eugene Kelly was also alongside me and Ben covered Molly's Lips in appreciation of The Vaselines.

Carla was overjoyed to hear Wasted & Ready and On My Way. New songs from his forthcoming album sounded fantastic. Ben also played a song written by his son Dorian who tragically lost his life in a car accident at the age of only 16. It was a beautiful moment.

Kweller is a gifted songwriter and storyteller, whether behind a piano or playing acoustic/electric guitar. His warm melodies melt my heart. I was going to write a full blog review of the show, but instead I thought I would focus on a specific song. 

Released in the late summer of 2006 as lead single for the third in that quartet of album, Sundress is a four-minute shot of pure, heart-on-sleeve indie-pop brilliance. Kweller's eponymous album might be my favourite. It has such a lovely feel to it, aided by the fact that Kweller played every instrument on the album - drums, bass, guitars and piano.

Leading with a melancholic piano riff, Kweller sings gently to set the scene;

Everybody's trying to be the best

What about the girl with loneliness?

I like your sundress, I like your sundress

What about the girl with loneliness?

Things lift beautifully for the bridge into the chorus;

And from the inside out, you look so beautiful

I wanna hold you, in my hand

The chorus explodes into life, like a burst of sunshine. It's very Lemonheads-y. All warm, melodic and magnificent, heart-on-sleeve, head-over-heels gooey brilliance. So simple, so pure, so beautiful.

I'll do, everything you want me to

I'll do, everything you want me to, do

Things fall back for the second verse, I love the first couple of lines, something Kweller wants to do, a memory he thinks back to and then the realisation as to what he really needs.

I wanna start going on a morning walk

What about the days when we used to talk?

I don't need a smile, from a mannequin

I just wanna hold you in my hands

Then it is back into the infectious chorus. Kweller pounding on the piano and bashing gleefully on his acoustic guitar - what a glorious noise.

After a sublime instrumental there is a tender breakdown into the final bridge;

And from the inside out, you've changed girl, you know you have

Don't make a good thing bad

Just let me hold you in my hands

Kweller then returns to the chorus, repeated with extra emphasis on the beats and rhythm guitar, Kweller ad libbing everything and woah oh's over the top. Sundress is an absolute masterclass in power-pop construction. The way piano and acoustic collide is McCartney-esque, or Rundgren-esque. Brilliant!

Sundress 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.

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

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From 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

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys

81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

82. 69 Police by David Holmes

83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes

84. I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel

85. Kung Fu by Ash

86. Kids by MGMT

87. Slight Return by The Bluetones

88. Give Peace A Chance by John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band

89. Cut Your Hair by Pavement

90. Race for the Prize by The Flaming Lips

91. Waitin' for a Superman by The Flaming Lips

92. Acquiesce by Oasis

93. This Is Music by The Verve

94. Lone Swordsman by Daniel Avery

95. Sparky's Dream by Teenage Fanclub

96. Common People by Pulp

97. Let Our Love Grow Higher by Eula Cooper

98. Regret by New Order

99. Keep On Keepin' On by Nolan Porter

100. Sit Down by James (Live at G-Mex) by James

101. Never Lose Your Sense Of Wonder by Yeti

102. Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over by The Charlatans

103. Life Is Sweet by The Chemical Brothers 

104. How Can I Tell You (To Love Me More) by Brooke Coombe

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

108. Cobra by Geese

109. All I Have To Do Is Dream by The Everly Brothers

110. Vapour Trail by Ride

111. Teardrop by Massive Attack

112. Since I Left You by The Avalanches

113. Good Dancers by The Sleepy Jackson

114. Kiss My Love Goodbye by Bettye Swann

115. What Difference Does It Make? by The Smiths

116. Get Out Of My Dream by The Clouds

Fatale - NYR at King Tuts

Glasgow seems to recognise how dark, wet, cold and miserable January is, so the city does its very best to put on music events to keep spirits up. Celtic Connections attracts artists and music fans from across the globe. Closer to home, King Tuts Wah Wah Hut promotes the best new bands around as part of their New Year Revolution series of shows through January. 

