The story of Saint PHNX

Long term readers of my blog will know that I used to help manage a band from Wishaw called Vigo Thieves. I had so many good times with the band; as a manager, friend and fan.

Stevie Jukes, the singer, songwriter, frontman and driving force behind the band pushed and pulled the band as far as he could take them. Then he regrouped to write more songs.

The new songs had a new sound and feel to them and so Stevie formed Saint PHNX with his brother Alan.

Stevie and Alan aimed high from the very start, contacting all the major management companies in the world, cheekily following up on their email to The Killers management team and getting a reply.

That reply was the start of a rollercoaster ride of highs, loops and lows. Saint PHNX got close to a record deal, they got closer, they had offers, then all of a sudden they were miles away ... then they were up, playing to 25,000 people in America, record label showcases, before hitting as low as they could go, ready to give up...

I've not even told half of their story.

But a new podcast/vlog from Glasgow called GlasGo caught up with the band to get their story. I watched part 1 last night and I was enthralled. What a journey! I laughed at the two brothers bouncing off each other, marvelled at their cheek, hard work and ambition and gasped at how low they got. I wasn't aware of how bad things got.

If you're a music fan, if you're in a band, then you should watch this. Ambition, dreams, parties, huge shows, cheap flights, no money for food, sharing beds, things going horribly wrong and then a lifeline...

This is just part 1! Roll on part 2! CLICK HERE if you don't see the video embedded below.

Teenage Fanclub Fanclub podcast - Man-Made

 

Barry McLuskie and Alan Clarke joined me again to record the second Teenage Fanclub Fanclub podcast. This time we focused on 2005's Man-Made album. 

"We hardly took any equipment, just some guitars and a pair of drumsticks." - Norman Blake

As we recorded the Long Way Round podcast in February, the three of us found we had been listening to (and greatly appreciating) Man-Made. Three songs made it on to our Long Way Round (imaginary) compilation.

There is a freshness to the album. The band have moved on from Creation/Sony, the 2003 career spanning compilation 4766 Seconds - A Shortcut to Teenage Fanclub helped to draw a line in the sand, Francis MacDonald returns on drums, the band have set up their own PeMa label and they have decamped to Chicago to record with John McEntire from Tortoise on production duties.

We hope you enjoy the discussion surrounding the album, each song, b-sides and shows from the era, our thoughts and the odd tangent we head off on!

The podcast is available on a number of platforms. This is the podcast website and this is the link to Spotify.

And here are the promo videos for the singles, plus a link to the excellent b-side Please Stay.

It's All In My Mind - video

Fallen Leaves - video

Please Stay - b-side to It's All In My Mind

Podcast with Starry Skies

On 29th February 2020 I attended my last gig. It was one that I put on upstairs in the intimate setting of The Doublet Bar, a crowdfunder for the band Starry Skies, to help them record their album Do It With Love. 

No-one in the crowd or on the makeshift stage could have known how the month ahead would change lives and the world so dramatically. It was the last show the band played to the last audience and for many in the room, they haven't had the joy of live music since.

The show was warm, friendly and glowing with love. Months down the line I was really pleased to receive my vinyl copy of the album and discover that Warren and his band had managed to capture that warm glow on vinyl. You can order a copy from the Starry Skies bandcamp page.

As you'll learn from the podcast, the songs are from the heart and they have struck a chord with people.

I really enjoyed catching up with Warren and Heather to find out what they have been up to over the last year. Have they been writing? What did they have to cancel? What do they have planned? What was it like releasing an album during a pandemic?

You can visit the main website for my podcast HERE where you can stream it directly, or find links to other platforms including Spotify where you can stream. And here is my blog on The Doublet show.

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Podcast with Port Sulphur & Ross Sinclair

 

Episode 5 with Douglas MacIntyre (Port Sulphur) & Professor Ross Sinclair

My friend Stephen from Into Creative is currently raising funds and awareness for Tiny Changes, the charity set up in memory and celebration of Scott Hutchison.

Stephen is asking bands and artists to record a cover version of a song that is personal to them. In addition, a visual artist is then challenged to create an accompanying film.

I was keen to help promote Stephen's project and he very kindly arrange for me to chat with Douglas MacIntyre (Port Sulphur, the Creeping Bent Organisation record label and FRETS Creative) and Professor Ross Sinclair from Glasgow School of Art and formerly of The Soup Dragons.

