Heather on the Hill festival 2026

John, Stevie, Alan, Nathan and Mhairi

WOW!

Last weekend my family and I were fortunate to attend the inaugural Heather on the Hill festival in the Royal Highland Showgrounds, just outside Edinburgh. The sun shone through the day and created a glorious mix of colours as it set later in the evening.

Outdoor shows, especially when the weather is kind, are incredible. There is an extra sense of occasion to them. And we have a range of magnificent venues and locations throughout the country in which to host them. 

However, the vast majority of outdoor summer shows (not including festivals like Belladrum) in Scotland are 16+. Nathan Evans and the Saint PHNX Band were determined to change that.

This is an ambition that Stevie and Alan from Saint PHNX have held for a while. A few years ago they put on an all ages show (with Nathan as 'secret' special guest) at Hamilton Town Hall. And it worked. People took note. Family values are extremely important to Nathan, Stevie and Alan.

Quite a lot has happened since then! Hit singles, viral videos, two albums, a World Cup anthem and shows all over the world. It has been a beautiful whirlwind for Nathan, Stevie and Alan.

Stevie and Alan

Sunset at Heather on the Hill

Those of you that have followed this blog over a period of time will recognise the names of Stevie and Alan from their old band Vigo Thieves who I helped manage for a while. I've seen them play to 30 people and now 30,000 people! I love the sunset photo of the two of them above. I'm so pleased for them.

DF Concerts, Scotland's largest promoter, contains people who have known and worked with Stevie and Alan for around 15-years (how time flies!) in various sizes, shapes and forms. From playing the basement of Maggie Mays to 30 people, to selling out 2-nights at King Tuts, the ABC, Arches and the Barrowland Ballroom. They absolutely get their humour, creative energy and ambition. 

When Nathan Evans and the Saint PHNX band played the Hyrdo last year, it was all ages. It sold out quickly and it was a phenomenal show that I was fortunate to attend. DF listened to Nathan, Stevie and Alan's idea for a family friendly festival and presented solutions. The Heather on the Hill Festival was born and the DF team worked on it for over a year ... and they nailed it. It will be back in 2027! Tickets are on sale NOW. The early bird sold out quickly!

What a success! The sun shone, which always helps! The festival site layout at the Royal Highland Centre was perfect - there was space to chill, plenty of food options, large bars, kids playparks and activities, soft play and a wide variety of music. 

My wife and kids (aged 15 and 11) arrived on site around 2.30pm and were immediately taken by the layout. One of the key strengths (at least for me) about the site is the fact that it has actual buildings that can be utilised - including toilet blocks. The cleanest festival toilets ever! But aside from that, there was immediate green space, tents were set up for art, storytelling and face painting (huge queue of course - I am so glad the face painting days are behind us!), the dance stage was on, there were plenty of trees for shade and clear pathways that were kept clear to aid movement about the site. The sun meant that people could stretch out on the grass (or on picnic rugs) and enjoy the music.

Cammy Barnes was on the main stage and all of use could see and hear why he is a Scottish artist on the rise. Barnes sold out two nights at King Tuts earlier this year and has two sold out dates at the Barrowland coming up. He also announced that a huge Hydro show will be going on sale! Barnes has a rich and soulful voice, cheeky charm and a huge sound. He went down a storm.

Towards the end of his set, Lynn and the girls left to go back to the dance stage for GBX Anthems (Rosie later regretted this decision!). This meant that I had some 'me time' to grab a Corona zero, wander round a little and get ready for Brooke Combe on the main stage. Sadly, about 85% of the festival decided to go to GBX anthems, meaning the front pit only had a few hundred people in it and there was also plenty of space behind. 

Combe and her band still played a blinder. Her recent run of singles that commenced with How Can I Tell You? last Autumn, took in Tears Won't Lie in April and now Love Was Made of Stone have been phenomenal. Working with James Skelly of The Coral on production duties is really helping her Motown/Northern Soul influences to shine. Combe danced around the stage looking super cool in flared jeans, Adidas t-shirt and shades, waving to her nieces and generally looking like she was having a great time. Her next album will be her breakthrough and I confidently predict she will be selling out the Barrowland as a result. 

It took a while for the crowds to disperse from GBX and once we caught up we decided it was time for food. I had a lovely cheese burger! Rosie and I caught Skerrymore, not normally my thing, but they were excellent, creating a huge celtic soul sound complete with 2 bagpipes. They were perfect for that early evening slot in the sunshine.

We decided to chill afterwards. Rosie and I found ourselves at the Rest and Be Thankful area which was super green and chilled. On a small hill with trees, a nice large pond, picnic tables, chill out tents and also a larger tent with fairy lights offering massages and yoga. As we walked up, there was a sign saying that they did kids massages as well as adults. We were in!

The massage was absolutely tremendous. We both felt relaxed and energised. Lynn and Zoe were a little jealous when we hooked back up.

Our strategy for Nathan and Saint PHNX was the old Strike It Lucky choices - top, middle, bottom. We started off quite far down the side, near the barrier for the front pit. As a result we had a good view of the stage and screens. Darkness was falling, adding to the palpable sense of anticipation around the crowd of all ages. 