On Friday (9th) night I headed in to see Fatale, a young five piece, still in single figures for gigs and yet to release a single. As mentioned in an earlier blog this month, I think Fatale are the most exciting young band in Scotland at present. They look great, have fantastic taste in (and enthusiasm for) music and out of their 11-song set, taking into account the 2 cover versions, 5 or 6 of their own 9 songs sound like they could be clear and obvious singles. 

This was the best I've seen Fatale. They played with confidence, introduced new songs to their set and looked like they were having even more fun on stage than the audience, who were jumping and pogo-ing around. There was even a brilliant display of crowd surfing during the band's final song! 

Lead singer Ben Robertson somehow managed to keep his hat on for the first few songs, before eventually taking it off due to the heat in the room. Robertson is a natural front man, his energy is infectious. He has his arm round his guitarists at times, while at others he is down at the barrier and in with the crowd. Good vibes.

Good vibes all round. From the warm guitar opening of September onwards, Fatale blitzed King Tuts. A cover of The Vaselines Molly's Lips third song really got the place going.

Head's Gone could be one of the aforementioned singles. While Jesus Christ almost certainly will be. A teasing intro with Big Star-esque guitar sounds leads to the band flying through the verse to the chorus. 

Jesus Christ knocked on my door, just let me sleep 10-minutes more

Coming out with songs of praise, righteousness lost in the haze

Another Sunrise is another one that connects, the defiant statement hook of I'm going out tonight will probably be blasting out of radios and speakers within a couple of years and be sung wholeheartedly by teenagers across the country (and beyond).

Fatale were in full flow. The duel guitars of Euan and Chris (sporting a Shonen Knife t-shirt) were deliciously fuzzy, bassist Oscar locked in the groove, while James (vintage AC Milan shirts swapped for a Maradona T) on drums drove things forward.

By The Tide is another guitar pop gem. Fatale seem to have a natural feel for a good song structure. They know when to build a bridge, when to rip through a verse, when to hammer home a chorus or hook. 

New song Wired (To The Feeling) felt effortless. The band seem to be writing brilliant new songs ona regular basis. They could already start recording and releasing a steady stream of singles. But they (probably rightly) are letting things build. After all, as mentioned previously, they have still played less than 10 gigs. You can check a couple of demos on their soundcloud though.

I'm wired to the feeling

When I'm by your side

Electricity is flowing

Everything's just right

With every tear you don't cry

With every tear you don't cry

Fatale closed with the two songs they recorded as demos 8-months ago. Their cover of Femme Fatale by The Velvets has become a sing-song, the call and response chorus and then the hook see the way she walks, hear the way she talks is sung with love on stage and in the crowd.

Then it was the glorious Moves You, like a long lost Fanclub song from between A Catholic Education and Bandwagonesque. Full of zip and zest, but with a sublime breakdown and harmonies, before a furious romp through the chorus, cracking instrumental with a brilliant guitar solo and another run through the first verse and chorus for good measure. 

Fatale head out on the road in February for dates with The Cords. Keep an eye on their Instagram page.

26/02 - Cafe Drummond, Aberdeen

27/02 - Beat Generator, Dundee

29/02 - Upstairs, Inverness

Fatale at King Tuts

Driving home from King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut last night, I felt genuinely elated. I had a proper buzz. There were a few reasons for the good feeling, but most of all, I’d just discovered my new favourite young band - Fatale. I was kind of getting used to thinking those days might be over.

I had already fallen for them after hearing their demo of original song Moves You and a cover of The Velvets Femme Fatale that inspired their choice of name. The demo prompted me to reach out to the band for a short interview that you can check HERE,

Other reasons behind my elation were;

• Seeing Tuts rammed with young people in search of, and supporting, new music. The downstairs bar was mobbed and it was clear that most of them were there to see Fatale. The upstairs venue had to open the section by the sounddesk for Fatale coming on.
• Loads of cool kids in cool clothes with cool haircuts. A nice mix of 60's and 90's fashion. Part of me felt old, part of me felt excited to be around it. The energy and enthusiasm of youth is infectious.
• Meeting a cool young journalism student who said they read my blog!
• Teenagers being inspired by and getting into Scottish indie guitar bands (and the likes of T-Rex and The Velvets) that I discovered when I was a teenager.
• Reminiscing about good times in King Tuts over the years. Here is a blog I wrote about 25 of them on Tuts 25th anniversary.

