Electric Fields

A number of things meant that I couldn't make it to Electric Fields this weekend. It was the first year in as along as I can remember that I haven't attended a summer music festival!

Reports from fellow music fans and from bands/artists I know that attended the festival have been very favourable and it is pleasing to see Electric Fields developing and improving year on year.

I look forward to getting back into the festival saddle in 2018.

Previous guest blogger Gordon Reid was there and was happy to report back.

Electric Fields by Gordon Reid

Scotland has a fine tradition of music festivals. TITP in its heyday ,  Connect , Rockness and Wickerman have all come and sadly gone. Belladrum is now the grand old lady starting in 2004 , TRNSMT the new kid on the block in its debut year and Electric Fields the young upstart growing , changing and adapting to its place in the calendar. We were there for the opening year 2014 and decided on another weekend visit to see how things had moved on. 

**other festivals are available**

Set in the grounds of the picturesque Drumlanrig Castle near Thornhill it has grown from a single day 2 stage small affair into a 2 day, 5000 capacity small/medium festival and it has done so without losing any of its original charm. Large well spaced car parking area with a camping site that has been well set out (could do with more lights on the walkways after dark) and an arena large enough to have areas to chill out in (something TRNSMT really lacked) while still being compact enough that everything was easy to find and get to and from quickly.

Food and drink was priced as expected and while I found the choice of vegetarian food a little limited I found a pizza stall so I was quite content with my lot. Varied drink available including what looked to be a specialist ale bar, they also had dark fruit cider so the wife was delighted. I got the feeling that that growth of Electric Fields is connected to Wickerman calling it a day as we met a lot of familiar faces from Dundrennan in the crowd. There were plenty of young kids present over the weekend and there seemed to be a few things for them to do as it can be hard to keep their attention with just the music. It’s always great to see kids at these things as they will be the future for music in general and festivals in particular. I honestly couldn’t find a real fault in the set up and organisation of the event and that might be a first for me, of course the fact that the sun shone all weekend might have helped!

pic from Electric Fields Facebook

So having arrived,  got our tent set up , air mattress blown up and bed sorted we wandered up to the arena and the music. First band we wanted to see were Nieves and we trooped into the tent just before starting time at 3. They had really changed their sound and look since last time we had caught them. Much heavier and less laid back than we remembered them. I made my way to the front of the stage to check it out. Yeah the new look and sound wasn't that surprising as they had switched time slots with SAVAGE MANSION,  a Glasgow 4 piece. One of the band had a superb pair of sideburns and the tunes were pretty decent. They are playing The Old Hairdressers on Oct 7^th if you are around. This threw our carefully planned schedule off track and we had to go get food and missed the band we went to see but it won’t be the last time we catch Nieves.

One well fired cheese and tomato pizza later we were back in the tent to see THE CALM FIASCO, another Glasgow 4 piece and one that we have seen quite a bit of. They looked a little nervous as the tent was quite empty but they had no need to be as the place began filling up quickly once they got going. Highlights were lead singer Del Morin paying tribute to Dizzee Rascal by covering Fix Up Look Sharp strutting about the stage rapping to the amusement of the other band members. They brought their set to a close with Just Don’t Care Any More and left the now full tent shouting for more. Enthusiastic and clearly enjoying something that they are doing well they have a gig coming up at The Art School on November 18^th and tickets are going fast. I'd encourage folk to give them a try as you won’t be disappointed.

We took our first trip to the main stage after this to see PETER HOOK and the light. There was something strange about seeing and hearing Hookie as a lead singer doing New Order / Joy Division stuff and although I enjoyed the sing along it just didn’t feel right. I know that they have issues with each other and have said never again but I hope one day that Bernie and Peter manage to bury the hatchet or at least put up with each other long enough to be on stage together again.

