25TH BIRTHDAY Heard it here first Early spots of a few favourite bands in The List
Tuesday is a good indication that they are not the wimps some have made them out to be.’ reference.) And the song? It’s alright. A bit mannered really.’
JESUS AND MARY CHAIN Spotted: The ‘Populist! column, issue 48, 21 Aug 1987 What we said: ‘1987 started well, with their first top ten single, courtesy of April Skies – an unassuming pop song, far removed from the swamp of early offerings like Never Understand.’
EDWYN COLLINS Spotted: The ‘Populist! column, Issue 54, 13 Nov 1987 What we said: ‘My Beloved Girl is indeed pretty rocky, and well produced, in the sense that it sounds fresh, not bland.’
PRIMAL SCREAM Spotted: The ‘Populist! column, Issue 52, 16 Oct 1987 What we said: ‘Side one of the debut album, featuring the rather endearing Silent Spring and the single Gentle
THE DELGADOS Spotted: Live review, issue 236, 9 Sep 1994 What we said: ‘Heavy with melody and attitude, The Delgados are more gum-chewing Yank garage punks with jackknifes in their jeans than glue- sniffin’ YOPpers with bike chains – and therefore kinda perfect.’
MOGWAI Spotted: Single reviews, issue 277, 19 Apr 1996 What we said: ‘Then there’s Mogwai’s debut Tuner/Lower (Rock Action Records). One side is slow and broody! The other is fast and furious sonic riffology! Can’t remember which is which!’
GARBAGE Spotted: Single reviews, issue 249, 24 Mar 1995 What we said: ‘At the nastier end of the spectrum is the debut single Vow from Garbage on Discordant Records. Points of interest to note include the presence of Nirvana producer Butch Vig on the drum stool and Shirley Manson, the artist formerly known as Her With The Big Eyes From Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, giving it some Toni Halliday pseudo-attitude on vocals. (Curve is actually quite a pertinent
BELLE & SEBASTIAN Spotted: Album reviews, issue 280, 31 May 1996 What we said: ‘Along with Jim Beattie’s Adventures In Stereo, this is as light and sunny as the Scottish summer gets. Let’s hope Belle & Sebastian reach the size of audience they have the potential to seduce.’
IDLEWILD Spotted: Demo reviews, issue 283, 12 Jul 1996 What we said: ‘Edinburgh’s Idlewild describe their tape as a “mediocre
taste” of what they’re capable of, which seems just a tad disingenuous . . . There’s no reason this lot shouldn’t be on the Evening Session.’
ARAB STRAP Spotted: Album reviews, issue 294, 29 Nov 1996 What we said: ‘Bleak is hardly the word for it. Falkirk’s finest, not that there is much in the way of excessive competition for that mantle, have produced a stripped-down and close to the bone collection that manages to be both odd and audacious.’
BIFFY CLYRO Spotted: Exposure, 8 Jun 2000 What we said: ‘Biffy Clyro are Simon, Ben and James, three 20-year-olds from Ayrshire who like making noise and have managed to turn it into melodic rocking songs.’
FRONT RUNNERS The first List cover appearances of a few notable Scots
BILLY CONNOLLY ANNIE LENNOX
ROBBIE COLTRANE
The Big Yin was our second ever cover star, fronting the issue out on 18 Oct 1985. A fierce cover from 28 Nov 1986, with Annie Lennox posing to promote new Eurythmics album, Revenge.
The Tutti Frutti star strikes his best ‘used car salesman of the month’ pose for the 20 Feb 1987 cover.
14 THE LIST 23 Sep–7 Oct 2010