Fatale were onstage at 9.15pm and they played a 30-minute set of energetic guitar pop. Less than a handful of gigs old as a band, they displayed all the kind of raw energy and potential that excites me as a music fan.

Arriving to cheers, the band plugged in and were off, playing a 7-song set to cheers and pogo-ing. A scuzzy cover of T-Rex's Life's A Gas was an early highlight with some of the crowd singing the refrain, while their own song Another Sunrise told of the desire to go out and have fun.

Fatale look the part too. There are some fantastic haircuts (or lack of) across the band, while I found myself debating whether guitarist Chris in his vintage Captain America (the band) long sleeve t-shirt, or drummer James - sporting a retro AC Milan top with Kaka's name and number on the back - had the coolest top! Shout out to singer Ben for also wearing a BMX Bandits T.

Captain America/Eugenius are a clear and evident influence on the band, scuzzy and fuzzy guitar sounds mixed with chimes, and catchy melodic vocal hooks. 

Fatale's song Jesus Christ is the catchiest guitar pop song I've heard in a long time and I hope they get to record it before too long. Their cover of The Velvets Femme Fatale was glorious, with singer Ben's voice sounding superb. The band stretched it out a little with the call and response at the end.

Closing with the aforementioned Moves You, echo-ing the delights of early Teenage Fanclub, Fatale generated a huge reaction from the crowd. 

It's going to be really interesting to see how Fatale develop over the next year or so. It's still very early days. Keep an eye on their Instagram for demos/show announcements.

Instagram

Soundcloud

Introducing - Fatale

What is it about you Uddy (Uddingston) boys and The Velvet Underground?

Back in mid-April, my friend Derek sent me a cryptic WhatsApp message, and then followed it up with soundcloud links to a young teenage band called Fatale . Del had produced and engineered demos for two songs; Moves You and a cover of The Velvets Femme Fatale.

Fatale soundcloud

Del was excited enough to also post in the Teenage Fanclub Fanclub Facebook group with the statement  - If you like Catholic Education era Teenage Fanclub then you'll love Fatale.

Fatale, as you might have guessed from Derek's comparisons, love electric guitars that crash, collide, chime, blur, reverberate and fuzz together in the glorious way that I have loved for over 3 decades.

Hailing from my home town of Uddingston (on the outskirts of Glasgow), I was determined to find out more about this young band that seem to be bursting with talent, taste, looks, great hair (I found out upon meeting them), energy and enthusiasm.

Moves You is the first song that they have released. The overdriven guitars are fired up beautifully, there is a sublime dreamy breakdown, before they burst back into life. Vocally, this is pure So Far Gone/God Knows It's True era Fanclub, raw and soulful harmonies, young romantic lyrics sung from the heart.

Would you find a price for all the stars that shine on you?

Meanwhile, their cover of Femme Fatale is gorgeously raw and warm, sounding like a lost Fanclub cover they recorded for Bandwagonesque era b-sides.

I caught up with guitarist Christopher Jollie to find out more in the interview below. It was also great to bump into the whole band after the BMX Bandits show on Friday night. During the gig they stood to the side, shaking their heads in time and singing-along, Chris wearing a Eugenius t-shirt. They looked like a real gang, tight friends, a band. 

I can't wait to see them live. Read on for info about how they formed, influences, writing and news about their next gig.

1. How did the band form? Where are you all from? How did you get to know each other?

Our singer Ben and lead guitarist Euan are cousins and both of them had came out of playing with other bands. Myself and our bassist Oscar had been school friends with Ben and had played in a drumless, gigless band just before Fatale. A total shambles. Euan and our drummer James had also been school pals but had never played in a band together. 

From James perspective Euan was playing songs with his wee cousin (he thought he was nine) and wanted him to drum with them. When we show up at his garage for a jam, to his surprise there’s three eighteen year old's with guitars. The band just took off from there.