Pic from Electric Fields Facebook

The temperature dropped to bloody freezing about this time and we got ourselves a warm drink and headed back down to the tent where we discovered our brand new air mattress had a puncture and we would be spending the night sleeping on the ground. Heidi did her best to cheer me up by informing me that at least the ground was soft. She’s lucky that she is pretty. At 30 I would have just got on with it but at 50 I’m getting too old for this shit.

A cold night and hard ground made a trip to Dumfries for a new air mattress an absolute necessity so after making breakfast we made the 45 minute round trip. Once again I managed to get stage times mixed up so that we only just made it back in time for MEDICINE MEN and we were glad that we did as they were in my top two acts of the weekend. A heaving tent bounced along with every song and they almost blew it all away when finishing the set with Out Of The Light. Stop reading this and go find it on YouTube,  I’ll wait. The sea of smiling faces was fantastic to watch , people high fiving strangers as they sang the chorus at the top of their voices. Medicine Men are certainly going places and they are picking up speed on the journey.

Next up for us were THE BEAT and once again it was a chance for all us older folk to sing our hearts out to songs from our childhood ( I used to laugh at my parents for this ).  I’ve missed the Scooter tent from Wickerman so it was nice to have a little bit of ska in there.

We then had the “London bus” effect as 3 bands we wanted to see all overlapped. We had to leave before the end of The Beat to make sure we got into the tent for CRASH CLUB. We got lucky as it was rammed with bodies , it felt as if everyone at the festival was in that tent and they were treated to a superb set from the best Scottish Electro-Rock band out there. The ground was shaking and reminded me of younger days long since gone in the slam tent at T. The music screamed in your face as they lifted the crowd up , let them dangle on the edge and then threw it all back in the mix as they took off again. For me they were the star spot of the weekend and if you haven’t seen them yet then try to do so , you won’t regret it.

We missed the last 10 minutes as we needed to eat and wanted to catch FATHERSON. The boys from Kilmarnock headlined the first ever Electric Fields and have gone from strength to strength since then. They looked delighted to be back and it feels like they have been touring constantly on the continent.

We stayed at the main stage for GLASS ANIMALS. Heard a lot about them but I couldn’t see what the hype was all about however Heidi thought they were amazing. She knows her stuff so we will give them another try next time they are north of the border. I had the same with JESUS AND MARY CHAIN , I was really looking forward to them but it just felt flat to me. In both of the bands defence I was cold and tired so it was probably the mood I was in and the way I was feeling. I didn’t stay for DIZZEE but Heidi did and said he had the crowd eating out of his hand. Everyone bouncing about and it was a cool way to bring the weekend to an end.

Electric Fields has definitely found its place on the festival circuit but now comes the hard part. Does it stick or twist? Is it the right size or will they try and get more bodies through the gates? I’d like to see it stay roughly the same for now but that’s not my call. I hope they make the right one......

Pic from Electric Fields Facebook

16 Scottish bands for 2016

There are absolutely loads of Scottish bands and artists set to have exciting years in 2016 - some will be releasing music via major labels, others on small indie/DIY labels and then plenty will be self releasing.

The most important thing is that Scottish music is in an incredibly rich vein of form at present. There are loads of bands set to progress with many doing so on precisely their own terms which is very pleasing to me as a music fan - no label or management interference.

Here are 16 relatively new/up and coming artists to look out for in 2016.

A second blog on 16 things I am looking forward to in Scottish music will follow later this week.

1. Kathryn Joseph - will she follow up her SAY Award winning album with a new release in 2016? I would expect at least an EP from the very talented songstress. Check this sublime live recording of her song The Bird from a BBC Radio Scotland session

2. Happy Meals - won hearts with their Apero mini-album. They are winning more with their live shows. I don't think we will need to wait too long for their next release. Unique and gorgeous.  I hope to have a guest blog on Happy Meals in the near future.

