MUSIC
l
'Blud and w
Hammer horror! Cheaply-made skeletons hang from the ceiling. A large white bucket filled with God-knows-what perches ominously atop the PA. A pale vocalist emerges from a coffin, charges to the front of the stage and disgorges a mouthful of fake blood over the girl sitting on the edge. She later tells the band that she's no intention ofwashing it off. What kind ofsick mothers are these Gargleblud boys? And their audience. come to that?
‘Very offensive‘ is Mikey‘s (he of the diabolical goatee that may have encouraged their misleading Satanic reputation) view of their LP. Or at least that’s what he‘s been told, with informants paying particular attention to a woman’s mutilation on the first track. The band don‘t really think the accusation sticks, considering the number of males who get it in the neck over the course ofthe album, appropriately entitled ‘Howlin’ Yowlin’ Screamin‘ Mess‘. Conveniently, singer John Doe isn‘t around to answer any charges.
Formed out of a mutual love of horror films — less harmful than your average ‘Rambo’ flick, they suggest — and taking a visual, if low-budget stage show around with them, they have had Alice Cooper’s name thrown at them a few times. The difference, they claim, is that Gargleblud are the same people onstage and off. Whether this is intended to reassure, I don‘t know.
But is there life after horror? Are there other bases they can cover?
‘Well, I quite fancy a hospital angle,’ muses Arthur. ‘We bring John Doe in on a surgical trolley instead of a coffin and do all these things with scalpels.’
So remember, when Gargleblud ask you to come round to play doctors and nurses - J ust Say No. (Alastair Mabbott)
Gargleblud play Moray House Student Union, Edinburgh on Fri 21 and The Venue, Edinburgh on Sun 30.
ROCK & BLUES 35 JAZZ 38 LIGHT 38 FOLK & WORLD 35
MUSIC
Scott Cooper
V C LAS S I CA L Spirituality Soprano Barbara Hendricks will provide a highly distinguished start to the 1991 portion of the lntemational Celebrity Recital series at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. The singer will be joined by pianist Staltan Scheja in a programme of songs by Schubert, Debussy and Richard Strauss.
Hendricks studied voice and opera at the famous Juiltiard conservatory in New York, and made her operatic debut in 1974 in a production of ltalian composer Francesco Cavalli's ‘Orminde’ in San Francisco. She has gone on to establish herself as a major figure on the operatic and concert stage, performing and recording all over the world.
In addition to her achievements in more conventional classical roles, Hendricks has also recorded one of the most successful attempts I have ever heard at translating the folk melodies of American splrituals for the classically-trained voice. A singer of immense warmth, lyricism and depth . oileeling, ‘Spirituals‘, recorded with l Soviet pianist Dmitri Alexeev,
l
succeeded in capturing the essential qualities of these songs which most
operatic singers miss.
The Christmas and New Year period is traditionally a dormant one for classical music, but the visit of violinist Nigel Kennedy to play the Prokollev Violin Concerto Not with the 8ND will ensure that 1991 gets off to a busy start. So busy, in fact, that both Glasgow concerts are already sold out, although tickets were still available in Edinburgh as we went to press. See listings for details. (Kenny Mathieson) Barbara Hendricks and Statlan Scheja play Stevenson Hall, RSAMD, Glasgow on Thurs 10.
um:- lmmortal soul
The Lost Soul Band have finally called a halt to their immensely popular free residency at Edinburgh’s St James Oyster Bar (with promises of a fruitful 1991 ringing in their ears), but have yet to sever their connections with the pub. The Oyster Bar has taken on the job of releasing their favourite band's debut, ‘Coltee and Hope’, which is at the moment only available lrom Oyster Bars, but may turn up in the shops.
The band, formed around the songwriting core of singer Gordon Grahame and keyboard player Mike Hall, will only agree up to a point with Waterboys and Hothouse Flowers comparisons they have suffered, because ‘the songs are too personal to relate them to someone else’s stuff- it's only superficially like anyone else.’
Still, they play acoustic instruments and have the worrying habit of dropping the phrase ‘reai music’ into conversation. What's ‘unreal music’ then?
‘Somethlng without. . . soul, that isn‘t sincere,’ answers Hall, warlly.
‘That's how I define it. lthlnk if you’re talking about soul, it varies from performance to performance. it’s not a g specilic thing to certain bands or even i certain songs. But great singers have always had a certain kind of spirituality
in their performances people can relate
: to.’ 3
It seems that the best gigs are those i when the band are not only playing well I together but find themselves ' rediscovering the songs. 1
Gordon: ‘We played on the radio in . one of those Radio Forth Amphitheatre .4 gigs doing a song called “You Can’t Win ’Em All, Mum”, about leaving home and not being exactly what your i parents thought you were, and I just realised as we started to play the tune that it my parents were listening, they hadn’t heard the song before, so it was like I was singing to them through the radio -and then I started feeling it. it comes out then.’ (Alastair Mabbott) The Lost Soul Band play King Tut’s. Glasgow on Sat 22 and The Venue, Edinburgh on Mon 31.
V JAZZ TREE SWING
Raymond
Gillespie at Le Jazz Hot The Edinburgh-based swing trio Le Jazz llot join forces with Brass Incorporated. a classical quintet from London (but led by Edinburghcr Alan
Ramsey) for a benefit
concert in aid of the World Wide Fund for Nature‘s
Rainforcsts Appeal.
which sounds to me like an
ideal excuse to have a
good time and contribute
to a good cause all at once. l-c Jazz Hot are reeds
player Martin Foster.
Jerry Ford on bass. and
guitarist and principal
arranger Raymond Gillespie. formerly of That Swing Thang. Formed around two years ago. the trio first played with Brass Incorporated at the Edinburgh Festival in August. The success of that initial venture encouraged them to push for more. and when Fund member Foster pitched the idea of a benefit. it seemed the perfect opportunity.
‘ln terms ot‘arranging for the line-up.‘ Ray says. ‘the two groups are able to come together with very few problems. but the brass quintet can also stand as a self-contained section with a lot ofpower when it is needed. Alan and l have done most of them. along with a medley from Martin. and the material will include a few swing standards. some ragtime. a couple of Henry Mancini tunes. and a few surprise novelties. Alan‘s arrangements sound very different from mine. so there will be plenty variety.‘
At the WWF‘s request. Ray has also written a special composition for the concert. Entitled ‘The March of the Chainsaws'. it will actually have a section scored for Chainsaws in the middle.
‘It will be a bit different from the other music we play,‘ he says. ‘l'm checking out Chainsaws at the moment. looking for the ones with the best tone!‘ (Kenny Mathieson) Panda-monium:A Concert for the Rainforests is at the Queen '5 Hall, Edinburgh on Fri21 Dec
32 The List 21 December 1990— 10 January 1991