2. How did you start creating music together? Does anyone take the lead on writing? Or do you jam ideas?

We started off with acoustic demos recorded by Ben and Euan, and built up from there. It’s a collaborative process we go for, with everyone coming in with their own songs, and fleshing them out in practice. I’d always hated showing folk my own songs, but I had Moves You as a demo on my phone from months before and tried to show it to the guys. I had to do that another twice before we sort of took it seriously as a song, and now we’re in the process of getting it recorded and produced. We do have very diverse influences, which allows us to do different things with each song.

3. What kind of music are you listening to at present? Have any bands influenced you?

I was just at the Barras seeing Dinosaur Jr. and wow. They’ve always been a band that I’m just in awe of. I’ve been listening to a lot of soul music and bands like Big Star, the Kinks. Apart from that I’ve been getting dead into Eugenius, who had sort of passed me by when I was discovering the Fanclub. Scottish music has shaped our sound unlike anything else. There’s just something inside a lot of Scottish bands that just can’t be replicated. We are very keen to keep that sort of thing going.

4. How did you get on playing McChuills at the start of May?

McChuills was our first gig together, and it was a sellout. We were opening for a very good Irish band, The Labourers, and playing alongside our good pals, Bogle, as part of the Vicar Street Social night. We were originally scheduled to play a Sunday Soundclash on the 4th of May but due to the football it was cancelled. 

That had left us without a gig until July, but thankfully our mate Ben Brown managed to pull some strings and get us a spot on VSS thanks to a demo recorded by Derek McKee. We played 7 songs, including covers of the Scream’s Velocity Girl and the Velvet’s Femme Fatale. Our closer, Moves You ended up getting played twice since we didn’t have another song and the crowd were wanting more. I had already plugged out my guitar when Ben tells me we’re replaying it. You can’t plan for the energy in the room, and everything came so naturally.

5. What do you have coming up in terms of gigs, recording and releasing?

Our next gig is a part of King Tut’s Summer Nights Festival. We’re opening for a band we know called The Violet’s on Sunday 20th July, so it should be another great night. TICKETS

We’re also looking at our options for getting Moves You recorded and released in the next month or two, to keep the excitement going. Del done a great job of our demo so we’ll be looking towards him for potentially recording some covers to put out over the summer. We’re also in the early stages of setting up a once or twice a month event, looking at platforming the sound of young Glasgow. It’s exciting times for us, but it’s just the start of something that we truly believe in.

Slight Return

 

Trust me #87
Slight Return by The Bluetones

30-years ago, on 22nd February 1995 I visited King Tuts Wah Wah Hut to catch a couple of hotly tipped bands - Supergrass and The Bluetones. Exceptional value for a fiver!

Supergrass were building towards the release of debut album I Should Coco and had made waves with debut single Caught By The Fuzz in late October 1994.

Meanwhile, The Bluetones were being spoken of in hushed tones by the NME and Melody Maker. A 4-piece who had been holed up in a garage crafting melodic guitar pop songs inspired by the Roses. I can't remember where I bought it, possibly at the gig or maybe in HMV Sauchiehall Street, but I managed to get my hands on their debut single, a beautiful blue limited edition 7-inch of Slight Return b/w The Fountainhead.

Despite being such an incredible double header, I really don't remember too much about this gig! That could be down to the fact that it was 30-years ago, or be down to the fact that I probably had 3 or 4 beers as I do distinctly remember my friend Scott driving. 

My memories of those heady Britpop days may be a little hazey at times, but Slight Return still sounds as fresh and effortless as the first time I heard it. Cool, melodic and full of charm, The Bluetones re-released it in January 1996 and it reached number 2 in the charts.

The Roses influence was clear from the off with Adam Devlin playing a beautifully warm guitar chord to allow Mark Morris to come in with the opening lines

Where did you go?

When things went wrong for you

When the knives came out for you

Devlin begins to riff after the delivery of the opening line with a tight yet loose rhythm section coming in alongside him. There is plenty of space throughout Slight Return, a purity that ensures it has a timeless quality, unlike many of the songs from around this time that could easily be identified as mi-90's Britpop wannabe's. It doesn’t try too hard; it just flows. The rhythm section, led by Scott Morriss on bass and Eds Chesters on drums, keeps things tight but never overpowering, allowing the song’s melody and atmosphere to shine through. There’s an understated confidence to it—a song that doesn’t need to shout to be heard.