3. Neon Waltz - set to tour with The Coral in the Spring, I think 2016 could be another year of development or see an Autumn album release for this hotly tipped band from Wick. The band have been living in their own world up in Wick, forming their own sound unaffected by any scene or scenesters, it is a sound that people want to hear more of. Singer Jordan Shearer look like a young Bobby Gillespie and has the charm and style to win and melt hearts.

4. White - currently getting loads of support from the BBC and set to tour the UK in Feb/March including a huge hometown show at the QMU on 20th February, White's high energy guitar pop could lead to a big year. Their next single could be the one that will see them break through.

5. Kloe - I have to admit to being sceptical about Kloe; however I really enjoyed her set at Wickerman and look forward to seeing how she develops in 2016. I expect a couple of singles and maybe an EP along with a good support tour and festivals would be a productive 2016 for her to aid her development. But you never know, an album might sneak out if a single kicks in.

6. Fatherson - The main question re Fatherson for me is whether or not they are going to transfer to the rest of the UK and beyond? Signed to Easy Life Records (a Sony offshoot) will give them every opportunity. The same questions were asked about Biffy Clyro and we all know how they got on -given time and the opportunity to develop. Their latest single Always explodes into life with the guitars sounding billiant. It will be interesting to hear their first album on a major label.

Check this incredible performance from T in the Park.

7. Model Aeroplanes - 4 young, good looking and talented boys from Dundee , this band have every chance of breaking through in the next couple of years. Signed to Island Records, I think 2016 might be too early for an album, but I look forward to hearing a couple of singles or an EP. Expect loads of shows and festivals to get their name out there. Check their self released single Electricity for an example of what they can do.

8. Catholic Action - I've blogged about them recently and I've really fallen for them. Prolific and set for a big 2016. They've released a load of material via local label Fuzzkill Records (on cassette) and I wouldn't be at all surprised for a larger label to come in and take them on.

9. Crash Club - A band who have been building and building towards something quite special. 2015 was a riot for them, their live show has been honed and toned to perfection leading to loads of praise and a growing fanbase. An album isn't their priority but they pretty much have one in the bag. Expect a single/EP in the first half of the year and then we'll see what happens.

10. TeenCanteen - my sisters band finished recording their debut album in December and are waiting to master it. A single will come out in March/April along with some live dates with indie legends Shonen Knife. The band also play the ABC as part of Hazy Recollections as part of Celtic Connections on Sunday 17th January.

The band have had the Cairn String Quartet in the studio for a coupe of songs. Check this gorgeous version of Honey from their recent Mono show as a taster for what might be on the album.

11. Gerry Cinnamon - I am really enjoying the rise of Gerry Cinnamon. I first came across Gerry when he fronted The Cinnamons and always enjoyed watching them live. Gerry has been playing and running open mics for a couple of years and then he went viral in 2014 with his song Hope Over Fear which led to him playing protests and rally's. The exposure led people to Gerry's catalogue of songs and his shows started getting bigger. Gerry's personality helps, he is funny, positive, up for it, kind, quick-witted, intelligent and he also speaks his mind and the truth.

Check the response to Good Feeling at a recent show at the Biscuit Factory in Leith HERE

12. November Lights - I blogged about this band back in November and also interviewed them. Check that HERE. I look forward to catching them live at King Tut's on 23rd January (when I will also be dj-ing between bands) to see if they have more songs up to the standard of their debut release Bring You Home. If they do then I think they could go all the way.

13. Atom Tree - Glasgow band move to London shock! It is kind of against the norm for a Glasgow/Scottish band or artist to move to London these days. Atom Tree have upped sticks and moved to the big smoke having signed a publishing deal that has allowed them to become a full-time band. They've been working on material for the last 6-months so they could explode in 2016. Check out this for a beautiful electronic gem.

I first blogged about them back in the summer of 2014 when their song Desired Effect was picked up for a Burberry advert. I've caught them live a few times and they have some incredible songs.