Nathan and Saint PHNX wasted no time in getting fans onside, opening with the insanely catchy Arabella, swiftly followed by Milarrochy Bay, one of my personal highlights of the night. People were dancing, singing, up on shoulders, smiling and laughing. Wellerman was next, the sea shanty that kicked everything off for Nathan, and it went down a storm.

 

Angels' Share was introduced by Stevie, a song for people who couldn't be there, but they were there and always will be. This is a side of Nathan and Saint PHNX that can get lost and under appreciated.  among their fun songs and easy going nature. Nathan and Stevie as main songwriters have been hurt, they have lost loved ones and gone through extremely tough times, and they do portray that in their songs. 

What a view!

We then had a section of the show that called for immense audience participation. Stevie and Alan took charge as Nathan left the stage, splitting the crowd into two sections. Stevie's side were the woah, oh, oh's and he got them warmed up before handing over to Alan ... who, before warming his own team up, got 30,000 people to shout Stevie's a big jobby! 

Alan's team were on yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah's and soon Stevie was singing the Saint PHNX song Mountains, leading to the woah, oh oh's and yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah's. Great fun. This was all backed by phenomenal guitar playing by John Cargill who was playing cool, chilled and funky riffs that could easily have been for Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Meanwhile, Nathan had somehow got to a small b-stage behind the sound-desk where he delivered a slow and aching version of Caledonia followed by his own Paper Planes. The recorded version of this begins with a voice note by Evans at his lowest point in his mental health struggles. I find it incredibly moving. 

My mind is like a wrecking ball, destruction in its wake

I've been working 14-hours, for just as many days

My brother sees me crying, but it's not that kind of pain

So I write my dreams on paper plans and let them fly away

Nathan Evans - Heather on the Hill

We moved back a little to find some space and it was quite amazing to walk through the crowd. Kids were on parents shoulders, people were dancing to Cotton Eye Joe, EVERYONE was smiling and I mean BEAMING with joy. Driving To Nowhere is one of my favourite Nathan and Saint PHNX Band songs. It flows with ease and the melody for the chorus is instantly memorable. It sounds even better live.

We moved back a little further to allow for toilet breaks before the final stretch and to try and get Rosie's long awaited Churros. The Churros stalls had been rammed all day. They must have made a small fortune. We were VERY lucky as Rosie got the last churros of the day. And the Belgian chocolate sauce was absolutely delicious!

With a wee sugar rush we wandered past the Big Wheel (should definitely get a bigger one for next year) to an area with picnic benches where a small crowd had gathered with plenty of space. We could see why, we grabbed a table and before long Rosie and I were up on top if it singing to Highland Girl. Around us kids were twirling each other around ceilidh style and we could see the crowd bouncing down the front. It looked incredible from the back - like a film scene.

Happy Place is a song that means a lot to so many people. Notably Stevie and Alan on stage. I don't mind admitting to having a wee tear in my eyes when they played it. Footage from the stage showed phone in the air with torches on and it looked sensational. 

Nathan, Stevie, Alan, John and Mairi (violin) took a deserved bow and departed the stage to a tremendous ovation. But of course, they were coming back on.

What an encore. Home, with its tumbling, flowing verses and rousing chorus, complete with bagpipes was an absolute anthem. And of course, Heather on the Hill was the closing song for the festival of the same name. 

Fireworks explode overhead, wives, kids and family were welcomed onstage for hugs and photos, memories that will last a lifetime. 

Well done to all involved. 

1,000 blogs

Welcome to my 1,000th blog!

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit. 

I write about & highlight music I love, whether it's a new discovery or a song/album I have treasured for decades. Ultimately, I hope I turn you on to an amazing song you've never heard before, or cause you to rediscover an old favourite you've not listened to in ages. It's been nice to receive some feedback over the years.

I've taken a little bit of time to reflect on reaching this landmark. What has happened over the lifespan of my blog? 

I've thought of other Scottish music blogs, favourite bands, local bands that made it, bands that were signed and dropped/flopped, helping bands, putting on bands, forming a label, putting out self releases ...

An old photo from my music room in 2012, before kids took over!

Looking back over the time I've been writing the blog, I've been fortunate to experience some very memorable shows, discover some incredible music (whether newly released, or older songs/albums) and I've met and made friends with some brilliant people through a shared love of music.

As a kid I devoured the music weeklies and then spent fortunes on Uncut & Mojo, along with numerous other magazines like Loaded, FHM, Select, Vox, Q (only sometimes - never a real favourite) and many more short lived Britpop era mags.

I dreamed of being in bands, or of becoming a music journalist. 

I had no idea of how to form a band, although I did draft a few adverts for the NME & Melody Maker and jammed a little with a few people I met in Glasgow. But other than a few open mic nights and a MySpace page with Garage Band demos under the name Acid Hazes, I never explored forming a band with any real conviction. 

But now I have, finally, formed a (real) band! We're called Starboard Hazes and our debut EP is out today. It even features Norman Blake on backing vocals on the song Kicking Our Heels! 

Find out more about how the band formed HERE and check our debut EP HERE

And I didn't have the grades to get into the journalism course at Napier University. So my dreams remained dreams.

