PREVIEW MUSIC
‘ remain impervious to the world
_ following come to terms with this
V ROCK
Swingin’
Bachelor Pad The Bachelor Pad are one of Glasgow’s most resolutely independent bands, in that they
outside their window. Development? It doesn’t feature in their vocabulary. Even Martin Cotter’s departure early this year, because ‘he was fed up’, resulted in nothing more than the severing of the Cotter/Cherry vocal partnership.
Tommy concedes that ‘it’s affected us live because the set was half my songs and half Martin’s songs, which was meant to make it wonderful and varied, but was actually quite confusing. He wouldn’t object if we still played his songs, it’s just that they were specifically written around his guitar-playing idiosyncracies.’
But have the band’s ridiculously loyal and frequently obsessive
harrowing, nay apocalyptic, chain of events? New guitarist Torn Donnelly (ex-Close Lobsters) gives as good as he gets. ‘Occasionally we see them crying. They hold up pictures of Martin like Saddam Hussein and beat their heads.’
Following a none-too-iamented departure from Imaginary Records, the band have linked up with Egg Records to release an EP, Meet the Lovely Jenny Brown. The title track is a hectic paean to the presenter of Scottish Books (‘we’re hoping to get it used as the theme tune’) which finds them in wigged-out sub-La’s mode.
Never ones to concern themselves with profile — six releases in four years is hardly prolific - The Bachelor Pad are nevertheless determined to prove that with this current single they mean business. ‘We’ve put a barcode on it. That means we’re going to count the sales this time.’ (Fiona Shepherd)
Meet The Lovely Jenny Brown is out now on Egg Records. The Bachelor Pad play King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
l
on June 8.
V ROCK
Orange Grooves
It'll be a proud night here at ‘The Llst’, and a confusing one tor the punters, when the three extremely diverse-sounding winners at our last demo competition (run in conjunction with McEwan’s Lager) play one alter the other at King Tut's. Worldogood and Pure Blind Panic are already lamlliar names to regular gig-goers on the Glasgow and Edinburgh circuits respectively, but iirst prize-winners The Orange Grove are still iairiy inexperienced live, although they blissed out audiences at The Shamen’s Scottish shows.
in the last couple oi months they have i
become the hottest property in Scotland, with AGB men ilying up just tor the privilege ot hearing their latest demo, and representatives oi about lllteen record companies promising to make the journey up to Glasgow tor the event. ‘We were wanting them to come up belorehand,’ trets The Orange Grove’s Murdo MacRury, slightly wary oi playing a rock-style gig instead oi the rave-style atmosphere oi the Shamen shows and the upcoming Streetwave in Ayr. ‘lt’s a challenge, but it’s a challenge we’d rather not do in lront at all those record companies.‘ ‘We have got songs, we’re not one at
these groups playing techno sounds with a lew samples,’ he continues, seemingly coniident of his group's ability to rise to the occasion. Just as well, since a string at dates has been lined up iorthem, including the support slot tor Flowered Up in June and a date at London’s Marquee after that.
Vinyl, too, can't be tar away with all these labels in hot pursuit. (Alastair Mabbott)
The Orange Grove, Worldogood and Pure Blind Panic play King Tut’s Wah Wah Hot on Tue 28. Pure Blind Panic also play a benellt tor Llnkup Community Holidays at Wilkle House, Edinburgh on Mon 20.
The Orange Grove on the way up
Hello, Pork Pie Hat
it was a strange time, when you come to think about it. Scrulty classmates who had shunned school uniiorm all their lives were suddenly reborn in sharp suits and skinny ties, and virtually declared a national holiday when ‘Too Much Too Young’ reached Number One. Records by Iong-torgotten Jamaican national treasures were tlylng oh the shelves as last as they could be pressed. And
then, a year or so later, the bandwagon .
had moved on and 2-Tone was all but lorgotten. You try telling the kids oi today about it, and they won't believe you.
And weren’t we pissed oil when the smoke cleared and the prime movers were playing in groups like The Colour Field and General Public? Jerry
Special Beat
Oammers made his well-publicised contribution to Mandela’s release, but every so often, and with lessening regularity, would come the cry ‘Where’s Ranking Roger now? Whither Neville Staples?‘ Well, now we know.
They’re back with Special Beat, commingling the names oi the groups they used to iront- an exploitation at their past that no one could reasonably object to. And with them is the Specials’ old rhythm section, Brad Bradbury and Sir Horace Gentleman (Horace Panter). Add to that the talents oi musicians like Sean Flowerdew, organist lor the line ska combo The Loalers, Graeme Hamilton, trumpeter for Fine Young Cannibals and Style Council guitarist Anthony Marty, and you’ve got a group with a pedigree lew can match.
The core oi the group formed in the States last year tor a one-ott date, but the explosion at interest in ska there led to a two-month tour playing Specials and Beat songs. So popular has the music become Stateside that
an upcoming album at original Special
Beat material is only planned for
' American release at the moment. We
do get the opportunity to see them live, though, and they will undoubtedly be hot stuff indeed.
Meanwhile, any lntormatlon on the whereabouts at one Dave Wakellng would be appreciated. (Alastair Mabbott)
Special Beat play Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow on Sat 18, Calton Studios, Edinburgh on Sun 19 and
1 Toledo Junction, Greenock on Mon 20.
Barbizon'
Open 7 days a week
9.30am till midnight
Private parties and functions catered for
College Lands, High Street, Glasgow G1.
041 552 6005
CAFE BAR/ RESTAURANT Open: Mon-Wed 8am- Midnight Thurs-Sat 8am-1am
: Sunday
j Noon- Midnight 3/7 Elmbank
Gardens, Charing Cross,
; 041 248 4942 l -
The List 17- 30 May 199149