14. The Bellybuttons - I caught The Bellybuttons supporting Ultimate Painting at Mono in November and I look forward to catching their energetic guitar pop again in the near future. Another band to have released via Fuzzkill Records, they have a great laid back Pavment-esque sound, also taking in lovely warm Teenage Fanclub style guitars at others.

15. JR Green - came to my attention via Joe McAlinden on Twitter and when he took Edwyn Collins to check them out in Inverness I thought I had better do the same. The duo (brothers Jacob and Rory Green) have signed to Hits The Fan Records who released the gorgeous Kathryn Joseph album, their debut Bring The Witch Doctor EP is a delight and contains the following lyrics on their song Nigerian Princess.

I'm sorry for my output but I'm surrounded by wankers

I'm only 17 so I don't have all the answers (YET)

16. Man of Moon - had a blinding 2015 and are set to crack on further in 2016. Their debut release The Road was an exceptionally assured release from a couple of teenagers; gripping, menacing and full of energy - controlled and then explosive. I've yet to see this band live but all reports have been full of praise and I look forward to catching them soon.

Crash Club at King Tuts

New music in November

Crash Club - live review and interview

Guest review by Gordon Reid

Over the last year or so there has been a lot of talk about Crash Club . A spot at T in the park in the summer , closely followed by winning the best electronic act at the SAMA`s in early October put them in the spotlight and they continue to pick up fans every time they gig . I first came across them at an Everything Shakes event in the Admiral bar at the start of October although I`d heard Murray and a few others talking about them previously. Last Friday they played This Feeling at Tuts along with Our Future Glory , The Trend and The Insomniac Project and at a £5 for 4 bands it is superb value for money. 

Our Future Glory ( Dundee based trio ) were first on and set the tone for the night with a high energy performance. The Trend were decent but looked out of place as a guitar band amongst many synthesisers, not their fault and they still gave it their all . I`d like to see them again in their own show to judge them better. 

The Insomnia Project are relatively new on the scene in terms of playing live as far as I know, last time I spoke to Murray about them he reckoned they hadn`t played more than a handful of gigs but thats twice I`ve seen them in a month and both times they have blown me away. If you were a fan of Johny and the Giro`s ( I was ) then you`ll know a few faces in the band and the addition of Deborah on vocals was a masterstroke. Having watched them in the Admiral last month I had said that I`d like to see them in a bigger venue as her voice would be suited to it. I`m glad to say I was right on this and they had the crowd going wild for the whole of their set. The strobe light added to the atmosphere, sadly they overran and couldn`t get their last song in but it didn`t dampen the spirit in the crowd.

Crowd video from Tut's - Sphinx by The Insomniac Project

To the main event and the trio from Kilwinning didn`t disappoint. The job of lighting the stage was pretty easy as they once again turned the strobe on and let it go from there . Pulsing beats taken to highs and allowed to come back down, just as you thought the tunes were over a roll of the drums and they were off again taking the crowd with them. They hardly stopped bouncing the whole time. Joined by Ian McKinnon of Medicine Men for the epic and euphoric Recondition and by Charotte Brimner (Be Charlotte) for another tune I didn't catch the name of. They ended with Last Dance and smashed it out the park. If you haven't seen them yet then grab the chance with both hands. They are well worth it.

Crowd video from Tut's - Last Dance by Crash Club

Crash Club have smashed everything put in their path through 2015, so I caught up with Neal Mcharg, the energetic bassist and all round good guy - the Glasgow Mani - to see what he was saying to it.

1) It's been quite a year - what have been the highlights for you?

Yeah it's been a proper good year to be fair, loads of different highlights. Festival season with T, Belladrum and Electric Fields is up there and supporting The View was good exposure to a crowd that would never have heard of us. Playing and winning an award at the SAMA's was also great exposure.

Personal highlight for me though is the fact that people have responded positively to what we have been trying to do at the live shows with lights, visuals and guest vocalists.

2) Ian MacKinnon has added a new dimension to your live performances, how did he become involved?

