MUSIC LIST
0 Hold The Frame Cassis, Abercromby Place, 557 4744. My scrawled notes say something like ‘professional-sounding heavy rock with Minds’ influence, but bit
dfippy?
SUNDAY 18 Glasgow
0 Ramones/1' he Sex Gods Barrowland, 244 Gallowgate, 552 4601. 7.30pm. The Ramones have become an institution, which is always a difficult position to get yourselfinto. The big question is: will they still manage to perform thirty songs in ten minutes?
0 Swans Rooftops. Sauchiehall Street, 332 5883. 10.30pm. Sure to be interesting, the second Scottish appearance of the band, who are promising to use an extraordinarily loud pa. for this show.
0 Trident Vikkis, Kilmarnock. 9pm. Check if this is still on - Vikkis has recently changed owners, and the pre~arranged gigs are in some doubt.
Edinburgh
0 Fool's Gold and Lin Soundcheck Rock Club, The Venue, Calton Road, 557 3073. 7.30pm. £1.50. Weekly heavy rock/metal club. Local bands.
0 Shiver ’n’ Shake Engine Room, Queensferry Street Lane.
0 Hold The Frame Fresh, Waterloo Place, 556 2839. Free. See Sat 17. O The Pheasants Music Box, Victoria Street, 220 1708. £1 after 9pm.
MONDAY 19 Glasgow
0 Mary Coughlan Pavilion, Renfield Street, 332 1846. 7.30pm. Responsible for two superb albums, with this year‘s Under The Influence surely ranking among the best albums of the year. Not to be missed. This gig features her new band who are Conor Barry (guitar), Keith Donald (sax), Paul Bushnell (bass), Peter McKinney (drums) and Pat Fitzpatrick (piano).
Edinburgh
0 The Oyster Band The Venue, Calton Road, 557 3073. 7.30pm. Much of the current resurgence of interest in folk music has centred on them, hence their appearance on several new ‘grass roots’-style compilations. Catch them if you can.
0 Strategy Lord Darnley, West Port, 229 4341. 10pm. Free. See Fri 16.
0 Bon Ton Boulez Engine Room, Queensferry Street Lane.
0 Native Strangers Music Box, Victoria Street, 220 1708. 10pm. Free.
0 The Volunteers Canny Man’s, Morningside Road, 447 1484. 8.30pm. Free.
TUESDAY 20
Glasgow
0 Echo and The Bunnymen Barrowland. POSTPONED TILL JANUARY.
0 Brothers oi Craig Fixx, Miller Street. 10pm. Free. Created some interest with their indie single, ‘Tossing And Turning’, at the start of the year, but have been relatively
PAUL JOHNSON
Paul Johnson’s debut album on CBS Records, released earlierthis year, is a showcase at a truly poweriul British soul voice, the likes oi which have not been sampled ior some years.
The album is produced by Junior Giscome, also the co-writer at three oi the tracks, which offer a wide variety oi styles, lrom the brilliant interpretation oi Stevie Wonder’s gospel-ish Heaven ls Ten Zillion Light Years Away, through to the big ballad, Hall A World Away, which was the second single.
Johnson’s background is interesting, ii only irom the point at view of locating his influences. Born in Hariesden in 1962 he had West lndian parents and was introduced to singing around the piano at home. Between 1976-9 he stayed in America, picking up on bands like Earth Wind And Fire, and the Crusaders, listening to vocalists he claims as inllueces like Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder.
Back in Britain, he began singing at church iunctions, belore joining the London Community Gospel Choir. He also worked with Andre Crouch, belore joining Paradise, the llrst band with which he was to taste success. All this was happening while he was still holding down a day job with British Telecoml
‘With Paradise I wasn’t too serious,’ he explained. ‘It was just a case at
them asking me to sing on one oi their singles, and it developed lrom there. I wasn’t involved in the writing or anything.’
it was at one oi Paradise’s gigs that he met Junior, who was to become a mentor-type llgure. in Aprii1986, he signed to CBS: ‘At the time I signed l
had only one song oi my own - but the company signed me llrst and foremost as a singer, because they believed in my voice. The other companies didn’t know what to do with my presentation and image, but with CBS they have let me develop as an artist as well as a singer.’
