Rodney Relax to fill the gap for live readings. films and ambient sounds in the discerning Edinburgh clubber’s diary.
ln tandem with the Albion Rovers collection, Rebel Inc. are republishing two classics of modern literature — Alexander Trocchi’s 1954 debut novel Young Adam and a new translation of Norwegian Knut Hamsun’s Hunger, written in 1890. Glasgow-based Lomond Television has bought the film option on Young Adam, and interest in the late Scottish Beat writer looks set to escalate next year, when Rebel lnc. republishes Helen And Desire, one of his soft- porn novels.
Always ready to court controversy, Williamson has also penned a non-fiction work, Drugs And The Party Line, to be published next month, on cannabis hemp paper no less. An extension of the ‘Scotland Against Drugs Hypocrisy’ campaign Williamson launched in February to challenge SAD, the unfortunately- named all-party coalition against drugs in Scotland, the book is billed as ’a thought- provoking and informed polemic on recreational drugs in Scotland today.‘
But on the eve of the Rebel lnc. hat-trick the
manager is in a positive mood, having pulled off another coup de grace: the team have posed in Albion Rovers strips fora limited edition set of football cards. ‘I can’t see schoolkids selling them to each other.’ reckons Williamson. ’Just thirtysornething trainspotters.’ The punters will be asking what else he’s got up his sleeve. but that’s all for this season folks. Children ()fA/bion Rovers is published by Rebel Inc/Canongate on Tue 1 Oct at £8.99. Hunger and Young Adam both come out on I2 Oct, both priced [6.99. Drugs And The I’arly Line is due for publication in late November: The Reading Lights boo/(festival is a! the (CA and the \i’ll‘t’l Rooms. Glasgow, Thurs l 7»—Sun Bl) ()(‘lobr'lt For further details. see listings on page 88.
Extract from The Rosewell Incident by Irvine Welsh
Mikey Devlin was abducted by aliens five years ago. Now he’s come home to Rosewell, Midlothian with adolescent extra- terrestrial Tazak and a plan to kick up some trouble. Enlisting top boy Ally Masters, he’s out to make his outfit ‘the top fuckin crew oan Planet Earth’ . . .
At the hastily convened conference in Washington, the world’s leaders were finding it difficult to understand the alien spokespersons. They had enlisted some of the CCS t0p boys, who had the confidence of the aliens, to help with the translation.
-— We could fuckin run youse like that. Tazak snapped his fingers. — Aw yir fuckin weapons. thir fuckin nowt against us, eh.
The world leaders looked far more concerned than the impassive. square-jawed security men from the federal forces, who surrounded them.
— Fuckin shitein cunts, another alien sneered, picking up on the psychic vibe of fear.
— I don’t see that this . . . the British Prime Minister started.
— You shut yir fuckin mooth ya specky cunt! Tazak snapped. — Nae cunt’s fuckin talkin tae you! Right! Fuckin wide-o!
The PM looked nervously at his feet. A Special Air Services Officer who flanked him, tensed up.
— What ah wis fuckin sayin before this cunt started wis, Tazak looked at the PM who was silent, — we could fuckin annihilate youse in a swedge. Nae fuckin problem. We’ve goat the fuckin technology. eh. And the fuckin
willpower. So the wey we see is, youse cunts dae as yis ur fuckin well telt and that’s it. Endy fuckin story. Ally from the CCS stood up. For all that they spoke the same language, the alien’s arrogance still jarred. If only he could get that cunt with his
force-field down. — No in a
square go yis couldnae.
— Eh? What's this cunt sayin? one alien asked Tazak.
The American President put his hand on Ally’s shoulders to force
him to sit down. - Sit on your ass godamn you, they got us over a barrel!
Ally’s head crashed into the leader of the western world’s nose. The President fell back into his chair. A security man from the FBI moved forward but the alien raised his hand and the President ushered'him to stop.
-— Nae cunt fuckin pills me up, Ally said.
- Boy’s right enough, Tazak considered. — Ah’m hearin a loat ay talk fae youse cunts aboot this n that. but these boys are the only ones that huv stuck up fir thumselves. He looked at Ally, - Yir no tryin tae tell me thit youse cunts ur feart ay they cunts, his large almond eyes sweeping over the world’s leaders.
— That’ll be fuckin right, Ally said, looking challengineg at the late middle-aged posse Of suits who led the world.
- Bit these cunts are the top boys, they tell every cunt what tae dae but, Tazak said. _ ~
The Chancellor of the German Federal . Republic cut in. - But ziss is a democracy. Ze process of choosink leaders is not based on physical fighting abilities but on ze vill of all ze peOple.
— Is it fuck, Ally said, quickly putting the cunt right, — If that's right. he said, pointing at the British Prime Minister, — how is it that nae cum in Scotland voted for these bastards and we git ' thaim rulin us? Answer ays that! If ye fuckin well kin!
—- Right enough, said Bri. Then he turned to the German Chancellor, — You keep yir fuckin nose oot ay things ye ken nowt aboot, right?
There followed a series of loud arguments. At one stage. it looked as if it was going to go off between the top boys of the Capital City Service and the security forces of the FBI.
- Fuckin shut it! Tazak, the alien top boy shouted, pointing at the world’s leaders. — Listen. ah cannae handle they radge cunts nippin ma heid. Fae now oan, he nodded over to the casuals, — youse cunts are in charge here. The alien leader tltt‘c‘.\‘ a transmitter over to Ally. The startled football thug jumped back, letting the device drop on the floor. — It‘s only a fuckin mobby ya radge! Pick it up!
Ally tentatively picked up the transmitter.
— Wi that yis kin bell us at any time. day or night. See if these cunts, he swept his hand contemptuously round at the world’s leaders, - ifthey fuckin well gie yis any grief,just bell us and we’ll sort the cunts right oot. Fuckin surein wi will. Sort the cunts oot fir good. eh.
— Sound, Ally smiled. — Listen though . . . youse cunts say thit yis kin destroy anything on Earth fae space wi yir weapons?
— Aye . . . yis ur welcome tae come aboard n huv a shot, eh.
Children Of Albion Rovers. which includes The Rosewell Incident. plus novel/as by Alan Warner. Gordon Legge. James Meek, Laura J. Hird and Paul Reekie, is published by Rebel Inc. at £8. 99 available now.
The List 4-17 Oct 199611