We all love Medicine Men and big Ian's a really good mate so we asked him to to do Recondition and from then on Ian has basically been at every show working the crowd up. Look at theTenement Trail video, I don't think I've ever seen a crowd go as wild at being called mother***kers in my life before!

At one point the bar staff were on the bar raving and big Gino from Vigo Thieves and others were up on shoulders. It was pretty much carnage, trying to get on and off the stage was interesting, never mind the gig itself.

'it was pretty much carnage' - Recondition at Flat 0/1 for the Tenement Trail

3) How much confidence do you and the rest of the band gain from that kind of reaction?

Loads - the stage show definitely gets better when you see a crowd like that, it's hard not to get into it a lot more. Aran even moved a wee bit more than usual!

4) I believe you have some more guest vocalists lined up for future releases?

Yeah, Be Charlotte has been smashing it live as well. We can;t wait to get her into the studio.

5) How far off is an album?

We're recording the EP in Rocket Science studios just now. It is sounding massive, Ross and Michael (producers) have worked wonders on it. The drum and bass sounds are pretty much inspired by the New York scene - LCD, The Rapture, Gossip!, Holy Ghost, but with synth tones of Justice, Chemical Brothers and New Order.

6) Sammy has an incredible ear for a tune. Does he bring the songs fully formed to the band, or do you each add something?

No, basically what happens is Sammy will come up with an idea, recording different sounds based round the same theme. Aran and me will go down, hear all the new noises and start writing parts with Sammy on the synths and then the fun and games of structuring the track begins for us in the hut. So all that has to happen before we even think about what we're going to out down guitar, bass or drum wise. Once we've got all that done then we pick the right singer to collaborate with.

7) Anything left before the end of the year? And what do you hope to achieve in 2016?

We might be doing something else before the end of the year, but can;t say too much for now.

It's probably a bigger year next year for us because I think more will be expected. We'll step it up a level with the live shows, get the EP out. If the demand is there we'll go in and do an album by the end of the year. But as we have seen with 2015, we can plan things, but things you don't expect to happen, happen and your year is completely different.

Tenement Trail and the Scottish Alternative Music Awards 2015

The start of October will see two increasingly important events in the Glasgow/Scottish music calendar take place. Both highlight the incredible talent and diversity of the Scottish indie/DIY/laternative music scene, both have been born from grassroots entrepreneurial spirit and both have been warmly embraced by music fans.

Saturday 3rd October will see The Tenement Trail take place in Glasgow - using venues on or around Sauchiehall Street - Broadcast, Flat 0/1, Nice 'n' Sleazys, ABC2, the Art School and King Tut's will feature a whole hosts of bands and artists that include the likes of White, Neon Waltz and Atom Tree who all featured in my recent blog HERE

The urban festival starts at 2pm and lasts (at least in some venues) all the way through until 3am. Tickets are only £15, available in advance from the website or Tickets Scotland, or you should be able to pick up some on the day if you are quick.

Tenement Trail is the brainchild of the team behind the brilliant Tenement TV which, like the festival, grows from strength to strength with every year.

Here is the line-up and times.

Then next Thursday 8th October it is time to get a little glitzy with the 6th year of the Scottish Alternative Music Awards (the SAMA's), taking place at The Garage.

Richy Muirhead is the bright young spark behind the awards and has grown the event into a highlight of the Scottish Music calendar, gathering increasing support and exposure.

Voting for this years awards has closed and over 20,000 votes have been cast - fantastic stuff.

The amazing Crash Club are playing live, along with special guest performances from previous winners and Holy Esque who have been on the verge of breaking through for a few years.

Richy said;  "The shortlist is extremely strong this year, with nominees from every corner of Scotland. There is a huge surge in nominations for new bands which goes to show that Scotland is forever churning out new and exciting talent. It's our sixth birthday, so we've got a few surprises and crowd-pleasers up our sleeves."

