bands and community groups.
Whatever emerges from all this discussion and planning it seems likely that Glasgow is going to have a higher profile in the music business than was previously the case. ‘It can
shortly to play his part in the raising
' of the cities musical profile. The
i band do not seem to have any obvious hopes of the programme and f are reticent about saying what wider
' appeal. ifany. it might give them. They are confident. however. that
f the language which speaks to clearly
to the people of Glasgow will speak
just as clearly to other parts of
Britain.
.IIIIIIIIIIIIII 5 THE PLAY
It‘s at the Craigmillar Arts Centre. a spartan converted church on the edge of Niddrie. stuck on a lonely patch ofgrass between a brickworks and a coalyard. that I talk to three members ofthe five-piece Craigmillar band The Play. a group responsible for a very fine. energetic demo tape. Despite the hour and their fragile condition they‘re bright. likeable and talkative as they tell me about their music and the scheme in
which they live. The members ofThe '
Play are aged between 19 and 24 and most ofthem have lived in Craigmillar all their lives. They grumble about the place quite a bit - that‘s partly why I‘m here - but none show any immediate urge to leave
the area. it seems. Gathered in the
Arts Centre with me are guitarists
John and Stephen (who does most of
the talking) and Joe. the drummer. Individually and together they‘ve been playing in bands for up to six
9 years.usuallypraetisinginthis
building. and building up a local
; following for The Play. only three 1 monthsold but unusually active. I i ask them how they feel about
, Craigmillar and the response is
pretty succinct: ‘Deprcssing.‘
‘There‘s not enough interest in the Craigmillar people. The whole community.‘ declares Stephen. Or. as John puts it. "There‘s nothing here.‘ All are agreed that the
only be good.‘ says Scheme‘s Denny.
‘FEATUREIJSF
a lengthy affair— ‘it was seven months before they even drew a ‘ square on the wall‘ — and once it was i completed they were told that the 1 whole building was being converted i into storage space. Such setbacks have inspired The Play to set up what they describe as a musicians‘ co-operative in Craigmillar. ‘but we need help, we need organisation. You can‘t really
do things like that on your own‘. The other bands that use the Centre have f declared themselves interested and
; the first meetings are imminent.
At this stage the primary aim of the
; projected co-op is to find venues for
I bands in the Craigmillar area to play; 3 scarce enough in the city centre. the
? situation is a lot worse in areas like
‘. this. ‘It takes a while to get in
5 anywhere like The Jailhouse‘, says
; Stephen. and he‘s absolutely right.
' ‘You hand in a tape and it‘ll sit there
for months.‘ They‘re still waiting on word about
The Jailhouse.
Getting the Craigmillar Arts
Centre functioning as a venue is a
I high priority. ‘because this place can
1 make money. All the bands could
chip in. They could play in here. And ; they could feel that they‘d done it. In : other words, “It‘s as much my gig as
5 anyone else‘s“.‘
Other ideas are in the air. For instance. saving up for a four-track studio for local bands who are understandably nervous about professional studios and stand a good chance of getting ripped off.
They also want to attract bands from
‘up the town‘ — Blues ‘n‘ Trouble‘s name is mentioned - to play in the scheme supported by local bands to get them exposure and generate funds. In addition to this. Stephen is embarking on a two-year recording
. course. courtesy ofthe European
Social Fund. and he looks forward to bringing the skills back to
E Craigmillar and passing them on.
There‘s a lot of bands here.‘ Joe tells me. ‘that are dead enthusiastic. They can‘t play. they can‘t even tune
; a guitar. but they want to learn. They 7 might be playing a lot ofshit for two
situation for musicians in Craigmillar 5
could hardly be worse.
Time and time again the talk comes back to the building we‘re sitting in ‘This building used to be mobbed. it was brilliant. They started a club.
i brought in a load of big bands. like
The Delmontes. but something happened and it all just fell away.‘
Bureaucracy seems to be one reason for this. The Centre‘s administrators are on contracts of a year and it can take three months for a replacement to be hired. Plenty of time. with the Centre closed. for good intentions to dwindle and ground gained to be lost. Although no one speaks of it. The Play are
happen when the helpful Clive O'Neil. the current administrator. reaches the end of his term.
The band recall a protracted incident when it was announced that the Centre was not to be used as a
Lv—enue until a fire exit could be built.
hours but they‘ve got smiles on their faces.‘
Stephen agrees. ‘Having a co-op. maybe when they come up and learn a lot mair. at least they‘re no just gonna be practising and going nowhere.‘
Ask them questions on their influences and The Play are at a loss for words. The aims of their music of the future ofThe Play are hardly mentioned. But get them on to the subject of their proposed co-op and
they‘re animated and enthusiastic.
‘It might pick the whole place up a bit. It might start from here and
spread right through Craigmillar.
obviously concerned about what is to '5
right through the whole lot.‘ Nevertheless. problems remain. as
Stephen realises.
‘I hope you‘ll say that we need help. Ifyou could bring that point over. that ifanyone would like to help. get in touch. We need contacts.‘
Joe gets the final. emphatic word. ‘And that‘s anybody.‘
The Craigmillar Arts Centre can be contacted on 669 8432.
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