MUSIC
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LABEL PROFILE Limbo Records
Quite a few people might have thought that Glasgow's Limbo Records had disappeared, they've been so quiet of late. Quite the opposite: they're about to celebrate their 100th release, and the wholly independent label, best known for its progressive trance sound, is changing, becoming a leaner, meaner fighting machine. It has had its ups and downs over the last seven years since emerging out of the 23rd Precinct label (named after the company's record shop on Bath Street), but despite some calamities that could have easily have sunk the business, Limbo is looking pretty watertight.
'It has been a challenge to get it turned round again,’ says boss man Billy Kiltie. 'We had an incredibly bad period about two years ago when it was just one problem after another.’ They had contractual problems when Josh Wink signed to Sony (he'd recorded for Limbo as Winc). and were stung badly in a sampling case when an outfit they used to remix one of their tracks lifted a sample (unbeknownst to them) from a Norman Cook release. They also had a compilation which didn't do so well, and a Q-Tex album took too long to be released.
They've had their successes too, of course, with releases from their artists such as Havana, Gypsy, Tipple and Sublime being critically acclaimed, and they’ve had national chart success with the ’Cry lndia' track from Michael Kilkie's Umboza project and Yosh's 'It's What's Upfront That Counts'.
Despite releasing such a huge amount of material by a whole host of acts, Limbo have made a conscious
Critical aclaim: Gypsy
decision to concentrate on developing a clutch of artists. ’If we made any mistakes in the past it was to sign a one-off project and putting out too much product at one time,’ says Kiltie candidly. The diversity of material on Limbo is admirable, but the genre swings alienated some of the more underground followers of the label. 'My thoughts were at the time, if they were good, why not?’ Now, however, Limbo is carefully delineated into the self-explanatory Limbo Peaking, Limbo Progressing and new Limbo Housing labels. One hundred and quite definitely not out. (Rory Weller) a Limbo 's 700th release Will be released in September featuring Gypsy ’s 'l Trance You' (Pappa & Gilbey Remix), Sublime’s “The Theme' (Fade Remix), Mukka's ‘8urruchaca’ (X Cabs Remix) and Havana's 'Shift' (Tipple Remix)
T; V.
rehearsals meant turning down Maggie Philbin on Swap Shop, not Cat or Zoe Ball, which did sway things a little On Saturday mornings during the early 80$, I'd head off With my Violin case to a former school hall in Bannockburn to practice wrth the Central Region Youth Orchestra. First of all, the orchestra would split by instrument into its various sections for separate rehearsals where, in the lowly third Violins, a dozen or so of us would saw away on unmelodious backing notes In later years, promoted to the prestigious first Violins, certain tricky passages had to be mimed, With
CLASSICAL PREVIEW Festival of British 2 Youth Orchestras
Glasgow: RSAMD, Mon i6Aug-3Un 5 Sep.
Cat Deelev on SMTV or a bit of Sibelius let your Saturday morning entertainment? Not something that would pose much of a dilemma for any normal teenage boy But for those COmmitted to their local yOuth
orchestras, certain sacrifices have to be made
Musical youth: British Youth Orchestra
Now in its twentieth year, the Festival of British Youth Orchestras showcases the talents of those who choose classical music over pop Videos on TV Concerts now run in Glasgow and at the Edinburgh Festival, and bring to the stage yOung musicians from all over the c0untry But don't expect easy arrangements of old favourites that might be scratchily rendered at the school Christmas cencert - these programmes are mere likely to feature full symphonies and world premieres
In my day, gomg to weekend
fingers running nimny up and down the strings and bow movmg in perfect timing
But when it came time W the brass, percussion, woodwrnd and other strings to reassemble for a few glorious minutes of unity, the full power of the music all fell into place, and l'd feel a little pride in my own meagre contribution Anyway, I c0uld always set the Video recorder and watch Maggie and Noel Edmonds’ tank-tops once I got back home (Alan Morrison) For incliwdual concerts. see Class/cal listings in next week '5 issue
record reviews MUSIC
LOCAL LIVE Papa Kane Edinburgh: Bar Ce Lona, Sun 25 Jul.
It's always a good sign when you walk into a venue and there's no chairs left — especially on a Sunday night. This band of Scottish and New Zealand lads live upstairs from Bar Ce Lona (handy for lugging gear) and have Quite a loyal following, for good reason.
Lead singer Jon Houldsworth has a really strong, Versatile voice that suits the tight funky sounds of the band. Perfect for the end of the weekend, they’ve got a great positive energy that makes this fortnightly reSidency one of the best free gigs in Edinburgh. Keep an eye out for them; they’re bound for good things - especially if they keep on handing out free well-produced demo CDs at the end of each gig!
Red Hot Chili Peppers fans will have a ball With these guys. Superb.
(Tracy Griffen)
Ghuk
Glasgow: King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Sat 24 Jul.
It's pronounced 'geek', apparently, and if you look closely y0u'll notice the name's made up of consecutive letters of the alphabet. This conceit, along wrth the fact that the band maintain their own website (wwwzyworldcom/ghijk) suggests clever-cleverness to the nmopq-th degree; but Ghijk turn out to be deceptively straightforward.
Highlights ’Can't Do That’ and 'Talk You Down' recall a nearer-teenage Fanclub, propped up and propelled by the kind of swrngball basslines Mike Mills used to putter out in his sleep.
But most impressive throughout is the perceptive, almost telepathic choreography that conjures those great slow-down/speed-up pop moments. Like country-rock lycra, Ghijk remain resolutely tight wrthout ever chafing. (Graeme Virtue)
Josephine Glasgow: 13th Note Cafe, Thu 22 Jul
From the ashes of the defunct Fabians rise Josephine, who haven't forgotten their keen pop sensibilities during their regeneration. Their north-eastern lilt belie their influences, which are more resonant of the banks of the Mersey than the Dee — their Rickenbacker jangle and cosy jumpers owe a lot to the Beatles, and more recently Cast’s radio-friendly commercio-pop. Lovely harmonies provrde the polish to this super-t-ght feelgood outfit, whose only disability seems to be the incapacity for writing sad songs. Singer Gerrard almost admits this himself before tonight's only lull: 'Close y0ur eyes and hold y0ur ears . , . this is an atmospheric one'. Open your senses to Josephine if finely crafted and executed pop is your bag.
(Jan F Zeschky)
5—12 Aug i999 THE usr 102