Introducing Homework

 

Homework are Michael, Santiago, Andrew and Lizzie, a 4-piece band from Glasgow that came to my attention back in October when a couple of people I follow on social media raved about them.

The band have a busy period coming up, with a string of gigs including bringing in the bells with a Glas-goes Pop show at Mono with Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake. Homework then keep momentum going with a gig as part of King Tuts New Year Revolution shows on 27th January.

So they are clearly getting their name out and about the Glasgow scene. That stems from the release of a self-titled 3-track EP via Gold Mold Records back in March 2023.

It has a delicious warm, melodic, fuzzy, slacker vibe to it. Think early Fanclub meets Pavement on a sunny day after a couple of cans of beer.

I was keen to find out a little more, so sent the band an email and they kindly got back to me.

If you read this in time you can catch them at BLOC on Wednesday 6th December.

When and how did you form?

The first two proto-Homework line-ups were formed in parallel back in 2019. On one end, Santiago (guitar) met Forbes (drums) at a cowboy themed party, and they started jamming as a noise duo. On the other end, Forbes was also playing with his primary school friend Michael (guitar).

Forbes cunningly merged these two projects together and recruited his friend Tom (bassist) formalising homework in early 2020. Covid unexpectedly hit before our first gig in april, Forbes moved to Estonia, and Tom to Aberdeen. This left Santiago and Michael playing occasional Maxwell Park acoustic jams before moving back to the studio in summer 2021.

Lizzie (30) was having a mid-life crisis and had just re-taken up the drums, her friend Izzy mentioned that we were looking for a drummer and one awkward email later, she was in. Izzy followed by taking up the bass and for a short period, our rhythm section had 4 zs!

Santiago was at the pub on a date and bumped into his old pal Alec and his brother Andrew (bassist). He started banging on about how great Pavement are, and how we needed a bassist to play on his birthday the following week. Andrew tentatively agreed to play, learning all the songs in a day, and was inducted into homework after quite a stellar performance.

2. Are you all involved in writing songs? How do you write/form your songs?

Santiago, Michael and Andrew are all songwriters. Lizzie plays the drums.

The process itself is quite collaborative with a no-front-person policy. Sometimes someone comes with a fragment of an idea, or a whole song, and we spend a lot of time jamming to figure them out. There is always quite a lot on the workbench and we love jumping from song to song. Every rehearsal is recorded and archived, so we can work on ideas at home individually. Extremely crucial to our process is spending a lot of time faffing about.

3. You've released one EP to date. Do you have any further releases in the pipeline?

Yes! Double a side single release, and a party for it in some near-future Glasgow 2024.

4. You have a busy run of shows into February including a couple of big ones at Mono with Norman Blake and then Tuts in January. What do you enjoy about playing live?

We like the general buzz that comes with hopping on the stage and putting up a good energetic show. We like to keep it quite relaxed, with a healthy dose of fuzzy chaos. One of the best parts is that we get to meet other people in great bands, hang out in a group and drink free beer. The conversations with people who you don't know after the shows adrenaline rush are really motivating.

We love really complimentary Dads. Shout out to the Dads, truly our strongest demographic.

5. Do you have much of a plan, or are you going with the flow?

We've got plans... We've got a gig coming up in London early next year, and would love to do more gigs outside of Glasgow *wink wink* promoters *wink wink* festivals *wink wink*

6. What music are you enjoying listening to at the moment?

Michael's been listening to MJ Lenderman, Bar Italia, Happyness,

Andrew has been listening to Second Grade, Ginger Root, Hotline TNT.

Santiago's been listening to this up and coming band called The Beatles, Autechre, Silver Jews, Kelora, Model/Actriz, and Beach House.

Lizzie's been listening to Divorce, Mega Bog, Dua Lipa's new one, and Beach House.

We have a playlist for this: Homework listens

7. Are there any other bands on the Glasgow scene you'd recommend checking out?

There are so many! As tempting as it is to rattle off a massive list of all our pals, we're wary of unintentionally offending anyone we'd inevitably forget. Come to our gig and well tell ya off the record : ) ; ) But we have a playlist for this to get you started: The Glasgow Scene  

3 DJ's at Mono

On Saturday 7th October, some friends and I put on a night to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Teenage Fanclub's Thirteen album. The idea was to play the album in full at Mono (where the band recently played for the launch of new album Nothing Lasts Forever) in a kind of 'in person' listening party style.

Over a months worth of rain fell on Saturday, resulting in trains being cancelled and the entire Scotrail network closing at 9pm. It wasn't a great night to be putting on a free event!

Still, Barry, Alan and I drove in and stuck to non-alcoholic beers and played records from 7.45-11.15pm and had a good chat. 

Most of the crowd were in for the amazing vegan food that Mono offers up. None of us were surprised by the messages we were receiving from friends saying they were staying in due to the weather, or indeed, that they couldn't get to Glasgow.

Here is what we played - spot doctor Alan Clarke's handwriting! I've created a playlist of all the songs that are on Spotify. Everything apart from the Chuck Jackson, J Walter Neero and KiDD songs. 

Dig in and enjoy over 3-hours of tunes played. I've left off Teenage Fanclub's Thirteen. That deserves to be played on its own.

LISTEN HERE

Monorail Music 20th Birthday Party

20 years of Monorail Music. 20 years of popping in for records, cd's, tickets and books. Not to mention meeting friends, beers, food, events and gigs in Mono.

The record shop, venue and the people involved in both have left an incredible imprint on the Glasgow music scene. The splash they have made has generated ripples that have spread across the world.

