2:3. .3 FIGHT-POP DANANANANAYKROYD Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, Wed 30 Jul; The Arches, Glasgow, Thu 31 Jul
‘I break an average of three drumsticks per show.” nods John Baillie ,Jnr. one of the two drummers in crashing. Glasgow gurtar-rock band Darianananaykroyd. “We enjoy a good rock out. It's just more fun when it gets noisy.‘ he shrugs. The six-piece of shambolic. piss—taking jokers. who've been known to build human pyramids on stage and club each other fairly hard with guitars. once described their music as ‘fight-pop'. but Baillie's worried that some folk could get the wrong idea. 'None of us are mental violent or anything. we're six Wimps really — Laura (bassist) is probably the hardest among us.‘
After two years growing an ‘organic fanbase' through gigs. and a string of unfortunate cock-ups — Jealous Records went bust before putting out their debut EP — the band signed last month to London label. Best Before. Their much- praised first EP. Sissy Hits. is a shouty. sometimes droney. always frantic indie mash-up of guitars. which Baillie reckons is a good taster of what's to come. They're working on a full album. due out next year. and 'lnfinity lvlilk'. a :30- second outro on the EP. is a wee appetite-whetter.
‘lnfinity Milk' was one of those stupid terms we coined one day on the bus.‘ he laughs. ‘It was something to do with journalists never getting bored of asking the same Questions about our name.‘ They also describe their music as ‘idiot rock' and ‘moronic punk“. but basically the essence is fun. ‘I feel sorry for bands who don't have fun onstage. Going mental is a totally integral part of the music.‘ (Claire Sawers)
Carling Academy, Glasgow, Mon 21 Jul
Aside from almost daily radio outings for ‘Love Shack’ and ‘Rock Lobster’, new wave pioneers turned camp party pop stars The B-52s have been all but unheard of since their last album Good Stuff came out in 1992.
The Athens Georgia quartet have been far from estranged, however. ‘We’ve been working together constantly,’ says singer Cindy Wilson, with a Southern Iilt and bashful chuckle. ‘We have a great relationship - 32 years or something. My husband says they’re like a second set of mother-in-laws.’
Much of the work Wilson refers to has gone into Funplex, The B- 525 first new record in 16 years, which was released in March. Produced by Steve Osborne (New Order, KT Tunstall) the record shows the band augmenting their classic surf and rock’n’roll sound with elements of lusty electronic pop and dance. ‘This is not rehashed 80s stuff,’ says Wilson. ‘This is modern legitimate music. And it’s great. It’s so much fun to perform.’
Although all four surviving 8-525 (guitarist Ricky Wilson — Cindy’s brother — died from AIDS in 1985) live in different parts of the US now, most of the writing and recording of Funplex took place back in Athens, still the band’s ‘central hub’. The college town has a rich musical history, and produced not only The 8-525, but REM and art rockers Pylon in a short burst during the late 705 and early 805.
What were they putting in the water in Athens during that period? ‘I don’t know,’ Wilson replies. ‘lt’s a liberal sort of artistic community. It’s cheap to live there, so you get time to be creative. It didn‘t take much money to have a good time. It wasn’t a hick Georgia town. It was a wacky party town.’
1989 single ‘Love Shack’ remains The B-52s’ biggest hit to date by a sizeable margin. Can they still stomach performing it live? ‘Well, some nights it’s like: “Oh my Gooooooodl’" Wilson screams, laughing. ‘But believe it or not, I still like singing it. It’s more annoying when you go to somebody’s house and they put it on. It’s like: “Don’t do that.”’ (Malcolm Jack)
:i E. 3 POP MOMUS Stereo, Glasgow, Sun 27 Jul
When Nick Currie named himself after the Greek god of iii<><2kei‘\,. being clever like ridicule. was nothing to be scared of. Edinburgh-based Currie had already fronted The Happy Family. a band that featured half of lll853(1ll()()|l)()\ idols. .Josef K. and was developing an arcth literate and occasionally sex obsessed !\ iica! style that would coexist with the likes of The Divine Comedy and .laivis (locker.
Three albums were released on Alan McGee's fledgling Creation label before Currie fled for New York. Tokyo and now Berlin. llaving continued to pursue his singular Vision. a homecoming date of sorts showcases material currently being recorded for a new album with electro-blip avatar Germlin confirms the exiled Currie as every aesthete's bon viveur of choice.
Not for nothing does Currie pen a weekly column for The Neii/ York Times. Then there's ‘The Book of Scotlands'. ‘a numbered list of one thousand parallel world Scotlands. Here are three: The Scotland in \.--.ihich all food is soup. The Scotland in which nobody has any teeth. The Scotland which African missionaries have converted to shamanic animism.’
With what Currie calls the Joemus album scheduled for an autumn release. lvlomus' concerns remain as waggish as ever. featuring songs about 'xampires who've lost the taste for biting girls. men who become pantomime dames in order not to lose their girlfriends. people who marry intliscriminately. and witnesses who play mouth organs in court'
Beyond this. Currie's ambitions remain egually lofty
'Eventually.‘ he says. 'l'll probany retire to Stromness and write sonnets.‘
(Neil Cooperl
" i’.‘ .J.. .‘ f‘ THE LIST 63