CLUBS
fTest
Glasgow: School ofArt, Fri 20 Nov; Sub Club, first Friday of every month. ’People think we’re musical psychopaths,’ says Test's Shandy, laughing into his pint. 'They should come down and hear what we’re doing. At certain points in the night they'd probably be completely horrified, but they'd be surprised that not everything we play is quite so absolutely unheard of and non- mainstream.’
This fortnight Test celebrates two years of operation since it sprang forth from the remnants of Edinburgh's Sativa and Glasgow's NAI. This accumulation of like- minded people consists of DJs Dave Tarrida and Shandy, regular live input from Tobias Schmidt and Neil Landstrumm, and design direction from art bloke Joe. As well as playing the likes of DJ Rush, Green Velvet and Kevin Saunderson, essentially the night is about showcasing the music that they and their mates are making.
They are not mad keen on publicity and rarely do interviews, despite touring the Americas, ‘ Europe, Russia and the Far East and i collaborating on music for the forthcoming Peter Mullan film Orphans. Nor does Test have a manager or promoter as that would jeopardise their intentions.
’Our mission is to be uncompromising and forward
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thinking and not to go along with any of the bullshit that people think they have to go along with in order to be a success,’ says Shandy. The club started because, when Sativa and NAI finished, they reckoned there was no one playing the kind of music they wanted to hear
That said, they have a problem pigeon-holing themselves. The new release on Berlin's seminal Tresor label entitled ’The Test EP’ is a distillation of the club night, with heaving bass and tough abstracted beats.
Shandy doesn't think what they play is particularly aggressive or hard - if anything, they try and be as funky as they can — but it's not easy listening.
‘We do want to be challenging in a way, but that just comes with trying to do something a bit different, you
know? I’m sure when Miles Davis came out, no one
George T
Edinburgh: Tribal Funktion, Sat 21 Nov
and fortnightly. Under the gurse of Plastic Avengers,
George T’s 42 Minutes of P/asti'c marks his latest venture into the wrde world of producing. The six track album brings together three I2in singles, the first of which was picked up by NRK Sound DiVision during a phone conversation when they enquired ab0ut the sounds they heard playing in the backgrOLind
It wasn't always like this Backtrack to The Honeycomb, where George is shirniny-ing on the dancefloor With the best of them. Suddenly the tune he CO- produced With DJ Dove in his bedroom studio a few months back is dropped and the crowd goes Wild. Not least of all, George himself
'lt was the Weirdest COrnhinatiOn of "wow'" and "bastard"’,' he says 'lt was totally bizarre and my hair JUSI went straight up the back of my neck.
thought that was particularly easy on the ear. It's not like we just play kick drums all the time.’ Pay attention. You will be tested. (Rory Weller) The Test EPi's out now On Tresor
That was the moment I thought, “lf he can do it from my studio, then I can do it from my studio" '
From working as a promoter for Tribal Funktion and Vinyl-buyer for Underground Solu'shn, George already had the crucial contacts to get his music out. The 'GOing Home EP’, released mid-’97, first made people take notice However, the biggest splash came \‘Jllh ’Real Deal/On My Mind’ at the end of the year, under the alias of Shutterbug
Having recently taken four weeks off to complete some rernixmg work, his rapid-fire approach looks set to continue ‘The music I make is how I feel at the time, and I like lots of different music Some people pretend not to, you know7 They pretend to be all specialist. Fuck them, it's all good music ' And he certainly does make good ITTUSIC (Simone Baird)
42 Minutes Of Plastic is out Mon 23 Nov on NRK SCI/rid Div/Sion
Club news
THE FESTIVE PERIOD is nearly upon us and due to the chaos that normally marks the season, all venue managers, promoters and 015 should get your listings for December and early January to us now. The List will come out on Thu 3 Dec as usual then Thu 17 Dec covering three weeks. The normal fortnightly time-scale returns from Thu 7 Jan, 1999.
DUE TO LICENSING PROBLEMS, The Shooting Gallery has been forced to close. It all comes down to licensing restrictions in the residential area of Broughton Street and we are told that 'lt would be more practical to cease trading at 32a Broughton Street until the extensive structural and decorative work has been undertaken.’ The Shooting Gallery will relocate to an as yet unconfirmed venue at the start of December.
DESPITE RUMOURS circulating clubland, The Lime is not about to close down. The club on Scotts Street deny that a compulsory purchase order is being made by the City Council, and will continue trading for the foreseeable future. The issue was brought up by the expansion of the adjoining CCA which is due to close in March 99 re- opening in the millennium. The model in the foyer of the CCA does seem to suggest that The Lime will be part of the development though .
THE COMPANY that recently opened the Spy Bar on Bath Street are now putting the finishing touches to a new club in Bath Lane. As yet the I 300-capacity venue on two floors ; doesn't have a name although 1 Alaska is being pencilled in. Check ' out next issue for details.
THE POTTERROW in Edinburgh are holding two parties to see in the New Year, but if you want to go, we suggest that you organise
I yourselves now. The Ministry of ;
Sound are hosting the Hogmanay
party and Cream the New Years Day party. Tickets to each night are £35 _ and you will need to send a SAE and i cheque/money order payable to EUSA to Hogmanay, The Potterrow, 5/2 Bristo Square, Edinburgh EH8 f 9AL and allow fourteen days for delivery. Phone 650 4673 for further 3 information]. g
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RIP playing Potterrow this Hogmanay