ll
preview
POP The Gentle Waves
The Beat Room, 92, Glasgow, Wed 15 Nov; Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Sun 19
Nov. . ’I'm so out of touch With
everything, so a lot of stuff just now just washes over me. I’m sure I’ll get into Mogwai or something in about five years‘ time.’ Isobel Campbell might not be up to speed on Glasgow's post-rock mafia, but having worked her way up the Belle & Sebastian foodchain from cellist to vocalist and songwriter, she has every right to feel good about herself.
’I was 19 when I started with Belle & Sebastian; it’s totally mind- boggling, every day I’m learning something different and getting closer to making the music I want to make.’ That music is not confined to B&S. lsobel’s solo pet-project, The Gentle Waves, continues unabated with the release of their second album in as many years, Swansong For You. So does Belle 8: Sebastian not fulfil Campbell's creative urges?
’Um, yeah, it does, but it’s really difficult to get things done. Wee boy bands live in the same flat, but when you progress to something else just getting that many people together [seven at the last count] can take a fortnight. The reason that I first wanted to do my own thing was to do something with one opinion - it’s just a lot simpler.’
Although when she was a wee Iassie Isobel Campbell couldn’t decide if she wanted to be a hairdresser or a nun, as a precursor to her future pop career she would often spend her summer days throwing concerts in her back garden. ‘I used to boss everyone about and be totally witchy to them. I even forced my brother to dress up as a Victorian lady!’
iii.
Isobel Campbell is in the driving seat for The Gentle Waves
Campbell’s autobiographical songwriting reflects her carefree attitude to a life of never getting up early (’an office job would be really terrible.’ she reasons) and singing to herself as she walks down the street. ’I spend a lot of time on my own trying to get things together,’ she says, justified by the almost illegible montage of names, phone numbers and places to be which make up her ’To Do’ list. ’It’s a bit nerve-shattering spending so much time with people.
’The hardest thing to get used to is being in a privileged position,’ she asserts. ’lt’s like "oh my god, I could do this if I want, or I could do that”. A lot of dreams can become a reality, and I love that. But sometimes I feel uncomfortable because I think it's all going a bit too smoothly.’ It's certainly not a bad position to be in. (Jason Cranwell) $3: Swansong For You is out now on Jeepster.
despondency is lifted not one jot. ’There's no one around really with the same emotive edge as us,’ he reckons. 'The thing is we’re a rock band essentially and we’re not really into that many current rock bands because a lot of it sounds really generic and boring’
It’s not an accusation that you could level at Fariq’s eponymously-titled debut album. A welter of funked-up rock which shares little in common With any of their rock contemporaries. Franckel describes Fariq’s influences as, 'not just American music but anything as long as it wasn’t British. We didn't really grow up listening to The Smiths. I don't like Pulp,’ he says, stating the
ROCK/POP Sona Fariq
Cathouse, Glasgow, Wed 8 Nov; Attic, Edinburgh, Thu 9 Nov.
ConSidering he fronts one of the liveliest, up-front acts currently vying for our attention, Sona Fariq's front man Michael Franckel is in a very downbeat mood and it's all because of the most unpopular rock act in the
Sona Fariq are jumpin’ jack flash
Vatican. 'We just had to reVieW the latest Cradle Of Filth album for a website,’ he complains, ’and we ended up being really negative because obViously it's shit. It just depresses me when I end up slagging people off.’ Yet slag people off he does and not just scuthern England’s most puerile exponents of goth metal. As Franckel contemplates the rest of Britain's Current rock music scene, his
obvious. Mind you, I would prefer to listen to a Smiths album than a Limp Bizkit album. So there you go.’
But before he gets too overwhelmed
by another inadvertant bout of negatiwty, Franckel is off on the one E
subject that really engages him, the live
performances of Sona Fariq. ’We don't
have any gimmicks when we play live but we give everything we’ve got and dig deep and play it like it’s the last one we Will ever play.’ And he sounds pretty posrtive about that. (Tim Abrahams)
music@list.co.uk
Surface noise
All the chatting, ratting and twatting in the wonderful world of music
JILL SCOTT’S DATE on 12 November has been shifted from the Venue to the Liquid Room due to phenomenal demand for tickets. Original tickets are still valid. This show changes venue with the Selecter gig planned for the Liquid Room on the same night which has been moved to the Venue.
. . . AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD were forced to pospone their Scottish dates after a ruck at a US show saw them in trouble With the law and minus much of their equipment. The band issued the following statement . . .
'San Antonio is famous for its valiantly fought, though ultimater unsuccessful battles against incredible odds. Saturday night was a historical re-enactment of the Alamo. Our guitars were like flintlocks against the innumerable enemy. We had to make a choice, run or die trying to defend ourselves and honour. We made our deciSion, now it’s up to the law to decide.’
The live dates have been rescheduled With the band playing Glasgow’s King Tut's 28 November and Edinburgh's Liquid Room on 29 November. Original tickets are still valid.
DAVID GRAY HAS BEEN forced to postpone his October live dates due to him falling ill with the flu. l-lis date for the Barrowland, Glasgow is now 22 December, while his show still goes ahead at Edinburgh’s Corn
, Exchange on 14 December.
JUST ANNOUNCED
Martyn Bennett Arches, Glasgow, 23 Nov; Martyn Bennett Liqwd Room, Edinburgh, 24 Nov; Runrig Festival Theatre, 25 Nov; Guy Davis Pleasance, Edinburgh, 25 Nov; Runrig Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, 27 Nov; . . . And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead King Tut's, Glasgow, 28 Nov; . . . And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead LiqUid Room, Edinburgh, 28 Nov; El Vez Garage, Glasgow, 1 Dec; The Mission Garage, Glasgow, 7 Dec; The King Garage, Glasgow, 15 Dec; Ocean Colour Scene Barrowland, Glasgow, 26—31 Mar 2001; Texas SECC, Glasgow 22/23 Feb.
David Gray 2—16 Nov 2000 THE LIST 45