Musicians playing in Glasgow will seek out the venue, friends who have come to the city from further afield have the store earmarked and ask 'does Stephen Pastel really work there'. Music fans worldwide benefit from the knowledge and taste of Dep, Michael, Russell, Stephen and co from their weekly newsletters and Twitter musings. And their end of year lists are always so lovingly compiled. In fact everything about the store oozes a warm love and genuine passion that you can't help fall for.

On the Monorail website they mention they pride themselves in being independent, focused and friendly. And I think everyone who visits is proud of those qualities and all they have achieved.

I wonder how many times I have visited over 20-years. Nowhere near as often as some of the store regulars, but a decent enough amount to be on nodding or name terms with most people who work there. I don't think I have ever left the store empty handed. Does browsing exist in Monorail? It's going to lead to the purchase of something! 

Monorail encourages and supports the arts in so many ways. The store is effectively a base for record labels like Geographic, Night School and Monorail's own sometime label. The Pastels and Sacred Paws are two of the many bands that work, or have worked, in the store.

And so, time to celebrate a landmark. 20-years. The party arrives at a good time, everyone needs escapism and a reason to celebrate something good. Monorail is good, in fact Monorail is great. 

As a possible sign of age, I opted to drive in. Freezing temperatures, an ongoing lack of taxis and the fact Glasgow Central would be crazy with Christmas party goers were the reasons. Shout to Mono for having an excellent selection of no-alcohol beers, the Brooklyn Special Effect lager was lovely.

I arrived in plenty of time to see Water Machine setting up on stage and immediately recognised the artist Flore de Hogg who is (or has been) in a number of cool bands. I caught her at Mono on a Record Store Day a number of years ago in a brilliant band called Wet Look. I don't think they ever got to the stage of releasing, but they were super cool.

Water Machine were a bundle of fun and nervous energy. Opening song Water Machine 'we have at least 3 songs called Water Machine' set the tone. A lofi groove, synth melody and catchy vocals (with ace use of backing vocals) quickly won the room.

A song about the drummer always being late for rehearsals was fun, with a pop (almost playground) hook and melody that had people dancing and even singing on first listen.

Trying to find a website or social page to link to the band is proving impossible! I'm rarely on Instagram but you might get some info from Flore's page.

The LH DJ set before Gerry Love was excellent, paving the way for Gerry, Noel (guitar and backing vocals), Paul (percussion), Jamie (bass) and Tom (all kinds of things) to take the stage and begin with the heavenly chiming guitar of December.

This apt opener from the seminal Bandwagonesque LP generated a heart response from the crowd. Gerry and his band then took us on a musical journey the setlist weaved through Lightships and Fanclub songs. 

Gerry's voice on Silver & Gold was exquisite, Sweetness In Her Spark was gentle gorgeousness, Starsign was flowing and dreamy and Take The Long Way Round was euphoric guitar pop, even when stripped back.

Paul Quinn's percussion skills really came to the fore on Every Blossom while the whole room seemed to sing Don't Look Back, the Mono choir. It was a wonderful moment and the ovation afterwards was long and heartfelt. 

Sunlight To The Dawn is one of my very favourite Gerry Love songs. The opening guitar riff sends warm tingles down my spine, a second layer is added and the band fall in, creating a great groove. 

Slow, contentment to your soul

A golden sun sets in your eyes

When love's in your willing heart

Gerry and Noel warned the band were running out of time and could fit in a couple more. There were cries of play them all and I don't doubt that the crowd would have settled in for the night if that was possible.

As it was, closing with Ain't That Enough and Sparky's Dream, was quite enough! Two incredible songs that had the backing of the Mono choir again. Gerard Love and friends left the stage to huge cheers and cries for more. I can't wait to hear what Gerry records next year. 

Before long Stephen Pastel was playing records including September Gurls and Daytripper to keep the good vibes going.

The party was just getting started, but it was time to head home to my Mum and daughters. 

I hope everyone who stayed to party to Apostille (a brilliant live act - check this blog) and DJ's had a goo time and got the dancing started.

Silver Dollar Moment

I always intend to blog about every album I buy or check out, but that never happens. I tend to write feature length blogs going into every song - so that can take quite some time!

So I do intend to write some shorter snapshot blogs on bands, albums, EP's and songs this year.........here is the first.

One band who have been on my radar for a while is The Orielles who have just released their debut album Silver Dollar Moment on Heavenly Recordings. Two of the band are still teenagers, with guitarist Henry set to sit his A-Levels this year if their schedule allows. Singer and bassist Esme studies English Literature in Manchester while her sister and drummer Sidonie still works in a Post Office in Liverpool.

These days it is rare and refreshing to see and hear such a young band (the drummer is still only 17!) receiving the backing of an established indie label. Heavenly are really behind The Orielles and so, it would see, is a network of record shops, indie loving journalists, promoters and fans.

It is pretty easy to hear why. Silver Dollar Moment is one of those albums that captures a band at just the right time. Everything about it seems right - the songs, playing, the in-jokes, references, song titles, sound and production.....

Dive in and listen to the chiming reverb laden guitars, cool and a times ferocious beats, groovy bass lines and crystal vocals. There is so much to love about The Orielles and Silver Dollar Moment - they can play and they can groove, listen to outro instrumental to Let Your Dogtooth Grow which builds to a great wee riff and repeated chorus

Elsewhere Mango is power indie jangly pop with a lovely bit of hammond/keys coming in towards the end. I Only Bought It For The Bottle arrives at the chorus in under a minute and it lifts the song superbly. Many of the songs contain brilliant dreamy little backing vocal coo's and ooh's, the band let things flow naturally. I guess that is the best thing about the album - it all sounds so natural.

The Orielles play Mono Cafe Bar in Glasgow on Thursday. Unfortunately I'll be on a train back from London. I think it could well be one of the gigs of the year.