I kidnapped a Bandit!!

So I've kind of neglected the blog recently, mainly because I've not been near a computer. It's not been the best of weeks for me but I decided that I'm doing a wee blog today.

Someone once said "Music is the heart of society" and it's true, so when I hear live musicians it fills me with a certain sense of joy.

On Saturday night I kidnapped a Bandit! Stuart from Brown Bear and the Bandits had no idea what was happening when I hussled him into a flat in the middle of Largs, but in all fairness I did provide him with a beer and a nice wee chat about music and the fact that I don't see it being long before BBATB are off touring the world.

It's a strange feeling when you know that you're sitting down with someone who could possibly be the next big thing. That's not to say that any other bands aren't as good as BBATB but it's just that the last couple of months have saw them rocket to success in and around Scotland.

I'm also not saying that everyone will be as successful because quite frankly I can name a few acts in Ayrshire alone who are absolutely shite! I'm not naming names because I don't want to make people upset and need a cuddle from their mummy.

Music is an art form, it's something which so many people have a passion for and I'm one of those people, and speaking to Stuart the other night I realised that he did too.

A beer and a good chat later Stuart left and my mind started thinking about what other acts I can think of who could go as far as I see BBATB going. It got me to thinking about Stonehouse Violets, a band who a few months ago I had no idea who they were but now watching them live it's a goosebump band. The hairs on the back of your neck stand on end and you just can't get enough of them.

To look at them I was instantly expecting a sound of mush (no offence guys) but from the first chord I was instantly captivated. There's not a note or a beat out of place and in terms of live acts they have to be in my top 5 from the last year.

I then remembered Dirty Looks and without going into a massive speel about them, I have to say that they are astounding. It's not everyday you can look at the stage, see a few guys who (and I mean in the nicest way) look like they should be studying for standard grades instead of playing music. They know how to own the stage, they know how to make themselves stand out and the music just blows your mind.

The last band I got thinking about was Confusion. I feel that the guys are always overlooked and underrated but to listen to their music gives me a certain feeling in my gut that doesn't happen that often. The sound is one that you can picture listening to a decade ago but at the same time it's so modern and filled with passion. I've yet to see them live and I'm sure that one day I will but just the sound of the recordings and youtube videos is enough for me to make my mind up!

I'm not sure who's going to come out of this music scene and earn the big bucks, I'm not sure if anyone will with the way that the music industry is these days. However if anyone does then I bet my last penny on it that it will be either Brown Bear and the Bandits, Stonehouse Violets, Dirty Looks or Confusion

Some musicians do have it and all of those guys certainly do!!!

Eurovision - Good or Bad

For the past 56 years there has been Eurovision, just looking at the name alone you think "Vision, a vision of music bringing together coutries" is that the case though? Is it really a vision, or a Euro-wide Xfactor?

I remember when I was a lad ( I like using that phrase, deal with it) sitting one night a year with my family and watching Eurovision, in all honesty it was one of the only things we done together as a family and maybe that's why I hate Eurovision so much. Musicians from all over would take the stage and perform, some good and some bad, but mostly it was entertaining. I don't remember as far back as "ABBA" and quite frankly I'd glady punch each of them in the face for giving us "Dancing Queen" but I've heard the stories about how good Eurovision used to be.

Now it's a showcase for autotuned, talentless, hopeless wannabes, getting on television in the hope of making a name for themselves. I'm 100% sure that if you asked any of the entrants why they do it, they'll turn round and say "I'm proud to represent my country" which roughly translates as "I could get a record deal and make a shit load of money"

This years UK entrant has to be my favourite ever......We have so much talent around Britain, so many great musicians and songwriters, so it must have been such a difficult decision to choose someone. When it gets that tough, who do we pick? Engelbert Fucking Humperdinck! Surely we deserve points on his name alone?

I haven't watched eurovision in years, and I have to say that I don't plan to again. I can honestly say that I would much rather be out at King Tuts or even just a wee pub with one man and a guitar. I say next year we start a campaign to get real musicians to represent the UK. I'll even write the damn song if I have to. I have no doubt that Ireland next year will send in Jed (look at us, we like attention so much that we merged our names together, and our mum didn't mean to give birth to us, she just needed an exceptionally large jobby) ward

If next year someone tells me that a great band or singer/songwriter is on Eurovision, then I'll tune in but if not you can be sure that I'll be found with a beer and a real band.

Sun on the brain

The sun never gets tired of rising but sometimes a person gets tired of being under the sun.

(Simone Schwarz-Bart (b. 1938

I don't know much about the human brain, but I do know that when the sun comes out everybody changes, it's like they get injected with life.

I'm sitting here while Emily's getting ready so we can go down to a beach party. The suns out, apparently the BBQ's going to be out along with guitars and beer. Guitars and Beer? Now you see why I'm going don't you?

Ever since I was a wee lad, roaming about the fields and trees during the summer months, I've never been that interested in the sun. Not because I'm a miserable guy, or because I'm not one for getting my top off. I just always thought that there was such a thing as too much heat. I've worked in kitchens most of my life, and so the last I wanted to do was leave a sweltering hot kitchen and go out into the sun to be cooked alive.

I must be one of the only people in the world who couldn't care less about the weather, yeah it's good to get some colour in about you and yes it's good to get out in the fresh air. I love fresh air, I love walking and I love being out. What I don't get though, is the sudden change that everyone goes through.