Then, all of a sudden, it became a lot easier to do either. Social networking websites like MySpace meant you could release music, or write about music to a (potentially) worldwide audience!

Back in August 2008, just after returning from a year of travelling (during which I wrote a blog), I wrote and published a blog about the Glasgow Music Scene at the time. I referenced venues, record shops and 5 of my favourite ever gigs from King Tuts Wah Wah Hut and The Barrowland.

Outside King Tuts in June 2020, lockdown - the city centre was deserted

While travelling, I though of the name Aye Tunes for a blog, but that was sadly taken. Aye Tunes ran for quite some time, Jim (the guy who ran it) put on shows and worked incredibly hard to promote the DIY Scottish scene.

Some other blogs from around that time were;

• Pop Cop - This was my favourite blog. On the ball with snapshot news and superb in depth articles and interviews. I met Jason once or twice at gigs and I hope he is still writing in some form.

• Peenko - Lloyd from Peenko went on to co-form Olive Grove Records with Halina from Podcart (Lloyd now runs on his own and has for some time). As Peenko he put on shows and put out DIY releases. Lloyd is one of the most positive and friendly people I have met through the Glasgow/Scottish music scene. I've got to know Lloyd pretty well through Olive Grove as he has been releasing my sister Carla's albums. One of the most friendly and helpful people out there.

• Podcart - Halina from Podcart is another exceptional person I've met through the scene. Halina's passion for music shines through and creates an infectious energy. From memory, there have been a few name changes, but looking back (at least for me), Halina really pioneered podcasting in the Scottish music scene. Her knowledge of the scene and podcasting has led to radio appearances. Podcart is still going strong.

• Scottish Fiction - Another blog that ended up putting on shows and releasing albums. Mt. Doubt, Annie Booth and Lovers Turn To Monsters were among their roster. Neil somehow did this for quite some time while studying, working and creating quite a big family! (not sure of the exact order!). Oh, and Neil also ran a radio show for a while! 

• Jock Rock - Still going strong! Good for news and views on the Scottish music scene.

The DIY scene was incredibly healthy and I'd check these blogs daily - expecting a big announcement about a band getting signed to a major! Most of the bands stayed local, adored by blogs and a tight knit scene - although you'd get bands like Frightened Rabbit and Admiral Fallow (pictured below) breaking through. Both bands also had singer-songwriters who cut their teeth on the Glasgow open mic scene.

Following my first blog, I then mainly wrote about gigs I attended through to November, then I didn't write anything again until September 2009! It was only in 2011 that I started to really begin to blog consistently.

And now I've written 1,000 blogs and at the time of writing, they have been viewed 754,483 times! 

Three quarters of a million views! Thanks so much for reading my musings!

Some have had mere dozens of views, lots of have had hundreds, many have had a few thousand, a half dozen have had 5,000/6,000 views and then one has had almost 50,000! (see below)

It's been interesting to look back over old blogs and think about what I've seen, experienced and written about over the last 14-years and 1,000 blogs! It's like a diary! 

I've put on some bands/artists that have gone on to quite big things!

• Gerry Cinnamon - I was introduced to The Cinnamons by my friends in the band Sonny Marvello. They introduced me to an amazing group of people from Castlemilk who lived and breathed for music.  I remember one memorable night at Stereo when I put on Sonny Marvello and The Cinnamons and half of Castlemilk turned up. 

Gerry Cinnamon with his band The Cinnamons 

 Photo by Dave Taylor

So it's amazing to see Gerry Cinnamon doing so well. I once watched him playing solo at Love Music on a Record Store Day to around 10 people. Gerry's personality, charisma and talent were always there. His cheeky charm won friends and his rise is a truly remarkable example of the importance of word-of-mouth.

Cinnamon gigged regularly around Scotland and his open mic night in Glasgow really helped him hone his talent. I was pretty humbled when Gerry kindly put me on the guestlist 2-years running for his incredible shows at the Barrowland in December 2017 & 2018. The atmosphere at these shows (the first in particular) were like nothing I had experienced previously. I hope the blog reviews capture some of it.

Gerry recently headlined 2 nights at Hampden Park - INCREDIBLE. My most viewed blog is one I wrote called The Rise & Rise of Gerry Cinnamon. Gerry was doing everything under the radar, with no press agent, so his growing fanbase were searching for info about him and found my blog! Incredibly, no mainstream media were writing about him! It has almost 48,000 views.

• Stevie McCrorie - Stevie and the Moon came from a little scene that formed around Alloa/Stirling. There were some cracking bands like Little Eskimos (Kevin Harper is one of the most talented and funny people I have met through this blog), Minature Dinosaurs and an electronic producer called MOPP who I really thought was going to blow up. I loved his song Dream About You. I put Stevie and the Moon on at the old Captain's Rest on one boiling hot summer night as part of a charity show for Maggie's. I got a t-shirt that my daughter ended up wearing as a nightshirt for a while! Stevie's voice was (and is) very rich and soulful and years later he showed up on BBC's The Voice. I stuck a fiver on him and won £70! I should have bet more. Stevie showed what a funny, humble and family orientated guy he was on the show. Check his blind audition HERE. 