You don't have to have the solution

You've got to understand the problem

And don't go hoping for a miracle

All this will fade away

So I'm coming home, I'm coming home

Around 10 or so years later, Mark Morriss played at Maggie's London Night Hike as a lovely colleague of mine at the time (Claire) was friends with him through being a bit of a superfan. Mark was absolutely lovely and played a cracking acoustic set as hundreds of people arrived to hike through the night. Claire also managed to get me backstage at a Bluetones gig at the QMU - good times.

30-years on from seeing The Bluetones for the first time and buying their debut single, the band are playing in my home town of Uddingston. Almost literally in my Mum's back garden! I must message Claire!

Musicfest Mainstage has a line-up of The Bluetones, Echobelly & The Supernaturals with more to be announced. It's a brilliant family-friendly event, held at Uddingston Cricket & Hockey Club, 10-15 minutes walk from the train station. That in itself is a mere 14-minute train ride from Glasgow Central.

MUSICFEST MAINSTAGE - INFO & TICKETS
Slight Return - original video 

Slight Return - Later with Jools, 1996

Slight Return 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.

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

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From 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

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys

81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

82. 69 Police by David Holmes

83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes

84. I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel

85. Kung Fu by Ash

86. Kids by MGMT

Kung Fu

Trust me #85
Kung Fu by Ash

Written by 17-year old Tim Wheeler on Boxing Day 1994 and then recorded in one take the following day, Kung Fu was released by Ash as their 4th single in March 1995. 

Between those dates, on 25th January 1995 to be precise, the legendary Manchester United player Eric Cantona leapt into the crowd at Selhurst Park to confront Matthew Simmons, an absolute moron of a Crystal Palace supporter, who had been hurling abuse at Cantona as he departed the field following a red card.

Eric in full flight

Cantona was being escorted down the track, when he broke free to attack his abuser with a flying kung fu kick, before hitting Simmons with a huge right. The incident, particularly the kung fu kick, instantly became iconic, screened on a loop on Sky Sports News as the nation debated Eric's punishment. 

"My one regret, I didn't hit him hard enough." Eric Cantona

After a great deal of publicity and debate, including a point where Cantona faced 2-weeks in jail, the FA banned Cantona for 8-months. United lost the league and Cantona contemplated quitting football. Sir Alex Ferguson's wife Cathy persuaded him to fly to France to persuade Eric otherwise.

I've often thought that this is a short film in the making. Fergie flying to Paris and flying through the streets on the back of a motorbike Cantona sent to collect him. Eric had booked out an entire restaurant for the two of them to eat, drink and talk long into the night. Oh to have been a fly on the wall!

Cantona returned in September, setting up a goal for Nicky Butt and scoring a penalty (celebration photo below) in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Old Trafford. The king had returned and Eric led United to a league and cup double. There were a number of 1-0 victories with Eric being the scorer, including the FA Cup final win over Liverpool.

Eric Cantona was an unbelievable football player, the catalyst for United's 1992/93 league title win, their first since 1966/67 under Sir Matt Busby. With his upturned collar, swagger, skill, passion and attitude, the Frenchman became known as Eric the King at Old Trafford. He was incredible, the perfect star for the Theatre of Dreams. The stage was his to command.

Meanwhile, Ash were a band of noisy teenagers from Northern Ireland who were picking up some attention in the music weeklies thanks to releasing brilliant punk pop singles like Jack Names The Planets. 

Back to their song Kung Fu, released in March 1995 with Eric Cantona flyng through the air as the cover. Apparently Tim Wheeler still has a fax from Eric saying 'I spit on your record' after Ash sent one asking for permission. Classic 90's memorabilia if Tim still has it!

Talk about capturing a moment in time! Kung Fu is blistering grungy teenage punk pop perfection, delivered in just 2-minutes 17 seconds, with the first 10-seconds being kung fu noise samples!

Ash absolutely tear through the song, their youthful energy and ear for catchy guitar pop is perfectly captured, all the better for being one take. The vocal melody is strong, fast-flowing and catchy. The guitars buzz and the drums pound as Tim Wheeler sings about his teenage lobotomy, moving to Hong Kong with Bruce Lee's brother and Johnny Wong!

