MUSIC LIST
0 ONE TIME DEL AMITRI GUITARIST, Brian Tolland is back with a new band - THE HUMMINGBIROS. Rough demos suggest that there has not been too much oi a change in direction irom the dot Amitri days - nice, light melodies. Although, at least with the Hummingbirds an Honours Degree in English is not required to penetrate the lyrics. They have already signed a publishing deal - so watch this space ioriurther developments.
0 WET WET WET SINGER IN NAME CHANGE SENSATION! Well, only it you read the Daily Record. Marti Pellow, whose real name we are too nice to reveal, suddenly has become Martin Pellon! Does that mean the article was written by Paula Coia?
e INTRODUCING A NEW LISTEN FEATURE: TOMBALLS. Let me explain (to East Coast readers): Radio Clyde have a hard rocking,heavy metal O.J. called Tom Russell. His show goes out every Friday night at midnight- and is always good Ior some classic quotes — like this one irom June 26th:
‘Well let’s have a listen now to a couple oi local bands. Firstly we’re going to hear one oi the better Scottish bands, who haven’t signed a recording deal yet, and we’ll iollow that up with one oi the better unsigned English bands, who indeed have.’
0 A MAN WITH A SOCIAL CONSCIENCE at the head oi a record company-yes, it’s true! Richard Branson, head oi the Virgin empire is launching a much publicised range oi condoms called ‘Mates’. One has to ask though - it his balloon bursts -would you trust one oi his condoms? And when he says that they will be sold ior ‘no prollt’ does he also mean they will not be sold at a loss? Is this. like the balloon trip another publicity stunt, which gives tree advertising in national newspapers and on t.v.? Or am I just being cynical? Aiter all, Virgin have just signed these iamous exponents oi sale sex— Gaye Bykers On Acid. Next on his list oi public projects is,l understand becoming involved in the AIDS issue - attracting sponsorship ior condoms (both iinancial and in distribution) to make them cheaper and easierto buy. Big Brannie has already roped in the services oi Elton John to write and release a single simply as a iundraiserlorthe project. . .
e EVERYONE’S A HEALTH FREAK, BABY, and that’s alright. . . debauched goth-rockers The Mission have taken up working out beiore gigs and have stopped drinking! Apparently this completely uncharacteristic behaviour was brought on by Wayne Hussy meeting (the similarly reiormed) Iggy Pop . . .
o HEART-THROB CITY! The men in blue unilorms were less than pleased when Wet Wet Wet ians stopped the traitlc in Reniield Street by mobbing the Pavilion theatre alter the band’s recent gig . . .The Wets themselves were
more impressed by the iact that Graham Souness came along to see them . . .
o CONGRATULATIONS to Hue and Cry, Scotland’s thinking pop pin-ups on entering the UK Top 40 . . . they’ve gone all the way to New York just to record the string parts ior their next single (Strength To Strength) with Frank Sinatra’s string arranger- no not Nelson Riddell, train spotters-Jimmy Biondolillo. See them in all thelrglory in the S.E.C.C. supporting U2 on July 31st . . .
0 IS THERE A BLUEBELL WITH A BROKEN HEART as news breaks that Bobby Hodgen’s ex-girliriend Siobhan Fahey oi Bananarama is getting married to Eurythmic’s Dave Stewart on Augustlst. . . I doubt it. . .
0 LOVE AND MONEY are currently in New York recording with Gary Katz (Steely Dan, Rosie Vela) ior their next
LP . . . they have recently parted with their guitarist and wicked rumour has it that applicants better looking than James Grant need not apply. . . but who could be better looking than Mr Sex himsell? 0 NEW RELEASES TO LOOK OUT FOR are an excellent debut single irom Edinburgh duo Ruby Blue with ‘Give Us Our Flag Back’ on Red Flame Records- and the LP, due out in September, is even better. . . Jesse Rae skates the thin line between patriotism and sell-parody by releasing his ‘That Kind oi Glrl’ single next week with a ‘Scottish Mix’ extra track on the 12” . . . some whimsical musicals never change, Edwyn Collins releases ‘Oon’t Shilly Shally’ this week, winning the Precocious Single Oi The Week Award . . . and that’s beiore we’ve even heard It!
ALBUMS
o The Shamen: Drop (Moksha). What bothered me about The Shamen to start with was the tact that their lnlluences were worn so obviously on their sleeves, but they’ve the honesty and conildence in themselves not to try to cover up their Inspirations, contributing an excellent track to Beyond The Wildwood, the new Syd
Barrett tribute on Imaginary Records,
In their own unmistakable and, yes, orlglnal style. The Shamen have taken psychedella, chewed it up In their grinder and spewed it Into the late 80s, charged up by primal backbeat, sprightly bass, two very able singers, and glimpsed through the shimmering ethereal vell cast by the keyboards and guitar. It’s hypnotic stult, especially live, but with a strong sense oi pop. The opening number, Something About You (also the current single), Is the best, but the catchy hooks it displays In abundance are spread tairly equally throughout the LP. Look out Ior It.
0 Oulckles . . . the astonishing rise In hlpness oi the much-loathed K-Tel label continues to impress. Their new compilation, Hits Revival, is a handy help to us popklds trying to build up our collections oi classic soul tracks. Two songs by Jackie Wilson, the originals oi Harlem Shuttle, Everything I Own and Let’s Stay Together, the obligatory Wonderiul World and more. Buy this and the current Atlantic compilation, Atlantic Soul, and you’ll have enough good music to last you until the summer ilnally peters out. . . authentlc garage rock lrom Missourle can be lound on Rockin’ Bones, by the very wonderiul Skeletons, a compilation on Next Big Thing Records (distlrbuted by Fast Forward and The Cartel), assembled by the man who started The Cramps oillclal tan club, operating lrom Grangemoc h . . . and why Isn't Warren Zevon better known on this slde oi the big pond? His new LP, Sentimental Hygiene, shows a songwriter not iar behind Springsteen and Browne In ability, and miles ahead in wit. And he’s also the very Image oi Harrison Ford In The Mosquito Coast. . . and Seeds Ill (Cherry Red) is the strongest ol the bunch solar, leaturlng ‘great last records’ by such artists as Dexy’s Midnight Runners, The Monochrome Set, Marc Riley, and our very own Revillos and Role Kapelle. Older readers may remember Fischer 2 ...ormaynot. ..
SINGLES
o The Heartbeats: Haunted (Core). Country-rock with Edge-style Guitar ilourishes. Would sound great on the in-car system toolln’ down the highway. lnsubstantlal but nice.
o Brompton Cocktail: City 0! Nightmares (Blind Date). Saw the Bromptons playing the B-slde at this, Sally, a tale oi lncestuous rape, at the Lorne Festival, to a iamlly audience, and didn’t know where to look. City Oi Nightmares Is a drum-based rock-out, conventional and ultimately lorgettable. They sound like they want to be dirty and mean, but this is about as mean as watching Ouestlon Oi Sport.
0 The Wlldhouse: Groovy Me EP (Uh Huhl). A-side’s very curious and Intriguing, nice tune, the best guitar-strumming sound oi the week, and Morrlssey, wlth iull reverb, joins in the Dundee band’s session. Well, that’s what It sounds like. I keep on playing this side, ieellng sure I’ve missed something, which is a good sign. There’s delinltely something tell to iathom, even alter repeated plays. Turn it over tor the most blatant Velvet Underground imitation oi the decade. One out oi two ain’t bad. (Mab)
The List 24 July — (r August 31