Stevie is still singing. Another great guy from Alloa is Craig Johnston who cut his teeth putting on shows at Maggie Mays in town, before going on to work with DF Concerts, booking supports at King Tuts, then headliners and he's now putting on Lewis Capaldi and others! Craig's warm personality shone through in the darkest of basements. I'm so pleased he's worked his way up and is living his dream.

• Emma's Imagination - One day I was walking down Sauchiehall Street when I saw a really cool looking, kind of grungey, girl busking. She had a sign in front of her advertising her MySpace page. I followed her page and sent a message to say that I had a spare support slot going at the 13th Note that very weekend for a Sonny Marvello show I was putting on. Emma came down and played a stunning little set. Kind of bluesy, kind of folky, possibly a little stoned. Lyrics were full of humour. She was great. The next year Emma entered Sky 1's Must Be The Music TV show, wowed the judges and audience, won a record contract (and £100,000!) and got a deal with Gary Barlow's label! I don't think she was ever cut out to be a Gary Barlow kind of songwriter or performer. Things never really took off. I hope Emma is still writing and singing.

Emma Gillespie, AKA Emma's Imagination

• Saint PHNX - I met a lovely girl called Helen Keenan on a charity walk. We were walking at the same pace and discovered we grew up in relatively close proximity (Carluke and Wishaw) and that we loved music. Helen's brother Jamie is in The La Fontaines and both of them are absolute gems of human beings - up for mischief, laughs and fun. Helen told me about a band Vigo Thieves that were playing upstairs in The Commercial Hotel in Wishaw the next Sunday night. I went along and they'd packed the place out, playing some kind of ramshackle Libertines style songs. But their closing numbers hinted a bigger and better things. I met singer Stevie Jukes and his people skills and work rate blew me away. He have me a name check on the back of a CD single and hand delivered it along with a ticket to a show. I ended up helping Stevie to manage the band. Truth be told, Stevie did most things and I was someone to bounce off. But I did arrange some London shows and actually managed to get some meetings with record labels! 

It was really exciting. Stevie and I got the overnight train to London and spent the day meeting lawyers, labels and pluggers. Some (pluggers!) were chancers. The label meetings were very exciting and I thought a deal might be incoming! It didn't happen though and after pushing things with Vigo Thieves as far as possible,  Stevie and his brother formed Saint PHNX who have had a big hit with Happy Place and earned a deal with Atlantic Records! The band smashed T in the Park this summer and have SOLD OUT the Barrowland Ballroom next year.

Stevie Jukes crowdsurfing at King Tuts with Vigo Thieves

The band sold out 2 nights back to back - unsigned

Over the years I've helped bands and artists with self releases and putting on nights. These have included;

• A Futuristic Retro Champions single, May the Forth b/w Settle Down with artwork by Martin Creed. The launch night at Mono was incredible. Also their Homemade Lemonade retrospective album. 

• A Miaoux Miaoux single, Knitted, in limited edition knitted sleeves - each one unique! They were hand knitted by ladies that attended a women's group at Maggie's where I was working at the time. All proceeds went to Maggie's Glasgow Centre. Julian (Miaoux Miaoux) is now in Franz Ferdinand!

Watching Miaoux Miaoux create, layer & loop sounds was a joy - a real talent

• Sonny Marvello's 100 club mini-album containing the beautiful Fire Went Out - one of my favourite songs. Also their Easy Boys b/w We're All Cruel 7-inch. Two real favourites. Check my 10 memories of Sonny Marvello blog HERE for more details about the adventures we had together including putting on our own festival!

And then I helped to form a record label - Last Night From Glasgow. It's incredible to think of the amount of music that has been released via LNFG (and their various offshoots) since 2016. The label has grown way beyond initial ideas of 100 members and printing limited runs of 300 copies of 6 releases a year.

There are now over 600 members which gives the label an incredible platform and scope (and funds) to do all kinds of things; re-issues, books, a record shop ... it's a remarkable story. I've not been involved with the label for some time, but I still keep up with all their news - just about!

Ian Smith, who runs the label, is a force of nature. It's nice when dreams come true and Ian is now working full-time to run the label. Truth be told he probably needed to do that from year 3, but he has knocked things into such good shape that it needs someone working on it. I hope to catch up with him soon. Check a recent interview he did about the label.

I've also helped my sister with her fanclubs that allow her to be independent and prolific in her art. And helped run her Since Yesterday crowdfunder for a documentary about Scottish girl groups. 

It's nice to help artists and creative types to make/release music. I have always got a buzz out of it.

Long term favourite bands like Teenage Fanclub, The Charlatans and The Lemonheads are still recording, releasing & touring. They've been my favourite bands for a long, long time! 

Change happens naturally over time. I was very sad to see Gerry Love leave Teenage Fanclub.  At the same time I was very grateful that the band didn't split up. Endless Arcade, their first post Gerry album, was excellent - it had to be really. And their live shows still bring so much joy. 

I hope Gerry records and releases soon. What a talent. It's been great to see Gerry playing live again recently and I'll be seeing him again this month. It sounds like he is getting ready to record an album.

Of course, I also hope to see the band reunited at some point in the future as well. Norman & Gerry's voices gel so well.  

It sounds like Teenage Fanclub will follow up Endless Arcade pretty swiftly which is great for fans like me. I've seen them live more than ever over the last 6-years or so.

