JOHN BYRNE 1988 | ISSUE 62 The writer and painter is just completing a BBC programme looking back over his life which will try to explain how the man we describe as a ‘six- foot-tall talent’ ‘came to write plays and paint pictures and found fame and – if there‘s any justice in the weary world – fortune through his God-given gift to make us laugh and cry.’ (Written by Alan Taylor) EWAN MCGREGOR 1993 | ISSUE 194 The List is the i rst magazine to put McGregror on the cover. We proi le the 21-year-old actor and tip him for stardom, to which he replies: ‘Well maybe, either that or I’ll never work again.’ He has gone on to feature on a further six covers so far (in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2011). (Interview by Tom Lappin)
IRVINE WELSH 1996 | ISSUE 280 As new novel Ecstasy is launched, the writer rel ects on his i rst book: ‘Trainspotting has come a long way from being a book about Leith in the 1980s. lt’s a worldwide phenomenon now. It’s going to be appropriated by people that have nothing to do with it. That’s life. All I can take responsibility for is what is written between the covers.’ (Interview by Fiona Shepherd)
MAHABHARATA AND PETER BROOK 1988 | ISSUE 64 The director discusses the nine-hour stage epic that launched the Tramway: ‘It works on so many levels, of which entertainment is one. It’s an exciting entertainment, but it deals with all manner of human, social, important questions . . . The reason it has existed for 3000 years . . . is that it’s inexhaustible.’ (Interview by Sarah Hemming) CORA BISSETT AND DARLINGHEART 1993 | ISSUE 201 We say: ‘Darlingheart are a sheer triumph and singer Cora Bissett a free-born star, oozing coni dence and natural presence, and all without the bumptious swagger of all-mouth, no-content arrivistes. Darlingheart are a wow and Cora a charm.’ (Written by Craig McLean)
KELLY MACDONALD 1997 | ISSUE 296 The 20-year-old emerging star tells us that, as an ‘untrained‘ actress, she is ambivalent about her precocious talent. ‘I i nd it quite difi cult because if I’d gone to drama college I’d have a piece of paper that told people I was an actress. But if you’ve just fallen into it, then . . . ’ She shrugs. ‘I don’t know if I’ll still be doing all this in i ve years’ time.’ (Interview by Ann Donald) ALAN CUMMING 2003 | ISSUE 464 Launching his i rst novel, the actor and author reveals the secret of his success: ‘ln my ofi ce I’ve got covers of magazines I’ve been on and the i rst one I was ever on was The List (1987 issue 43). It’s a really good picture. l owe it all to The List.’ He goes on to explain his work ethic: ‘Fun is quite high on my list of why I do things.’ (Interview by Mark Fisher)
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PETER HOWSON 1993 | ISSUE 204 We acclaim the work of the Glasgow painter saying: ‘The world Howson depicts is exciting in literary as well as visual terms and Howson’s technical skill – the artist draws with a kind of beefy panache and indulges in dramatic chiaroscuro with a relish probably unequalled since Caravaggio – allows him to make the most of it.’ (Written by Sharon McCord) SHARLEEN SPITERI 1997 | ISSUE 299 The Texas singer explains the inspiration the band draw from soul music: ‘To us, it’s the innocence of soul music which is the songwriting base, and vocal-wise it’s got that virginal, really personal sort of feel and that’s sexy.’ (Interview by Jonathon Trew)
FRANZ FERDINAND 2004 | ISSUE 486 Alex Kapranos tells us why they chose the Chateau [the band’s Glasgow base] as their preferred venue: ‘We basically wanted to do gigs that were a little bit different . . . Those early gigs were exciting and different. It felt that things could go wrong at any minute and that’s really good fun. The environment affects whatever it is you’re doing.’ (Interview by Andrew Gilchrist) 1 Sep–31 Oct 2018 THE LIST 21