The chorus then references Daniel San and Jackie Chan, while the second verse then mentions Mr.Miagi!

Ash have finished the second chorus by 1 minute 15 seconds, ensuring they have time for a 25-second instrumental that breaks things down before firing up for a final blitz of a verse that references movies and what was presumably Tim's local takeaway before a double chorus to finish things off.

"My best moment? I have a lot of good moments, but the one I prefer is when I kicked the hooligan." Eric Cantona

Kung Fu 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.

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

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From 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

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys

81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

82. 69 Police by David Holmes

83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes

84. I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel

2025 Scottish music scene

Happy New Year everyone

Firstly, thanks for taking the time to visit. I hope my blog (there are well over 1,000 of them!) turns you on to some music you have never heard before, or you read something that encourages you to revisit a favourite song or album you haven't listened to in ages. 

Every January I take a little time to look ahead to gigs, festivals and albums that I am looking forward to over the course of the year. The Scottish music scene is ever evolving; new artists are breaking through, festivals like Tenement Trail are growing in size and reputation, favourite bands are still producing the goods and our appetite for live music shows no boundaries and we are blessed with incredible venues of all sizes in which to experience it.  

2025 is already shaping up to be a cracker. There seems to be more gigs and concerts on than I can ever remember. I have often wondered when the bubble is going to burst - but in these strange and often dark times we live in, music and the escapism offered by gigs, concerts and festivals, is more important than ever.

Here is a glimpse into some artists, albums, show and events that I am looking forward to.

4 New and emerging artists

Yes And Maybe

The buzz around this band at Tenement Trail was incredible. Yes And Maybe more than justified it with an impeccable performance of guitar and synth pop that reminded me of The Strokes crossed with Phoenix. The duo (expanded to a 5-piece live) met online during lockdown and hit it off ... big time! 

I can't wait to see them again live and hear what they choose to release as their debut single. That could be any song from their debut album that is already recorded and resulted in a string of offers from record companies, desperate to sign them up. Ones to watch for sure.

Kerr Mercer

OK, I mentioned young Kerr Mercer in my blog last January and he went on to have an incredible 2024, selling out headline shows at The Poetry Club, King Tuts and Saint Lukes, while also playing TRNSMT and countless support slots. Kerr reckons he is the youngest person to have played the Barrowland so many times. Hopefully, once Mercer releases some music and maybe he'll be one of the youngest to headline the legendary venue!

I'm highlighting Kerr again as his debut single is imminent, possibly around a March tour that includes a Glasgow show at The Garage, and he returns to TRNSMT in the summer. Kerr is writing continuously and building up an impressive collection of songs. Once Mercer starts releasing songs, he might not stop! Wait until you hear this guys voice! Throw in his writing skills, ability to play guitar and piano plus the added fact that his people skills are exceptional! 2024 laid very solid foundations for this young man to build upon.

The Cords

I also mentioned The Cords in my January 2024 blog, but they feature again after a storming 2024 where they released debut single Bo's Haircut / Rather Not Stay, recorded a 6Music session with Marc Riley, supported loads of their favourite bands (including Belle and Sebastian at SWG3) and ended it with a sublime Christmas single.

Eva and Grace have been recording their debut album with Simon Liddell (Frightened Rabbit) and Johnny Scott (Chvrches) and have super cool indie label ready to release it. Expect a couple more singles before then. 

Still teenagers, there is no rush for the sisters, but there is so much support for this band from the Glasgow music community (Monorail have been brilliant, really taking them under their wing) that an album, even at this early stage, seems like a great idea. A document of their time and progression.

Dallas Love Field

Another band I caught at Tenement Trail, their glorious psychedelic shoegaze sound filled BAaD and they seem like they are ready to take a big step forward in 2025. Dallas Love Field released debut single Drowned Out in the summer of 2024 and should be releasing a follow up by Spring 2025. 

The band have been working with Jason Shaw, who has previously worked with Ride. It will be interesting to see if they are working towards an album, or if they are just concentrating on producing as many brilliant songs as they can. That policy certainly worked for the aforementioned Ride who released  string of EP's early on. The band play The Hug & Pint on Jan.uary 11th

4 gigs I already have tickets for

Norman Blake at The Alex James

A hometown gig for Norman! I think the capacity is only around 100. I expected another night (or two) to be added, so the fact this is a one-off only adds to the sense that it should be a really special gig.