Teenage Fanclub, Edinburgh Assembly Rooms, September 2021

My first post lockdown show

The Charlatans, led by the effervescent Tim Burgess, haven't release an album since 2017's Different Days. Sadly, founding member Jon Brookes died in 2013. I loved his drumming style so much. This White Room performance of Crashin' In highlights what a sensational performer he was - look at the way Tim gazes fondly at him.

However they are still very active on the touring and festival circuit. Meanwhile, Tim has just released Typical Music, his 3rd solo album (a double at that) since Different Days was released. It does make me wonder if The Charlatans will record again. My gut says that they will. Tim's Twitter Listening Parties have helped so many people across the world over the last few years. I love his energy, attitude, taste and style and I'm enjoying his new album.

Evan Dando hasn't been very prolific over the last couple of decades. Certainly not in terms of releasing. The last 2 Lemonheads albums have been covers (I am particularly fond of Varshons 2), while it's almost 20-years since the release of his only solo album, the stunning Baby I'm Bored. Evan tours regularly and played in Glasgow this week for the 30th anniversary of It's A Shame About Ray. I could watch and listen to him playing acoustic guitar all night long. BLOG HERE.

A real highlight of mine since I started the blog was finally getting to see the Stone Roses live; Amsterdam, the Sunday at Heaton Park, Glasgow Green and T in the Park.  And the 30th anniversary show of Primal Scream playing Screamadelica in Manchester was one of the most mind blowing shows I've ever experienced. Jim Lambie's visuals were a real trip. 

It's been nice to take some time to reflect on things I've been involved in, bands I've fallen for, gigs I've been to and friends I have met. Lots of highlights, lots of great memories. My blog has documented quite a lot! 

However my most personal highlight has been watching the development of my sister Carla as a songwriter, artist & performer over the history of my blog. With Futuristic Retro Champions, TeenCanteen, as a solo perfomer and with her new band Poster Paints. She's a wee gem, works super hard and has an amazing talent for words and melodies. I  hope she gets a bigger break sometime soon. 

I'll end with a few things I have learned along the way, just in case anyone reading this is considering writing a blog, or recording a podcast, or whatever young kids do these days!

1) Write/Talk about what you genuinely love and care about - it will help you stick with it

2) Don't expect many views/listens early on. Especially if you are writing about a band that attract an audience of 15/20 to a local show. They might go on and do something, but if they can't get a crowd of their mates interested, the chance are no-one else will be either!

3) Reviewing shows sharply helps. The turning point in my blog was when I reviewed an Echo and the Bunnymen show at the Royal Concert Hall.  I was shocked by singer Ian McCulloch's behaviour and wrote about the incident(s) that occurred when I got home. My tweet quickly gained traction and my blog had over 1,000 views in a couple of hours. So I always try to review gigs sharply while interest levels are still high - and I can remember everything! The flip side is that there are memorable gigs that I haven't reviewed. I've started a blog, or left it a day or two .... and then the moment has gone.

4) Building content helps. It takes time, but having a good bank of content ensures that people will find your blog while searching for band/album/single/gig reviews. I have some 'steady performers' like Nirvana covers The Vaselines

5) You'll sometimes be surprised by what blogs do well. Another one of my steady performers is a review of BiS and Cloth playing at The Old Hairdressers. BiS have an incredibly loyal fanbase and Cloth were really developing as a band. So there was a lot of curiosity about them and BiS have a loyal fanbase across the globe. That blog has almost 3,000 views.

6) A bit of luck helps with views. So Hot Chip, Gerry Cinnamon or Britpop Memories retweeting my blogs hugely helps with views. 

7) But.... don't worry about views. Going back to point 1, write about what you genuinely love and care about. I write because I enjoy it. These days I sometimes just post the blog and don't bother to tweet about it, or post about it. People will find it if they are that interested. But thank you so much to my loyal readers!!!

8) Having regular features helps with content. I have tried a few things over the years including; 5 for Friday, Three for Thursday or Magic Motown. But I've now settled on;

• My Never Ending Mixtape - a monthly blog with a link to a playlist. 
• Trust Me - a monthly feature on songs I discover or old favourites.
• Cover version of the month - a monthly blog on cool cover versions. And maybe the odd dodgy one (David Haselhoff covering The Jesus & Mary Chain!) as well!

It means I always have a minimum of 3 blogs per month, complete with playlists.. I'm also up to #17 in a series called Anything Goes & Everything Flows where I create a 60-minute DJ mix/playlist. But I don't want to commit to that forever!

I now tend to average 7/8 per month. We'll see if that continues as I'm not getting out to quite as many gigs as I once did!

So ... 1,000 blogs. Loads of good memories. I enjoy writing, so who knows how many I'll get to, or how long I'll keep it going for. 

Thanks so much for visiting.

As always, I hope you discover something new to fall in love with, or rediscover an old favourite.

Here is an old blog on my 10 favourite songs ... at least at that time. Most of them still are!

Take care & very best wishes

Murray

Flower Power

Me, in Lisbon, summer 2022

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.

