Monday, May 30, 2005

Definitely Summer

I remember this Saturday way back in 1980 something. I was involved in a publicity stall and playing some games at a youth information day in the Volunteer Rooms, Irvine. The local Community Education people had put the event together as bit of a taster for what young people could get involved in, in their local area. As well as the information stalls they also had a young band playing on stage, who rehearsed in the building next to our own Woodcraft Folk Hall. The band were good. Very good, doing mostly Smiths covers, but a few other things thrown in to. We sort of knew one or two to nod to, they had been around the fringes of a very active local Youth C.N.D. group and drank in the same pub as us occasionally. They advertised their next gig which was in the Claremont Hotel in Kilwinning. Played there regularly and as it turned out we went to see them on numerous occasions. The line up at the time was as I recall, Frank Reader, John Douglas, Paul Forde and I think Paul Douglas played bass. They played the local circuit for a while and did some gigs in Glasgow. A young Paul Livingston joined them to add a further guitar. I remember seeing them at the Third Eye Centre when they were supporting Horse. Some lineup changes saw Paul Forde leave, George McDaid came in to play bass and Paul and Steven Douglas swapped Drum and Bass stints. Things were happening, they got a record deal and critical acclaim was leaking out. I remember going to see them in Glasgow supporting Prefab Sprout, I think at the SECC but it might have been Barrowlands. Bloody brilliant gig, coming straight after a 3-0 trouncing of the Scum as well. They were destined for greatness, good bit of airplay for the first single, building a loyal fan base stateside, good follow ups. I went to see them after Davey Hughes had joined, in King Tut's Wah Wah Hut on spec and managed to get tickets. It was the loudest gig I have ever been at, my ears rang all night long, but that new stuff was brilliant. Then disaster, their Shabby Road studio in Kilmarnock helped bring them bankruptcy and all that that entailed. I think they could only release stuff in Japan or something like that. The West Coast sound that they invented got took up by other bands like Travis, pleasant enough but not the masterful lyricism or the unique sound of the Livingston guitar.

But they are back, thewife and I went to see them at the tail end of last year following the release of Weightlifting and they were stronger, wiser, and better than ever. Harmonies are stronger the songs are more mature and they are getting a lot if fuss and airplay which is as it should be.

So its a Bank Holiday Sunday amd I'm in Ayr with thewife and Lady El following a good meal, some wine and the sun is out and shining after days of rain and we bump into a number of old friends at a free gig in Wellington Square and the Trashcan Sinatras come on and its just fucking heaven.


Traschcan Sinatras in Ayr

And again

posted by timesnewroman at 9:07 AM  

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