music@list.co.uk
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ROCK V-TWIN King Tut’s, Glasgow, Thu 19 Dec
This is no ordinary rock’n’roll band. V-Twin’s debut album, The Blues is a Minefield, has the Stooges, Scream and Stones colliding with jazz, soul and electro. It’s a lesson in eclectica and diversity, tradition-shattering sentiments echoed by frontman Jason MacPhail and drummer Michael McGaughrin in
a busy cafe in Glasgow’s West End.
‘We’re quite odd for a band from Glasgow in the sense that we’re influenced by black R&B and jazz, and Glasgow bands tend to be either into folk or American college rock like Pavement, who I find really dull. I always preferred Wilson Pickett to Stephen Malkmus,’
laughs MacPhail.
Five years in the making, their debut record is a completely self-written, recorded and produced project. Players on the record number from the four
The Jason MacPhail Weegie soul space rock blues explosion!
basic members (MacPhail, McGaughrin, Bobby Kildea and Dino Bardot) to up to 15 with approval and
appearances from Royal Trux’s Neil Hagerty, Big Star’s Alex Chilton and Andrew Weatherall/Primal Scream collaborator Jagz Kooner. Rolling Stones manager/ producer Andrew Loog Oldham is also already planning future adventures with the band after flying in especially from Columbia to see them play in Camden
in October.
Having recently parted ways with Domino they are on the hunt for a new label to get their next record out, which they hope will be a calmer experience than the last one. ‘It was getting a bit much doing everything ourselves - he [Macphail] was coming out in rashes,’ McGaughrin explains. ‘When Loog Oldham comes over
in February, it will hopefully be done in a more
straightforward regular way. We’ll scale it down and make a simpler record next time.’ Time will only tell if the V-Twin wayward spirit can be tamed. (Camilla Pia)
s we fall helplessly and rapidly into the abyss of the Christmas season it seems apt to take
note of the effects that this festival of consumerism and crucified Jews has had on the world of music. The tradition of Christmas Singles goes as far back as that of the single itself. If my pointless information is correct Bing Crosby's ‘White Christmas' is the biggest selling single of all time. although Gareth Gates or some other shite probably beat him in the last few weeks. Such is the way of the world.
Some of my favourite records are Christmas singles. as are some of the greatest atrocities ever committed to Vinyl. Being a charitable soul who likes to end on a sour note I'll start With
Braithwaite
’Tis the season for crap records, fa-la-la- la-Ia la-la-la-Ia.
some of the best. My all time favourite has to be 'If you were Born Today'.’ ‘Blue Christmas tan EIVis cover) by Minnesota's Low. On the sadly defunct Wurlitzer Jukebox label and later released as part of their Christmas album. these songs have a more traditional Christian outlook on the festive season than. say. Mariah Carey's Yuletide endeavom, which is about as enjoyable as root canal treatment.
Another great and seemingly omnipresent fixture on iii-store stereos at this time of year is Slade‘s fantastic ‘Merry Xmas Everybody'. Noddy Holder would make a great Santa. Which takes me onto a tenuous anagram- themed link. from Santa to Satan. Or as
her Majesty the Queen would refer to him. Sir Paul McCartney. His 'Wonderful Christmas Time’ has to be the most odious Christmas hit of all time. It's like that 'touch my bum‘ song but with extra helpings of smugness and unwanted cheer. 800 Paul McCartney. Boo to you. Other stinking Christmas hits deserving of a mention must go to Shakin' Stevens and anything by Cliff Richard.
While not strictly festive. the opening in Glasgow of cafe Mono and its adjoining record store must be classified as ‘a reason to be jolly‘ (sorryl). When the John Smith record store on Byres Road shut a few years back it left a big hole in the record shop landscape and sent a lot of folks to online record shops in pursuit of the odd indie gem. The new Mono store more than takes its place and also promises to have in-stOres and signings while boasting the finest selection of alternative music I've seen in Scotland. It's located across from the old 13th Note Cafe - go and get Granny some Black Flag! Happy Christmas.
Surface noise
All the chari , hilarity and legal dis ari ' in the wonderful world 0 muSIc
ON FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER. West 13th is to be reborn as Stereo. With a growing reputation as both a Quality live music venue and bar, the name change will link the Kelvinhaugh Street location with the record shop/restaurant lwholefood store antics of its sister pub Mono in the city centre. MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY man Colin Maclntyre’s songwriting has been honoured with a Creative Talent award at the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards. A new MHS album is due in March entitled Us.
Maclntyre gets awarded
NICE‘N'SLEAZY WISH TO MAKE it known that despite stories in the press to the contrary. the Sauchiehall Street venue is. in fact. in no financial trouble and thriving, and not as reported, on the verge of liquidation.
AFTER TEN HAPPY YEARS, IT is time for BT to close its chequebook for the BT Scottish Ensemble. From July next year, the group will revert to their previous name of the Scottish Ensemble. Worth £75,000 in core funding each year, the sponsorship also gave additional money to special projects. The Ensemble, however, are in good financial health and continue to go from strength to strength artistically. Management are confident that new sponsorship will be found and are, naturally, open to offers.
ASPIRNG MUSICIAN’? CHECK out wwwbaseproductionscouk which has details of a new project based at the Arches in Glasgow with music tuition, rehearsal and recording facilities.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR SHOW at QMU this month, Reindeer Section have a screening of their documentary entitled The Making of Son of Evil Reindeer at the GFT on the same day, Saturday 14 December, at 4pm. Proceeds from tickets go to the homeless charity COLD. FOR MORE NEWS ON THE opening of Glasgow Academy see the Front. page 4.
12 Dec 2002—2 Jan 2003 THE LIST 53