Happy Place

One of the great things about being a music fan is that you get to meet some incredible people; fellow music fans, songwriters, musicians, promoters, bloggers, journalists, presenters ... in the social media age we live in, if you have similar interests and tastes, then it is easy to connect with others who share your passions. 

Stevie and Alan Jukes are brothers that I got to know through their former band Vigo Thieves. I had some fantastic nights with them and co-managed the band with Stevie for a while. As I got to know them I learned how important their family was to them and how much of a hero their Dad Bert was. He'd come from very little and with hard work, exceptional people skills, the gift of the gab, an entrepreneurial flair and the odd slice of luck, Bert Jukes had done pretty well for himself.

All his qualities had rubbed off on his sons. I still fondly remember Stevie hand delivering the Vigo's Heart & Soul Part 1 EP to my house and my name being on the back sleeve among people he wanted to thank. He didn't need to do either of these things, it was just in his nature. Customer service, care, time for a chat, the personal touch.

And I still remember Stevie's intense ambition to breakout of Wishaw, out of Glasgow and out of Scotland. Buying glowsticks to turn the basement of Sleazys into something brighter and more memorable to fit the anthems he was writing, to bring a smile to peoples faces, to make something happen.

Stevie and Al broke from Vigo Thieves to form Saint PHNX and then they really did go for it, bagging proper management, a booking agent, some incredible support shows across Europe and America with the likes of Lewis Capadi and Yungblud, airplay during the superbowl and going on all kinds of crazy adventures.

Bert was along for the ride, happy to man the merch stall across the world in support of his boys. The Saint PHNX social media updates always made me smile. Their family values were on air for the whole world, for their fans ... it was a sense of honesty and openness that I guess you rarely see from some artists. 

Saint PHNX, the Jukes brothers ... they have always been and always will be up for a laugh, unafraid to rip the piss out of themselves ... but they are real. 2 brothers from Wishaw with big dreams, 2 young lads with an incredible desire to push themselves and their songs as far as they could possibly go. But always with family and friends at the heart of everything.

Earlier on this year I was shocked and saddened to learn of the death of their Dad, their hero, Bert Jukes. His larger than life personality kind of made him seem pretty invincible. The news hit anyone that knew Stevie and Alan hard, particularly as there couldn't be the kind of send off that the family and Bert's many, many friends would have liked. I half joked to Stevie that they would maybe have needed to book the Hydro in normal times!

Stevie, Bert & Alan

Shortly after Bert's death the brothers announced that they had signed a record deal with Atlantic Records. Thankfully, Bert knew this was happening. I know how happy the news would have made him, how proud he would be. I know how hard his boys have worked for it, for years, a decade! 

Stevie and Al have posted some very personal and emotional video messages on the Saint PHNX social media channels since Bert passed away. They have been grieving privately and in that very modern way, where they've just needed to talk, they have gone live online to do so.

And, that emotion has come out in a song. Happy Place, written about Bert - the house he built for his family in the countryside, about the hills in lower Lanarkshire, the advice he gave his sons ... about the way they are feeling now. 

If I could wish upon a star

I'd wish that I could heal the scars

The chorus is classic Stevie Jukes - personal, but something that anyone with dreams can sing and feel like it has been written for them. I guess we're all looking for a better day, we've felt trapped and maybe gone to our happy place over the last 16-months.  And we've all wanted to turn back time, for various reasons, many through grief. The words come pouring out in a simple melody that I've found myself singing without even knowing I'm singing it.

Over the hills and far away

Looking out for a better day

When it seems like there's no escape

Take me away to my happy place

Somewhere, their Dad is smiling down at them for coming out fighting, for creating something positive and bright out of very dark times. And as always, Bert is at the heart of everything. This time it's under cruel circumstances, but as he always did when he walked into a room, the world is a little brighter.

Happy Place is a big song, written when Saint PHNX hearts were broken, it could be the one that breaks them as a band - in a good way.

R.I.P. Bert Jukes

Happy Place on iTunes

Happy Place on Spotify

Happy Place video on YouTube

Scottish music scene in 2017

What will 2017 bring to the Scottish Music Scene? This blog focuses on a number of things I'll be looking out for through the year. There will no doubt be a number of surprises as well but read on for links to festivals, labels, bands, videos, songs and albums......

Festivals

T in the Park - what is the future/is there a future?
We should know the answer to the question hanging over the Scottish music scene by September/October; will T in the Park return in some shape or form in 2018? By that stage DF Concerts will have assessed their Glasgow Green shows (see below), along with the usual Bellahouston shows. They'll also have assessed site options and potential hoops they have to jump through, and considered if they have the desire to jump through them. The DF team will definitely miss T, however, if their Glasgow Green, Bellahouston and stadium shows all sell well then they might not miss the cash.

Will Scotland miss T? Well I never thought I would say this, but I don't think too many will. Times change and 2017 is set to be a year that emphasises that more than most.

Glasgow Green 8-10 July
Radiohead are already confirmed for one of the nights at Glasgow Green, Coldplay are rumoured to be another. Who else could come and sell out that kind of venue? I'd love to see a double bill of Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem but that is likely to prove wishful thinking - I'll settle for seeing them grace the Barrowland Ballroom again - if I can get tickets!