The nominees for 2015 are;

BEST ROCK/ALTERNATIVE sponsored by EmuBands

Monogram
Wecamefromwolves
Catholic Action
Dear John
SchnarffSchnarff
Huxtable

BEST NEWCOMER sponsored by UWS Creative
MARTHA FFION
WHITE BAER
MAN OF MOON
ALPHAS
BELLA & THE BEAR
LIONEL

BEST HIP HOP sponsored by Splitter Scotland

MOG
Delighted Peoples
DJ YEMSTER & HEXTASY
THE ILL COLLECTIVE
BIGG TAJ & SPEESIXNINE
SPRING BREAK

BEST ELECTRONIC sponsored by Eventbrite

BDY PRTS
SEQUEL
OUR FUTURE GLORY
LOCKAH
CRASH CLUB
CLYDE ROUGE

BEST ACOUSTIC sponsored by CitizenM

C DUNCAN
THE JELLYMAN’S DAUGHTER
STELLA REILLY
BEST GIRL ATHLETE
SEAN C KENNEDY
DR WOOK

BEST LIVE ACT sponsored by Bar Bloc

ERRORS
DED RABBIT
COPPER LUNGS
KATHRYN JOSEPH
COLONEL MUSTARD & THE DIJON 5
NEON WALTZ

BEST METAL sponsored by Cathouse Glasgow

MOUNTAINS UNDER OCEANS
THE AMORETTES
DIVIDESHOLY MOUNTAIN
SEED OF SORROW
BLACKENED RITUAL

Tickets for this year’s Scottish Alternative Music Awards are available now via EventBrite. Prices start from £10.  VIP packages available.

You can stay up to date online: http://officialsama.co.uk
Twitter: @officialsama #SAMA2015 Facebook: www.facebook.com/OfficialSAMA

For more information, please contact: officialsama@outlook.com

Scottish music scene - 4 sign to majors

The Scottish music scene is in a particularly rich vein of form right now with 4 young artists signing deals with major labels since the turn of the year and many more turning heads and gathering attention.

Here is a quick run down on the 4 acts that have been snapped up, it will be interesting to see how they develop and if the labels allow them time to do just that;

Neon Waltz, a young band hailing from Wick, captured the attention of many by seemingly coming out of nowhere with their home made demos, covers and videos, signing with the same management company as Oasis and then subsequently to Atlantic Records. Their young front man has something about him and the band gel superbly. They are still very much in their infancy but 2016 could be a big year for them.

I caught them live at Wickerman recently and they had a few stand out songs as well as many more that sound promising; they look good, the frontman stands out a mile and demands attention, their duelling guitars create a brilliant sound and they really do gel superbly.

Fatherson went about things the complete opposite way from Neon Waltz - working hard, playing loads of shows, self releasing and building a bigger and bigger following. Their young manager Michael Lambert teamed up with Idlewild's manager Bruce Craigie to form A Modern Way - a management company and record label; very handy and indeed - very modern. Fatherson's I Am An Island that they released in 2014 only increased the interest in the band leading to an incredible performance at T in the Park where they packed out the King Tut's tent (see video below). Their hard work has paid off and they recently signed with Easy Life Record, an offshoot of Sony.

Singer Ross Leighton is in this for the long haul and I have heard many people compare them to Biffy Clyro; not just for their Ayrshire roots but for their growing sound, reputation and fanbase - they could be building to something pretty special and now they have the backing to do it.

White burst on to the scene last year and my friend Gordon alerted me to their fantastic song Living Fiction. The song mixed Franz Ferdinand with LCD Soundsystem and all kinds of 70's and 80's pop, funk and disco. It sounded fresh, vital and fun.

Another friend Sam told me that they had labels coming up to see them rehearse - there was a buzz. White have now signed with Sony and released a second single Blush which shows more signs of promise and the band are attracting more and more interest through the media and radio, things are building up nicely. From a personal point of view, the drummer Kirstin is absolutely lovely and I am delighted for her that things are going so well.