Marketing Paul Johnson was always going to be dliiicult, and at the end oi the day CBS seem to have been happy not to have come up with a contrived image, and let his vocals speak lor themselves: ‘1 don’t depend on an image,’ he said. ’i don't hang about nightclubs, and have no involvement
with Paula Yates.’
Perseverance on the part at the record company should eventually spell success lor Paul Johnson, and the new single, ‘FearOl Falling', one at the strongest tracks on the album, must have a good chance at making some kind oi impact. This will also be helped by his current tour with BB. King (Edinburgh Playhouse 16 Oct; Glasgow Pavilion 17 Oct).
Fact lans may also be interested to
know that Paul Johnson provides backing vocals on the current Bryan Ferry single, ‘The flight Stuli’.
quiet since, so it will be interesitng to see how they have developed.
0 Slide Reflections, Cumbernauld. 9pm. Free. Slide, signed to Phonogram, are young and supposed to be Glasgow’s next big thing. They will have to have improved an awful lot in the last year ifthey are to realise the potential the A&R men have seen in them.
Edinburgh
0 The Heaters Lord Darnley, West Port, 229 4341. 10pm. Free. Blues-rock.
O The Detours Engine Room, Queensferry Street Lane.
0 Hungry Years Zig Zag Club, The Mission, Victoria Street, 225 6569. Accessible rock.
0 The Peristalsis Brothers Négociants, Lothian Street, 225 6313. 503’ skiffle and swing.
O Cosmo Music Box, Victoria Street, 2201708. 10pm. Free.
0 Willie Logan Canny Man’s, Momingside Road, 447 1484. 8.30pm. Free.
WEDNESDAY 21
Glasgow
0 Wild Angels Fixx Bar, Miller Street. 10pm. Free. Coinciding with the re-release of their fine debut single, ‘She’s Black And White’ on Supreme International. They were
not that impressive when I saw them live.
Edinburgh
0 Echo and The Bunnymen Playhouse Theatre, Greenside Place.
POSTPONED UNTIL JANUARY.
0 Big Blue World Fresh, Waterloo Place, 556 2839. 9pm. Free. More commercial rock and pop.
0 Tam White N égociants, Lothian Street, 225 6313. 9pm. Free. Minus The Dexters, for a change, and singing with another group he’s put together.
0 Mr Rhythm Lord Darnley, West Port, 229 4341. 10pm. Free. R&B. 0 Loo-Aka-Bop Boston Bean Co, St James Centre, 5560111. 8.30pm. Free. Alter egos of the Peristalsis Brothers.
0 The Heaters Music Box, Victoria Street, 220 1708. 10pm. Free.
0 Frozen Ashes The Cavern, Cowgate, 226 5641.
THURSDAY 22 Glasgow
0 The Shadows Pavilion, Renfield Street, 3321846.7.30pm. It’s been a good week for the music industry pensioners— The Ramones, Edwin Starr, BB. King, and now, beating them all — The Shadows. Last sighted in a Young Ones/Cliff Richard video
0 The Gun Club Fury Murrys, Maxwell Street, 221 6511. 10.30pm. Good honest rock and roll — you’ll either love them or hate them (rock hack cliche no. 32).
0 Elk Alors Bad Ass Club, Clyde Place. 9.30pm. Free. A good band, who seem to have been playing pubs for a couple of years now, when really they ought to have progressed to better things. Still worth seeing.
O The Straight Men McNees Bar, Eglinton Toll. 9pm. Free. Residency for Toryglen’s finest (who said Simple Minds?) I even know someone who claims that their granny’s miikman’s next door neighbour lives just up the road from one of them.
Edinburgh
0 G-Spot Tornado Fresh, Waterloo Place, 556 2839. 9pm. Free. Their demo of melodic guitar-based songs arrived a few days ago, and I’m getting to quite like it, so this could be a good gig. Why don’t you try playing a cover of the tune you got your name from? That’ll stretch your fingers. . .
0 Big Blue World Music Box, Victoria Street, 220 1708. 10pm. Free. See Wed 21.
o The Den Walker Experience Négociants, Lothian Street, 225 6313. 9pm. Fre. Apparently they
The List 16 — 29 October 35