Electric Fields 1st-2nd September 2017
Electric Fields jumped up to 2-days with relative ease and now that T and Wickerman have been removed from the calendar this presents a real opportunity for the boutique festival to firmly establish itself. 2016 was delightful - the location and setting is beautiful, the atmosphere was exceptional and the line-up eclectic in all the right ways. Do they stick with the 5,000 capacity or look to increase?

Kelburn Garden Party 30th June - 3rd July 2017
Kelburn is another festival that could make a real statement in 2017. It has been becoming increasingly popular through word of mouth. For fellow Glaswegians it is exceptionally easy to get to, it has a real eclectic line-up and seems equally family and raver friendly.

The Kelburn Garden Party 2016 - Official Aftervideo from Kelburn Garden Party on Vimeo.

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 3rd-5th August 2017
Franz Ferdinand, Sister Sledge and KT Tunstall have already been announced for the Tartan Heart Festival; 3 fantastic festival acts. The festival usually sells out and these acts are bound to ensure that happens again. Get your tickets fast if you are interested.

The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award

The SAY Award is going from strength to strength, highlighting the rich artistic talent that our small country has to offer the world. Anna Meredith won the 2016 award with her Varmints album, beating off competition from the likes of FFS, Emma Pollock, Young Fathers and Chvrches.

The likes of Meredith, Kathryn Joseph (2015 winner) and previous shortlisted contenders like Happy Meals have really benefited from the exposure generated from this award. I always look forward to the longlist being announced so I can check out loads of interesting music.

Labels

Last Night From Glasgow - Founded in 2016, LNfG had an incredible first year (even if I do say so myself). 7-inch singles by Mark W Georgsson, Emme Woods and Be Charlotte, a USB credit card album by Stephen Solo, gatefold vinyl album by TeenCanteen, USB slap wrist band by BooHooHoo and some digital releases as well! All on top of having 150 members! Our members got all of that music plus invites to launch shows all for £50 per annum.

As a co-founder and board member of LNfG I know that we have some incredible stuff planned for 2017 beginning with the release of Mark W Georgsson's stunning Faces and Places album in January. We celebrate our 1st anniversary with a show at Stereo on 30th March with BooHooHoo headlining and further guests set to be announced in the near future.

Fuzzkill Records - As the label who first released Catholic Action and Spinning Coin, fans of indie/punk/pop/grunge will be looking to see who Fuzzkill unearth next. They clearly have a great ear and good taste and I look forward to hearing what 2017 brings.

Olive Grove Records - I always keep an eye on Lloyd's label. 2016 was productive with the release of Homemade Lemonade by Ette receiving huge plaudits, including being named in the top 5 albums on Bandcamp for 2016. There were also setbacks with Woodenbox calling it a day but Lloyd's taste and nature will ensure he unearths something new - I look forward to finding out what that might be.

Geographic - read on for mentions of Spinning Coin's album and The Pastels archive project. 2017 could be a busy one for Stephen and Katrina's label.

Song by Toad - are buoyed by the return of Meursault and the success of the Modern Studies Swell to Great LP so enter 2017 in a rich vein of form.

Nightschool Records received a fair bit of money from me last year as I bought releases by Happy Meals, Molly Nilsson and Rose McDowall. They clearly like their pop music, although you can dig deeper for more alternative releases. Definitely a label to watch and Happy Meals will be releasing a summer album - perfect!

Scottish Fiction released the magnificent Mt.Doubt In Awe Of Nothing album in 2016 and have already announced plans for a split 7-inch with Mt.Doubt and ForeignFOXX

Indie / DIY action

TeenCanteen ended 2016 by heading into La Chunky studio to record some new songs. They will hopefully be making an announcement on a release in the near future. The band had an excellent 2016 with heaps of praise on their debut album Say It All With A Kiss and if they can follow that swiftly then the momentum will continue to build.

Spinning Coin brought out their debut single in 2016 on The Pastels Geographic label and followed that by heading North to Helmsdale to record an album with Edwyn Collins. With the approval of two legends from the Scottish indie scene it is safe to say that a few people are looking forward to this release. Stephen Pastel wrote on the Teenage Fanclub forum that their debut single Albany reminded him of the feeling he got from The Boy Hairdressers as they turned into Teenage Fanclub. Their recent tour with the Fanclub definitely won them a number of fans.

Catholic Action had an excellent 2016 with the re-release of L.U.V and the follow up Rita Ora. Teenage Fanclub also took this band out for a few dates and an album must surely be in the pipeline.

Gerry Cinnamon certainly hasn't rushed his debut album, but does he need to? Demo's and videos of songs from live shows are ensuring the word of mouth buzz surrounding him continues to build. Gerry sold out the ABC at the end of 2016 and I wouldn't bet against him headlining the Barrowland in 2017. We will hopefully get the album though - the demand is there!

Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 have already played the Barrowland and ended the year by also selling out the ABC. They are my favourite live band in Scotland due to the sheer positivity and good feeling they generate. The band and crowd become one and you are guaranteed to leave a live show with a smile on your face. I hope to be recording a guest podcast with the Colonel and his loyal lieutenant in the near future.

Major Breakthrough?

