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During 1997 a handful of Scottish bands have carved their name into the British music scene. We take a look at some of the new pretenders and, on the next two pages, catch up with the rising stars before they retire to LA. Or at least Blanefield.
Words: Jonathan Trew
Photograph: David McIntyre
AMONG 'l‘llli l./\'l‘liS'l' ot‘ thc currcnt crop of Scottish hands to gct a record dcal is lidinhurgh l’our-piccc Annic Christian. Namcd al'tcr thc rcassuringly ohsccnc l’rincc song on his l98l ('nrrrrorwsy alhum. Annic (‘liristian camc logclltcr‘ cightccn months ago following thc usual timc-ltonourcd hand chrysalis proccss ol‘
Annie Christian's hatred is reserved for all the 605 retro guitar wank clogging up the charts like so
much dead skin in a plug hole.
sitting around gctting hladdcrcd in thc boo/.cr'.
'\\'c all dccidcd wc liatcd thc samc things and all likcd tlic samc things.‘ cxplains Ihc aptly namcd lcad singcr. Larry [can ‘So wc thought. “llcy! l.ct’s gct a hand togctlicr".'
'l‘hcir mutual hatrcd is rcscrycd for all thc (i()s rctro guitar wank clogging up thc charts likc so much dcad skin in a plug holc. 'l‘hcir mutual admiration ccntrcs around stut'l' likc 'l‘cardrop lixplodcs. '.\'ot quitc Ncw Romantics hut . . f clahoratcs Larry. ‘l grcw up in thc 80s so that‘s what I know.‘
4 THE “ST l9 Dot l99/ 8 Ja" 1998
In a riutshcll. the 80s cquals good. hcl’orc that cquals cack and the 90s arc thcrc for thc taking. l‘urthcr clues to thc Annic ('liristian sound arc suggcstcd hy thc l‘act Larry is not aycrsc to a
spot of cyclincr and thc hand don‘t glass you it.
you suggcst thcrc may hc links to Bowic and Sucdc. Not that this mcans Annic (‘liristian hayc any truck with thc l‘cathcr-lma-wcaring. pink- gin-sipping prctcntiousncss of thc Romantic Modcrnists which thc music inkics tried to l‘oist on an unsuspccting public last ycar. 'l‘hcir music has higgcr halls than that.
All ol~ which conyinccd Ronnic (iurr. licad ol~
liquipc licossc. thc scmi-indcpcndcnt Scottish arm of Richard Branson‘s ncw V2 lath to sign thcm up al‘tcr thcir pcrl‘ormancc at this ycar‘s l’lancl Pop l'csli\'al in lidinhurgh.
'l‘hc capital's hand sccnc has hccotttc a lot morc cohcsiyc and sclli-supportiyc oycr thc last couplc ol’ ycars. a l’act which plcascs Annic Christian. ‘I’lancl l’op pullcd a lot of hands togcthcr. from both lidinhurgh and (ilasgow. and it struck liomc just how much talcnt thcrc is around hcrc.~ says Larry. "l'hat hclpcd push as up and gct us noticcd.‘
'l‘licy wcrc sclicdulcd to play as part ol~ Iltc In The (‘in l'nsigncd corn— pctition in (ilasgow hut wcrc umlcrstarulahly disqualilicd for hayng jast hccn signcd.
‘l)isappointing'.’ Nah.’ says Larry of thc cpisodc. ‘Wc got to stay in thc llilton. trash Ronnic’s room and dcmolish his minihar.’
‘.\1ay as wcll start as wc mcan to go on.‘ sighs guitarist (‘liris Adams happily.
Annie Christian play Cafe Graffiti, Edinburgh, Tue 30 Dec; Attic, Edinburgh, Wed 31 Dec.
Here’s the next group of Scottish bands who might just be miming on Top Of The Pops in the next couple ofyears.
Soundbuggy l \uoeraut throo proto who are hot orr those turrky hass lrrtos, prorrrptrrro rrrrldry than uran (orrrparrsorts to the Red Hot ( hrllr sot k
Idlewild lour rtorsy guys who (lo urrspoakalno thrrros to ourtars and who have a major deal on the table See rroxt Issue, out orr 8 Jarruary I998, lor provrow of (lohut alhurrr (a/rtarrr Chickweed lherr latest srrrulo 'Squawk' l)o(arrro Mark Rarlr lrllo's srrrolo ol the wook hoatrrrr; off the lrkos ol the loo lrohtors Arrothor vrr tory lor lttt‘l()(ll( ()trrtar pop over the ovris ol rork
Coney Island Cyclone (ittrlt(](‘ throwha< ks who, peryersoly, aro
l)|( krer up ro<or<l (orrrparry rutorost lorrq alter (rrurrqo gave up the ghost Blind Arrothor lot who have a way of takrriq a pop hook and rrrossrrro rt up Just squhtly for a more dangerous fool (ho( k out the slow hum of thorr latest srrrulo 'Morroy lo Burrr'
Lift (rorrtle, (loluate arid pat kod Wrth arr rrtrrato sorrso of harmony, thrs lot (orrro ovor Irko a (toss hotwoorr Rarlroheatl and Morrrssey If there's arty Justr(o therr thrs Ahorrlorrrarr l)tllt( h shall rhhor'rt tho oarth
The Goldenhour Must ular ruolodros that lull you Iltl() a false serrso of
so( urrty arid thou slap you about tho (hops errsurod that those (toys won the Ba<ar<lr/l rst Urrsrorrod harrtl (orrrpotrtrorr last year
Appendix Out Maudlrrr krrrda ()uys, srrrqrrro rrraudlrrr krrrda sorros rsrr't ovoryhody's (up of tea, but look whore rt qot Nrr k ( ave
‘I’am lhoy \‘V()tt the lit lho( Ity Urtsrqrrorl l)arr(l (orrtpotrtrorr and It's only a matter of trrrro before they start rrrakrrrr; a hrq horse
El Hombre Trajeados ( orrrrrtq from the (rurrkror srde ol the urrdorqrourrrl purrk sterto, hut \yrth more :rrraqrrratrori tharr thorr peers, there may he a luturo here
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