MUSIC PREVIEW 7 LISTEN! 1
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I THOSE PIXIES sure know how to make an entrance. But after two and a half songs, the SEC(‘ show is all over. Two punters are hurt. roadies are attempting to shore up the breached security barrier with flight cases. the stage is buckling under the strain and the Environmental Health Officer waves the red card. The roadie—in-chief. presumably expecting a hail of missiles. is overwhelmed by the patience and understanding of the Glasgow audience. ‘You‘re so fucking cool. I can‘t believe it.‘ he gasps. as they patiently wait for the gig to resume. After another ten minutes. announcing the show‘s cancellation. he again compliments the ‘thoughtful‘ crowd. Consider Glasgow's reputation as a city where performers had to feign unconsciousness to escape the wrath of its audiences well and truly buried.
I THE HARP BEAT Rock Plaque programme sounded such a tacky idea at first. It involves. as you may know. erecting plaques at various places in Britain to commemorate significant moments in rock history. like Widnes railway station where Paul Simon began to write ‘Homeward Bound‘, and all that. It‘s rather
' cheering,then.that for
only their sixth plaque. Harp have already seen fit to recognise the importance of Alex Harvey. The plaque in Govan Road Playground. Glasgow. commemorates the place ofHarvey‘s birth. Number 49. now demolished. lt was presented to the City of Glasgow on Wed 26 by the surviving members ofThc Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Zal Cleminson. Chris Glen. Ted McKenna and Hugh McKenna.
I LIVE MUSIC in the
fringes corner: After years I as a successful club,
': Paisley‘s Clubhouse has
5 recently opened its doors to bands. local and
well-known alike. in an
attempt to build its profile as a live venue. Bands interested in playingthere should contact Mark
; O‘Neillonll4188‘)47il6.
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38 The List 281une — 11 July 1991
Static charge
Stripey T-shirts, tousled moptops, a
tangle oi etiects pedals, and a marked 5
tendency to focus their peepers unilinchingly on their iretboards. The audience exchange glances ol mutual understanding. Yup, even betore the band have connected leads to guitars,
we know exactly where they’re coming 1
irom and we can’t wait lorthem to get where they’re going to.
Static are so named as a reilection ol their less than animated stage presence. No they’re not, i made that up. Static are so named because their sound is like a ball of electric luzz. Sorry, made that up too. But one thing's for sure- it they were irom Reading, they'd be laughing. They’d have the music press pawing them eagerly and record labels tailing at their feet. But they're irom Glasgow, so we'll have to do the job instead.
With one well-recorded demo and some tentative steps into the live arena, Static have managed to inject iresh blood into the increasingly incestuous Glasgow indie scene. Hear their music and you wonder why anyone bothers to give Slowdive the time at day. See them live and watch prime candidates for the Ride school at nervy live performers.
‘lt’s just basically because we were scared shitless tor the lirst lew gigs,’
Static explains guitarist Vinnie. ‘We’re not trying to be a shoe-gazer band or desperately trying to catch on to the coat-tails ol Chapterhouse. And also, their inlluences seem to be narrow compared to the stutt that we listen to. We’re ravenous about music; we'll consume everything irom techno to Public Enemy to My Bloody Valentine.’
This is no hollow boast. Static undoubtedly possess amazing record collections. They must do —they go to all the same gigs and clubs as me. Nevertheless they’re still readily interchangeable with the current crop of indie favourites, so aren’t they worried about the ‘needle in a haystack’ syndrome?
‘l don’tthink we'll be lost,’ says vocalist Gerry, ‘because we’ve nothing to lose just now.‘ (Fiona Shepherd) Static play lrn Bru Box Week at the
Third Eye Centre, Glasgow on Wed 3.
V JAZZ
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9'“ r} l? /' z
e "es-e; ‘ .1 «:4 .--' 3 " ‘ '41; ,. "‘ ' I \ I i ‘1‘ Irw: =»‘ ‘ —" i ~ T“ ; u i Joe Locke in lull night 1 The return at vibraphonlstJoe Locke to Scotland will please the tans who threatened to raise a protest petition ; when the Glasgow Jazz Festival tailed l to book him last year. Locke’s visit is again down to drummer Blll Kyle, who lirst introduced him to Scottish audiences in his New York Jazz group. Vibraphone is a lunny hybrid, part percussion, part keyboard, butwithout any great natural warmth or resonance. lts peculiarities increase when it is played, in the manner at Mill Jackson 'e or Bobby Hutcherson, in a linear, horn-like tashion, rather than in the more pianistic mode tavoured by Gary Burton. For Joe Locke, the horn-lines have it, albeit with his own distinctive twist on the ampliiled Vibraphone he iavours.
| MARC MARNIE
Feeling the vibes
‘l’m a lrustrated tenor saxophone player, Ithink, and I’m always trying to play talse lingerings on the vibes that just don’t exist! I listen a lotto horn players, and the vibes players who excite me are the ones coming irom that horn-line tradition. I feel that Milt took the vocabulary which Charlie Parker evolved and translated it to the vibes, and Bobby did the same thing with John Coltrane. That's what I try to express in my playing.’
Locke began as a drummer in Rochester, New York State, but switched to his current instrument when he wanted something more melodic, but without sacrilicing that percussive element. He eventually made the inevitable move to New York, where he ‘got my ass kicked tor a number ol years’, but is now seeing the lruits of that hard grail.
‘Vibraphone isn’t really an expressive instrument, and to make it one can be very diltlcult. I think you can evolve your own personality on any instrument, however, as long as that is your goal. You have to start by trying to emulate the masters, because that is how you learn, but you can develop your own voice by learning to express yourseli. The goal has to be to sound like Joe Locke, rather than like Nlllt or Bobby or Gary Burton.‘ (Kenny Mathleson)
The Joe Locke Quartet and Atlantic Bridge play in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling and Dundee. For dates, see both Glasgow Jazz Festival Listings and Jazz Listings.
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I MORE OF THE SAME: Glasgow's indie and late-60s-based Smile Club is looking for bands. and the address for hopefuls to send demos to is Stress
Promotions. PO Box 18.
Renfrew PA4ilPZ. Of perhaps greater general interest is the tie-breaker
‘ they have composed for
entrants to their free draw: ‘In less thanten
- words. please state what.
in your opinion. is wrong with Glasgow.‘ Will they
4 compile them all in a book at the end of the year'.’
I ANOTHER LIST
GIVEAWAY: lrn-Bru have given us two season tickets for the lrn-Bru Rox Week running from Monday I to Saturday 6 July at Glasgow‘s Third Eye
. Centre.whichallowthe winner and hisr’herpartner
to go along every night and partake ofsuch fabulous attractions as The Groovy Little Numbers. The Wendy's. The Orange Grove and the psychotic Clan Spamborskee. To get your mitts on one of these. you have to be very nimble indeed and ring us on ()31 558 l 195. Only the first two callers who get through aflerZ. 15pm on Friday 29 will count. so no clever stuff.
I ENDING MONTHS of speculation,Tennent‘s Live! and promoters Unique Events have announced that the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle will indeed be used for two historic concerts at the end ofAugust. The first ‘contemporary artist‘ to play there. Van Morrison will headline on 28 August, supported by The Chieftans and another unconfirmed support act. Runrig appearing two days later. The announcement follows a series of meetings between Historic Scotland. the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Unique Events and Tennent‘s Live! who are sponsoring the shows. Van Morrison‘s show will be all-seated. but if permission can be obtained, there will be standing room for Runrig. Tickets are now on sale by post or credit card (priced £10, £12 and £16 for Morrison and £16 for Runrig). but take note: none will be available from the Tattoo Office.