Model Aeroplanes are a young band from Dundee that have been attracting interest since they formed in their teens (some of them may well still be in their teens). I first saw them live supporting Vigo Thieves back in late 2013 and really liked the look and sound of them - playing cracking guitars, looking too young to be in the venue and having an ear for a pop tune. I was also very impressed with their musical talent - these boys can play, just check out the variety of their live and acoustic sessions on YouTube for evidence.

The band have been working extremely hard since then under the guidance of their lovely manager Paul who has been working his socks off for them. As someone who managed bands I always root for a good young manager and I am absolutely delighted that Paul's work and the bands talent has landed them a deal with Island Records.

The hard work continues - this good looking young bunch of lads who can really play could take off in a big way if they get a hit single. Best of luck to them.

It is fantastic to see labels venturing north of the border for talent - there is plenty of it and I wouldn't bet against other acts being snapped up in the near future. Here are just a few that might also get a major label deal;

Man of Moon could well be described as the buzz band in Scotland at the moment. A young 2-piece from Edinburgh, they have been working hard under the guidance of a lovely guy called Jamie Webster and recently released their debut single on indie Melodic Records to rave review. Festivals and sold out shows have added to the buzz. Watch them go.

Kloe is a young teenager from the outskirts of Glasgow creating a real buzz. I thoroughly enjoyed her set at Wickerman; the way she strutted around the stage, fell to her knees, posed for the cameras and treated us to a display of modern pop written by a teenager for teenagers. Word on the street is that a new EP will be coming out before the end of the year. if it generates anything like the response of her debut single then she may well get snapped up. Young, ambitious and talented. Definitely one to watch.

Vigo Thieves have been working hard on writing and recording and I have been fortunate enough to hear some exceptional new songs. These boys are going for it big style and I sincerely hope they get the deal they deserve. Stevie Jukes is a star in the making, he has the look, voice, soul and songs to go all the way.

Other acts to keep an eye on that should certainly attract label attention (perhaps not a major) include; Catholic Action, TeenCanteen, The Insomniac Project , Atom Tree and Crash Club. Oh and if Gerry Cinnamon's forthcoming self released debut does well then he may well get snapped up too - that is if a label doesn't come in before he released it himself.

There are bands and acts all over, DIY labels and nights, blogs, podcasts, radio shows, venues, nights - and it is all exceptionally accessible in the modern day and age. Scotland continues to punch above its weight - producing an incredible amount of fantastic bands and artists for a country with such a small population.

Enjoy this brilliant time for music.

Crash Club at Everything Shakes

Crash Club may well be the best live band in Scotland right now. I was genuinely blown away by their performance on Friday night at The Admiral at the inaugural Everything Shakes night.

Raw, powerful and fluid Primal Scream style basslines underpin (and at times lead) all kinds of electronic goodness, live beats and psychedelic guitar - at times like My Bloody Valentine. It is a powerful combination that is made all the better by the fact that Crash Club just don't let up. They have honed and toned their live set to perfection - just over 30-minutes flowing from one song to another with no let up, like a DJ set or mix album.

Ian MacKinnon strolled on stage to join the band for a couple of songs including the outstanding Recondition. MacKinnon's vocals just lifted the set even higher, producing real moments of euphoria and adding extra menace to the Kilwinning's outfits set.

Neal McHarg on bass is almost like a front man, playing bass with a mission, wearing a 'Glasgow As F**k' t-shirt and firing off riffs that demanded people move. His brother Aran never strayed far from his amp, creating all kinds of beautiful guitar sound, while the leader of the band Sammy bounded behind a bank of synths and screens, live drums keeping it real.

Crash Club play Belladrum this coming weekend. Seek them out and keep an eye on their Facebook page for upcoming gig announcements.