A number of Scottish acts have signed for major labels over the last few years; White, Kloe, Model Aeroplanes, Fatherson, Neon Waltz..... none have broken through. Two (White and Neon Waltz) have been dropped.  Fatherson are in for the long haul and Kloe and Model Aeroplanes are young enough to still do something if they are given time write (or be given) a song(s) to break them. Think of the way Chvrches exploded on to the scene with a string of singles.

Will any Scottish acts snapped up by a major in 2017? It is becoming increasingly difficult, not only to get signed, but to break through. Who are the contenders?

Saint PHNX - seem poised for a deal after Radio 1 airplay, the use of their songs in major sporting events including the CL final, a publishing deal for singer Stevie Jukes, crazy Spotify action and by making all the right moves including securing a fantastic managerial team. I've been singing the praises of Stevie Jukes as a major label writer and star for some time. Will 2017 be his breakthrough year with Saint Phnx? If so he is ready.

Be Charlotte - there has been a load of hype about Be Charlotte - an incredibly talented young 19 year old from Dundee. I spoke with Charlotte at the launch of her Machines That Breathe single and was impressed with her down to earth attitude, work ethic and her talent. At one point she stepped to the front of the stage and sang acapella - it was stunning. Charlotte is sassy, stylish and she has time on her side and also an ever increasing stockpile of songs. I expect 2017 to be another busy year and more forwards progression for the youngster.

K V A S I R - the debut EP by K V A S I R was the most sublime release by a Scottish artist in 2016. I know that he has much more recorded. I wouldn't be at all surprised if a major label or highly established indie came in to give him the platform his music richly deserves. He plays King Tut's on Thursday 5th January.

More from

2016 was a productive year for a lot of bands I have been following for a long time, that looks set to continue in 2017, with 5 long term favourite Scottish bands of mine set for releases and touring throughout the year

Teenage Fanclub
TFC follow up the success of the Here album by continuing to tour in promotion. After hammering September-December, the Fannies return after a festive break with a European tour followed by a jaunt to Japan and Australia. Norman Blake has also promised West Coast of America dates and a number of festivals have been confirmed. Will they play a Scottish festival? Or make a welcome return to Kelvingrove Bandstand? Watch this space...

Jesus and Mary Chain
JAMC follow their reunion and Psychocandy shows with a new album Damage and Joy, due for release at the end of March. This will be the Reid brothers first album since 1998. Expect shows, festivals and lots of media if Alan McGee has anything to do with it.

Belle and Sebastian
The Belles have been recording and from Stuart Murdoch's tweets and online diary it sounds like it will be released via a string of EP's rather than an album. This points towards a prolonged burst of activity but at a pace controlled by the band. I expect some secret shows, special shows and lots of great stuff. The band have already announced a show at Chelsea Royal Hospital in June, so expect a release before or around then with other dates to come.

The Pastels
I've been so busy lately that I haven't been into Monorail for ages! Last year Stephen Pastel informed me that he was working on an archive project for the band. This involved sourcing a lot of old recordings and confirming who owns what. The Pastels have a rich catalogue of material crying out for a reissue and reappraisal. Fingers crossed they can get the paperwork/legal stuff sorted and we get some releases, press (Stephen's musical taste and knowledge really comes across) and shows.

I only discovered this early Creation release by The Pastels last year

Million Tears is guitar pop perfection 

BMX Bandits
I was fortunate to spend a lovely sunny afternoon with Duglas last summer and also met him at several shows and events after that, so I know that he has been recording with Stuart Kidd amongst others. I look forward to hearing what they have come up with and to seeing them with TeenCanteen as part of Independent Venue week in January when they play the Bungalow in Paisley on January 23rd. EVENT INFO HERE

Introducing - Saint PHNX

On Sunday night Saint PHNX released their first music and video. The powerful video with images of war, politics and propaganda is interspersed with silhouettes of the two piece band - Stevie and Alan Jukes. Two brothers, Stevie on vocals and guitar, Alan on drums.

Familiar names?

Well they will be if you are a long time reader of this blog. Stevie and Alan were in Vigo Thieves.

Vigo Thieves disappeared; Stevie wrote a whole bunch of new songs, they recorded them at the excellent Rocket Science Studio in Glasgow, sent them around and people sat up and took notice.

Power, soul, emotion, big choruses and no messing about has been Stevie Jukes calling card for some time. Songs like Heartbeats, Believe, Steal Your Heart and This Love took them far....packing tents at T in the Park, selling out The Arches and the ABC in Glasgow.....

However they cut their teeth with the Vigo's. Saint PHNX are leaner, meaner and ready for business from the off. As I mentioned before - no messing.

Saint PHNX - Al and Stevie

Reload is the first song released. There is a sense of urgency from the off; the pounding drums, menacing synth, raw guitars and soulful vocals pleading

I only wanna open your eyes

You make me wanna touch the sky

Saint PHNX definitely want to touch the sky and kiss the sun. They play their debut show at the legendary Nice n Sleazys on Thursday 21st July. TICKETS HERE

As someone who has heard over an albums worth of tracks that the duo have recorded - Sleazys better bolt on the roof. Saint PHNX are armed with sky scraping anthems.

The Jukes brothers took aim before with Vigo Thieves, they have reloaded and they will not miss.