We discussed Port Sulphur's cover of Josef K's It's Kinda Funny with Ross' accompanying film, punk and post punk, the importance of Joy Division, going to punk gigs at 11 and 13, Postcard Records, the FRETS shows Douglas is putting on, Ross' forthcoming album on Last Night From Glasgow that is around 20-years in the making, crowdfunding and patreon models for record labels and the importance of doing things your way.

Download It's Kinda Funny from Bandcamp. All collaborations are available and more will be added. 

Make a donation to the project for Tiny Changes

Check the podcast on Spotify or via my podcast website (where there are links to other platforms)

And check the beautiful cover version and Ross' film below / HERE

Teenage Fanclub Fanclub Podcast - The long way round

 

Welcome to episode 3 + 4 of the Everything Flows Glasgow Podcast and the first in what will be a regular feature - the Teenage Fanclub Fanclub in conversation.

My love of Teenage Fanclub has led to me meeting some brilliant people; online through the old Forum on the website, then at gigs and then through the new Fanclub Fanclub Facebook Group.

During lockdown I arranged a few zoom calls with members of the group and it was great to chat music over some beers, while also finding out what was happening in different parts of the country and around the world. I thoroughly enjoyed the calls and wondered if other people would too - could we record them for a podcast?

So I hope to record a monthly Teenage Fanclub Fanclub podcast where we discuss certain times, albums, singles, b-sides and shows. Or we just completely wing it!

For these episodes I was joined by Barry McLuskie and Alan Clarke. Alan came up with the idea of everyone selecting a song by each of Raymond, Gerry and Norman. Then expanding on that idea by deciding we couldn't select singles or songs featured on the Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Seconds - A Shortcut to Teenage Fanclub compilation.

We'd take the long way round - pun intended!

Thanks to Alan and Barry for brightening my Friday night with beers and chat over zoom to record this podcast. I hope it brightens your day if you choose to listen.

Here is a list of songs that we chose. You can search for Everything Flows Glasgow podcast on Spotify or click here for Episode 3 and Episode 4. It's available on all kinds of other platforms as well, including my podcast website via Anchor FM.

Barry has put the songs (minus Broken) into a playlist HERE. We've also included songs by our friend Donald who couldn't make it last night. 

The Long Way Round to Teenage Fanclub

Only With You (Alan)

Fear Of Flying (A)

Dark Clouds (A)

Tears Are Cool (Murray)

Near You (M)

Broken (M) (I'm More Inclined on the playlist)

Feel (Barry)

Thin Air (B)

Alcoholiday (B)

Can't Feel My Soul (Donald)

Cul de Sac (D)

Darkest Part Of The Night (D)

Podcast launch episode 1 - Bobby Bluebell interview

 I have recorded a few podcasts over the years. You'll find 5 of them on mixcloud, including an interview with Duglas T Stewart to celebrate the 30th anniversary of BMX Bandits.

Over the last year I've really enjoyed a number of zoom calls with fellow music fans and on a couple of occasions I had the thought 'this would make a good podcast'.

Yet I never did anything about it until I received an email from Bobby Bluebell. I had emailed Bobby some questions with the intention of writing a feature blog on the reissue of The Bluebells Sisters album on the Past Night From Glasgow label.

Bobby replied but he had recorded his answers rather than type them out. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Bobby talk really openly, warmly and passionately about music; from fanzine culture, imaginary bands that he made up that led to him writing a song, the formation of The Bluebells, the Glasgow music scene, writing and future plans.

So because I enjoyed it and because I thought 'this is going to take ages to transcribe!' I asked Bobby if I could turn it into a podcast. I still intend to finish my blog on Sisters!

I now intend to record bi-monthly podcasts with fellow music fans, bands, artists, managers, promoters, DJ's ... the podcast will be people who love music, talking about music. It's kind of Bobby Bluebells fault!

My podcast site is HERE and on Spotify 

Here is a little bit more about episode 1.

The Bluebells, Bobby second from left

For many, many years I would see someone cutting about Glasgow with unruly curly hair, big thick cool glasses, a duffel coat (quite regularly) and turn up jeans. I would see this guy at loads of gigs.

Eventually we met when my friend Stephen Watt held a launch party for his book MCSTAPE and it finally dawned on me that this was Bobby Bluebell from The Bluebells.

We'd messaged each other on Twitter a few times about music and Oriel Records, but I didn't know what he currently looked like! 