Hinds at Saint Lukes

I loved the Hinds album released in 2024, describing it as dreamy, trashy, thrashy, brashy garage pop with dashes of shoegaze and psychedelia. I think I'll appreciate it all the more after seeing them live.

Brian Jonestown Massacre at Barrowland 

I've never seen the Brian Jonestown Massacre live, despite the fact that their February date at the Barrowland will be their 9th visit to Glasgow since they played King Tuts in 2004! Who knows what mood Anton Newcombe will be in, but you can be guaranteed he'll want to play a rip roaring rock n roll show with his current band.

Oasis at Murrayfield

While I am still very much on the fence about the Oasis reunion, to the extent that I used my pre-sale code to get tickets for friends and not myself, I did then take my brother up on his offer of a ticket. Probably quite apt for Oasis! I imagine that Noel and Liam will travel separately, possibly stay in different hotels and only get together for the shows. Quite sad, but if that's what they have got to do ....

I just hope that they create some magic, that they make people happy and that their anthemic songs are belted out once more. I also hope that they properly kiss and make up, treat us to some hilarious interviews and remind everyone what a brilliant band they were.

3 albums I am looking forward to

Gerard Love & The Magic Influence

Gerry Love is kicking off 2025 with a show down in Liverpool on 28th February. I hope a Glasgow show isn't too far behind. Likewise, I hope we get some news about his long awaited new album. 

Nell Smith

I recently discovered Nell Smith's album of Nick Cave cover versions that she recorded with The Flaming Lips as her band. Sadly, very tragically, Nell died in a care crash last year at the age of just 17. Bella Union will be releasing the album that she recorded before her death. 

Butler, Blake & Grant

Bernard Butler, Norman Blake and James Grant were brought together by Douglas McIntyre to play a FRETS show at Celtic Connections in 2022. The trio clearly enjoyed the experience and have got back together to tour around the UK. A recent Uncut article told of how they jammed, wrote and recorded an album around the log fire at  Norman's home in the Clyde Valley. Sounds blissful! I'm expecting lots of warm acoustic guitars and harmonies.

4 festivals / events

King Tuts Wah Wah Hut is 35

King Tuts is 35! It's not traditionally a big anniversary, but hey, in Glasgow we don't need that much of an excuse to put on an event or party! Expect some big shows and some secret shows in the legendary venue.

Here is a blog I wrote on the 25th anniversary, reminiscing about 25 incredible gigs I attended in a venue that was my local for a decade when I worked across the road! Good times!

Summer Nights at Kelvingrove Bandstand

Summer Nights has announced a series of shows in Queens Park for next summer. Del Amitri, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Saw Doctors and Ocean Colour Scene are booked in. The line-up for Kelvingrove Bandstand has yet to be announced. I'd love to see The Charlatans on the bill. There is so much love for the band in Scotland and I am sure Tim and co would play a blinder in such a stunning setting. There are whispers that one of my favourite bands could be playing ...

Tenement Trail 2025

Tenement Trail is back on 12th October and if we're not doing anything for the school holiday, I'll be at this wonderful little festival set in and around the Barrowland, Saint Luke's and BAaD (Dallas Love Field pictured above). Expect surprise acoustic shows in pubs, sublime street food, cool vibes and some of Scotland's hottest up and coming bands and artists getting the opportunity to play to larger audiences than normal. The last 2 Tenement Trail festivals have seen the aforementioned Kerr Mercer and Yes And Maybe play early sets. Who will Tenement Trail be tipping for stardom in 2025?

Uddingston Musicfest Mainstage (part of The Bothwell Scarecrow Festival)

Returning after a year off, Musicfest Mainstage (part of the Bothwell Scarecrow Festival) is back with an eclectic bill of Echobelly and The Singing Kettle announced so far. Expect a couple of big announcements in the next month. I'm extremely lucky that this festival takes place a 10-minute walk from our house and a mere stones throw from my Mum's flat! Handy for a cuppa!