2014 review by Crash Club

One of Neal McHarg's favourite albums of 2014 from one of his favourite bands

I first met Neal McHarg when Nevada Base ventured out to Ayrshire to play with Neal's band Crash Club. I admired the way he played the bass, there was real attitude. We got talking, discovered we shared similar taste in music  and have talked on and off ever since and when I got tickets to Primal Scream's secret show at the Poetry Club last year, Neal was one person I knew that would truly appreciate a ticket.

Neal's passion for music is clearly evident to anyone who has ever met him. He has a thirst for new music and a desire to delve back into musical history to discover all kinds of stuff.

Crash Club have really kicked on in 2014 and 2015 is shaping up to be a big year for them. They play King Tut's on New Year's Eve with Medicine Men and Tijuana Bibles.

I caught up with Neal to find out what he had been listening to through 2014. I'm sure you'll agree that it is a superbly eclectic mix. I hope Neal dj's sometime!

1. What singles/songs that have been released in 2014 have stood out for you?

the war on drugs -  red eyes
I remember hearing about them for a while and never really getting excited then I heard the new album and being blown away, this is the stand out for me.

Todd terje - Delorean Dynamite
thanks to a night out with Nevada base’s calum muir I discovered this track, the drive of the track just caught me straight away, yet parts of it sound so chilled, amazing mixture.

Medicine Men – Show What You're Made Of
Can’t get enough of this, tho big Ian defo gets enough of me telling him how much I love it ha. Brilliant groove and it just gets big as it goes on. Live wise its just unreal. 

Medicine Men

Tijuana bibles – Crucifixion
Dirty sleazy rock and roll at its finest, fat fuzzy bass line to tony’s husky vocal this is how rock n roll should sound.

Vigo Thieves – This Love
Remember hearing this for the first time on my way to Ayrshire and just feeling uplifted and having to listen to it over and over again, ridiculously catchy. 

   

2. What albums released in 2014 have you enjoyed?

black angels – clear lake forest
they really can’t do anything wrong in my eyes, yet another great explain of why their one of my favourite bands ever.

klaxons – love frequency
was really surprised by this, I wasn’t really a fan of the new rave stuff they done and we I listen to this for the time, I was amazed at how early 90’s influenced it was. Right up my street.

the war on drugs – lost in the dream
as I said earlier, the album is just outstanding.

deathcats -  all hail deathcats
got to love james and the boys, one of the hardest working bands in Glasgow and this album is great fuzz rock, Saturday night golden retriever is my personal stand out.
jagwar ma – the time and space machine dub sessions
Jagwar ma are right now my favourite band in the world, the album last year was unbelievable, and tho these sessions appeared on line last year, the vinyl only came out this year, and its so different track remixes yet still brilliant.



3. What old music/bands have you discovered/gone back to in 2014?

the bee gees – first 
they get a bad rep for cause of the whole disco stuff, but people forget how good the bee gees actually are! First is a 60’s classic.
john kongos – he’s gonna step on you again
all thanks to the happy Monday doing a cover of this with step on.  Love both but hadn’t really listened to the original for a long time.

supergrass – in it for the money
I miss supergrass loads, and with gaz releasing his next solo album, I went back and listened to my favourite supergrass album

Relaxed Muscle -  a heavy nite with…
my mate G loves Jarvis cocker during this part of his love, and when it was first out I wasn’t really listening to much of this period, but found my way back to it at the start of this year.

Nirvana- Bleach another album you kinda forget about just because what was to follow  blew your mind. brilliant all the same.

4. What has been the musical highlight of 2014 for you?

Seeing nine inch nails at primavera sounds was one hell of an experience so that is definitely a highlight, along with jagwar ma at the art school for stag and dagger.
but being asked to open for the klaxons and to finish of the year playing with 2 bands I love and have worked with in medicine men and Tijuana bibles will be up there as well. 

5. What are you plans for 2015?

We’re going to put out a vinyl with yoko pwno next year which will be brilliant to do, keep the momentum going for this year and step it up another level with the live show, introduce some visuals and stuff along with the lights, and target doing some festival shows this year.