Bobby was open, energetic and very friendly, qualities I'm sure that most people that have had the pleasure of his company would highlight if asked about him.

Last year I was delighted to finally hear The Bluebells Sisters album when it was lovingly reissued on Past Night From Glasgow and I was really hoping that I'd see The Bluebells play in my hometown of Uddingston at the second annual music festival that was scheduled for September. 

I'm writing a blog on Sisters. It's taken longer than anticipated as I wanted to live with the album for a bit before writing about it. 

To accompany my review of Sisters, I asked Bobby if I could interview him. Upon sending through a few questions, Bobby replied with an audio recording that I intended to transcribe into a blog.

However, I think it is lovely to hear directly from Bobby himself, 

Early gigs, hanging out at clubs and gigs in Glasgow, friendships, the reissue of Sisters, gigs and new Bluebells material?

1. How did The Bluebells form as a band?

2. Was there an early song that you wrote and performed when you thought 'yeah we have something'?

3. Were you intentionally working towards an album (that became Sisters)? You had released a number of singles and an EP beforehand.

4. What was the Glasgow scene like for you back then? Who did you admire and who did you hang out with?

5) What was it like being in The Bluebells back in the 80's? You seemed to just get on with everyone (which still seems to be the case). How did you get on when you ventured south?

6) How much have you enjoyed the remastering and reissue process? What memories did it bring back?

7) When was the last time you had listened to the album before the reissue process started?

8) What do you think of the album now?

9) What do you think of the current Glasgow scene? You and some of your contemporaries like Stephen Pastel are still very active and encouraging of new artists.

10) Do you hope to take the album on tour post lockdown/restrictions?

11) Will The Bluebells write and release new material?

SEARCH FOR BOBBY BLUEBELL INTERVIEW ON SPOTIFY OR CLICK HERE

2018 albums of the year

2018 has been a good year for music, I've probably listened to more than ever - thanks to falling for Spotify (I know, I know!!!), lots of traveling with work and generally just making more time to stick my headphones and get lost in an album, or trawling through Spotify to discover new music.

And Nothing Hurts by Spiritualized probably wins the title of my favourite album of 2018. Jason Pierce's ability to find a melody, to layer sounds, to let things flow ... is sublime. Rumours are that it might be his last. Everything about it is beautiful - playing, production, feel, artwork and packaging.

Elsewhere I fell for 2 Australian artists; Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever are a 5-piece playing with urgency, passion and raw energy, while Courtney Barnett is uniquely brilliant, sounding like she is lost in her own little world while viewing ours.

The Orielles are a young band that released their debut on Heavenly Recordings, Gruff Rhys continues to melt my heart with his beautiful voice, Robyn has produced another wonderful LP with real depth to it, my sister Carla has had an exceptional year and is developing at a fast rate of knots, while Primal Scream have dug what may prove to be a career defining album out of the back of guitarist Andrew Innes' cupboard!

So here are 14 songs from 14 albums I've enjoyed through 2018. I hope you enjoy this podcast.


A Perfect Miracle - Spiritualized from the album And Nothing Hurts
Talking Straight - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever from the album Hope Downs
Need A Little Time - Courtney Barnett from the album Tell Me How You Really Feel
Dreamers On The Run - Carla J Easton from the album Impossible Stuff
Selfies In The Sunset - Gruff Rhys and Lily Cole from the album Babelsberg
Ever Again - Robyn from the album Honey
Blue Flowers - L Space from the album Kipple Arcadia
Let Your Dog Tooth Grow - The Orielles from the album Silver Dollar Moment
Heatwave - Snail Mail from the album Lush
Big Jet Plane - Primal Scream from the album The Original Memphis Recordings
Love You So Bad - Ezra Furman from the album Transangelic Exodus
Loving You - Starry Skies from the album Be Kind
And Then There's You - Bill Ryder-Jones from the album Yawn
Lake Zurich - Gorillaz from the album The Now Now

Colonel Mustard podcast

Earlier on this week I had the pleasure of spending some time in the company of the 2 front men from Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 - a band who have snowballed in the last few years, winning friends and fans wherever and whenever they play, selling out the Barrowland Ballroom and the ABC - unsigned and self managed.

John McMustard (McAlinden) and David Blair have had a ball and their good vibes and fun times have transferred to their audience. People dance, people smile, people have a great time and leave wanting to tell others to go and see them next time they play.

The band have just released the single Cross The Road b/w Freedom for the Children digitally (8th May) and on ltd yellow 7-inch vinyl via their website and Love Music in Glasgow.

They then play the Academy on Saturday 13th May with support from friends Dead Man Fall and Esperanza. It's been an amazing journey for them - get along to see them if you can, it will be amazing.

Check out this special podcast with tunes from Colonel Mustard themselves, 2 of their favourite bands from in and around Glasgow and an all-time fave in the shape of Primal Scream.

It's a fascinating discussion taking in all night acoustic jam sessions in disused mental hospitals, nursery rhymes, hymns, Screamadelica, Primal Scream's rider, festivals, South Korea, going from pubs to the Academy, running a 13 piece band, the yellow movement, Eddy Grant I Don't Wanna Dance and Adam Ant's Prince Charming, the 6th Dijon, writing with a 4-year old, the second album, dreams of playing the Hydro and much, much more....

Cross The Road - Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5
Bang The Drum - Dead Man Fall
Movin' On Up - Primal Scream
Freedom for the Children - Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5
Galactic Radio - The Mickey 9's

Everything Flows Podcast 11

February 2017 Podcast

I wanted to restart my podcasts on a semi-regular basis with a guest joining me as I thoroughly enjoyed the last one with Duglas T Stewart from BMX Bandits. Life has been moving pretty quickly, so I thought I would record a quick one while choked with the cold.

There is a lot coming up in Glasgow - the 6 Music Festival, the new TRNSMT Festival on Glasgow Green and loads of shows at Kelvingrove Bandstand.

So this podcast allows me to get going again, it is short and sweet; 5-songs in 26-minutes - enjoy.

Dreaming Of Me - Depeche Mode
April Skies - Jesus and Mary Chain
I Wasn't Made For These Times - Beach Boys
Song To The Embers (Miaoux Miaoux remix) - Zoey Van Goey
The Warmth Of The Sun - Lightships

Previous Everything Flows Podcasts

Podcast #1 featuring Teenage Fanclub, David Bowie, Dr Cosmos Tape Lab, Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, JR Green, The Undertones

Podcast #2 featuring The Troggs, Happy Meals, Rose McDowall, The Frank Popp Ensemble, Fun Boy Three, Jo Mango and The Pictish Trail, Miaoux Miaoux, Yo La Tengo

Podcast #3 featuring Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, Marlena Shaw, Natalie Prass, November Lights, Molly Nilsson

Podcast #4 featuring The Chemical Brothers with Beck, The Charlatans (Brian Jonestown Massacre mix), BMX Bandits, Edwyn Collins, The Parliaments, K-Klass, White

Podcast #5 -Tim Peaks Electric Fields line-up featuring The Charlatans, Yucatan, Blueprint Blue, Documents, TeenCanteen, Horsebeach, Hot Vestry, Riding the Low, Tim Burgess

Podcast #6 featuring JR Green, Hinds, The Groove, Doug Tuttle, Second Hand Marching Band, Emma Pollok, David Bowie, Lesley Gore

Podcast #7 featuring Catholic Action, Primal Scream, Super Furry Animals, The Supremes, George Carrow, Prophets, LCD Soundsystem

Podcast #8 featuring The Pooh Sticks, In Embrace, Another Sunny Day, The Pastels, Teleman, The Beach Boys, Stone Poneys, Sebadoh, The Vaselines

Podcast #9 featuring  Happy Meals, HONNE and Izzy Bizu, Broken By Rock, Belle and Sebastian, BMX Bandits, Twerps, Neil Young

Podcast #10 featuring Jonathan Richman, The Shangdi-Las, Tenniscoats, Jigsaw, Daniel Johnston, Todd Rundgren, Paul Williams, Rod McKuen

BMX Bandits 30

Everything Flows Podcast #10

BMX Bandits are 30 - Duglas T Stewart interview and music

Duglas and Chloe - BMX Bandits core in 2016

Yesterday afternoon I enjoyed a couple of hours sitting on a bench in Glasgow Green in glorious sunshine with a cheeky ice-cream, recording a special podcast in the company of Duglas T Stewart; singer, songwriter and leader of legendary Scottish band - the BMX Bandits.

BMX Bandits have been celebrating 30-years of music - the band formed in 1985 and released debut single E102 in 1986.

It was 5-years after the release of debut single that I discovered the band in 1991. Aged 15, I was a musical sponge, soaking up all kinds of stuff. From raiding my parents record collections to discover The Beatles, The Stones, Marvin and Tammi and Jose Feliciano....and scouring the NME and Melody Maker every week, looking to discover favourite bands of my own.

A number of the bands I fell for back in 1991 were from in and around Glasgow. A couple happened to hail from Bellshill which seemed rather incredible for a young teenager in the relative Lanarkshire backwater of Carluke.

The BMX Bandits seemed to be a band that practically everyone was linked to in some shape or form. Check their family tree below! Kurt Cobain also said 'If I could be in any other band, it would be BMX Bandits.'

BMX Bandits subsequently turned me on to all kinds of stuff. Being friends with Duglas means that you are never far from a lost 60's classic or super cool new band from Japan appearing on your timeline. I'm very fortunate to have grown up with bands who wear their influences on their sleeves and someone like Duglas has remained a musical sponge long past his teens! His knowledge and taste is impeccable and I was absolutely delighted when he agreed to meet for a podcast where he has selected all of the songs. 6Music or Radio Scotland should sign him up for a show!

Listen in to learn about what these songs mean to Duglas and we also get a chance to talk about all things BMX Bandits - The Pretty Flowers, the Splash Club, E102, 53rd and 3rd, Creation, the 90's, My Chain, Bee Stings, BMX Bandits In Space, past and current members, future plans....

We somehow pack all of this and much, much more into 72-minutes. LISTEN HERE



1. The Morning Of Our Lives - Jonathan Richman
2. The Sweet Sounds Of Summer - The Shangri-Las
3. Lutie Lutie - Tenniscoats
4. Who Do You Think You Are? - Jigsaw
5. Like A Monkey In A Zoo - Daniel Johnston
6. I Saw The Light - Todd Rundgren
7. Someday Man - Paul Williams
8. Jean - Rod McKuen

Also - check this brilliant garage pop groove Razorblades and Honey by BMX Bandits and Anton Newcombe that Duglas mentions in the podcast. Recorded in Anton's Berlin studio during a recent trip. It is ace. Hope they record again in the future.

Tim Peaks - Podcast

Everything Flows Podcast #5

Electric Fields - Tim Peaks diner line-up

Tim Burgess has curated a wonderfully eclectic line-up for his Tim Peaks diner at Electric Fields. It is going to be like a festival in a festival with the incredible talent he has discovered and is promoting.

I have just discovered the vast majority of these artists for the first time and I've been blown away by what I have listened to so far. Enjoy this special PODCAST 

Come Home Baby - The Charlatans
Angharad - Yucatan
Rattlesnakes - Blueprint Blue
Spanish Artist - Documenta
Vagabond - TeenCanteen
Disappear - Horsebeach
Quiet Handed - Hot Vestry
Rocky 99 - Riding the Low
White - Tim Burgess

Mark W Georgsson is also playing but his album, recorded with Rod Jones from Idlewild, is currently being mastered. However you can listen to an unmastered Faces and Places HERE

Loads of other fun things going on, fuelled by quality coffee, including a DJ set by me!

Everything Flows Podcast 2

Thank you very much to those of you who listened to the first Everything Flows podcast and for your positive feedback.

I really enjoyed recording it and would like to record a few podcasts a month if time allows, so here we are on number 2 which you can listen to HERE.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch via email if you would like me to email this to you.

Good Vibrations - The Troggs
Altered Images - Happy Meals
Don't Fear The Reaper - Rose McDowall
Breakaway - The Frank Popp Ensemble
Our Lips Are Sealed - Fun Boy Three
Believe Me, I Know - The Pictish Trail and Jo Mango
Snow - Miaoux Miaoux
I Heard You Looking - Yo La Tengo

Everything Flows Podcast January 2016

Everything Flows Podcast #1

January 2016

This is the very first Everything Flows podcast; a little bit of chat, some memories and great music from my record collection.

New and rising Scottish artists Dr Cosmos Tape Lab and JR Green feature alongside legends and faves. Click HERE to listen. 

Everything Flows - Teenage Fanclub
Sound and Vision - David Bowie
The Mirrors Reflection - Dr Cosmos Tape Lab
Love and Mercy (live at the Roxy) - Brian Wilson
The River Song - Dennis Wilson
Nigerian Princess - JR Green
Teenage Kicks - The Undertones