I can clearly see the weather from my window, so why do I need constant updates via Facebook?
I'm not stupid, I'm not going to doubt my own eyes and then need clarification on facebook. We get it, it's hot outside.

I'm going to go down to the beach today, with my beautiful other half and enjoy the day, I'm not going to enjoy the sun, I'm going to enjoy the music, enjoy the laughter and just have a good time. I don't need it to overwhelmingly sunny to do that.

Maybe I am a grumpy bastard, but that doesn't bother me. I'm sure someone will announce on facebook that.

Give it a couple of years and the weathermen on TV will be out of jobs, and all you'll get at the end of the news is a facebook feed with people telling you what the weather's like.

Does my nut in.

Anyway, better go check facebook to see if it's still sunny.

The Ayrshire Mafia

One of my favourite part of The Simpsons was Fat Tony and his gang. They would show up randomly, cause the biggest amount of hassle you could imagine, walk away from it, get away with it but everyone still loved them. So when you see a band who can do pretty much the same thing, then you start to wonder...

If you know anyone who knows anyone then chances are that you have heard of "A Band Called Cadence" or as they're calling themselves at this point in time "A Beer Called Cadence" 

Sitting here, I'm looking back to the past year and thinking where to start. Do I start with their controversial methods of publicity stunts, do I start with the fact that the mere line up represents a "Scots man, English man and Irish man" Joke or do I start with their musical talents?

Thinking about it, you have to start with their controversial methods.

Start a debate about anything and you can be sure that at some point ABCC will stick their oar in, but not in just any fashion. They always make sure they have all the facts and that they are on the right side before they start, but even then they still make it a debate worth taking notice of. I remember a few months ago a debate began about shady promoters and straight away ABCC had the facebook status updated and were naming and shaming people, publically exposing promoters and at the same time giving us all a good laugh. I've heard stories of people crying because of ABCC's antics, I've heard people being scared to go up against ABCC but it's all relevant because the fact remains that these guys are always sticking up for the music, always caring about the scene and always trying to create a better industry

Music wise the group are as tight as you can get. They cover a vast range of cover songs thrown in with many of their own. There is not one flaw that I can pick up on whenever I've witnessed them live or listened to recordings. Switching vocals between Lee and Xav gives the band a new dynamic, it's not often you hear a band go from song to song with the lead vocals switching from Scottish to English. Whether using a Cajon or a full Drum Kit, Xav's time keeping is always 100% on time, and he does it so effortlessly. Conors ability to change from Guitar to Mandolin makes sure that the on-stage show is kept fresh and interesting. Unfortunately I've not witnessed new member Ian Newlands on Bass, but I have no doubt that he's talented otherwise he wouldn't be allowed in the band. There's no lack of talent from these guys when it comes to music.

A Scots Man an English Man and an Irish Man walk into a bar..........and here's their story. Conor, Lee and Xav are three musicians who came together through music, a love of music a passion for music and basically to form one of the most outspoken, talented, determined and helpful bands around in Scotland at the moment. They've sure had their controversies and even been banned from Radio Stations but the fact remains that these three guys are talented and entertaining musicians. Now with a fourth member the band can only get stronger and more outspoken.

I'm going to start rating bands I think, so I'm going to give ABCC............5 out of 5 sausage rolls.

I could write a film on these guys, and who knows maybe one day that'll happen, I just don't think the censorship laws would allow it to hit the cinema.

Music doesn't lie

Sometimes I can be biased, I always say how Scottish Musicians are the best and sometimes maybe that's true, but sometimes I overlook those from different places. Granted this musician was born in Gibralter and lived in Scotland until he was 7 then spent most of his life down south, in a little place called Telford before moving back to Scotland.

I first met Logan La La Lies about 7 months ago in my old haunt "The Burns" in Irvine. Sunday nights are open mic nights, and I remember seeing this skinny little man looking like he had just walked out of a Top Man photo shoot stand up with a tiny guitar that looked like he had just picked it up out a skip. I can sometimes be too judgemental and in that instant I thought he was going to be god awful. I was proven wrong about 40 seconds later when he opened his mouth.

Logan La La Lies is one of the most talented and passionate musicians I've ever had the privilege to meet. His enthusiasm for the art is matched only by his song-writing talent, showcasing songs such as T-E-L-F-O-R-D and Hope. Logan has the ability to entertain aswell as perform the perfect set with such ease and grace.

If we listen to his lyrics you can instantly tell this this guy has a bucket load of life experience and uses it to his musical advantage. Take "T-E-L-F-O-R-D"  a song written about the town he grew up in, you realise that to Logan that town was more than just a town, it was a home and a place where he has many fond memories.

"Hope" is a song about a girl (I know what you're thinking, but no it's not cheesy or typical acoustic songwriting) and moving on but with that tinge of ache at seeing someone else being with the person you love.

The thing about Logans music is that no matter who you are or where in the world you are, you can relate to it. You feel the music, you feel the lyrics and there's not many musicians who can get a story across in 3 minutes but Logan does it perfectly.

Both as a recorded artist and a live artist, Logan draws you in with his vocal ability and his guitar playing. It's one of those moments in life where you can see someone who loves music put it into action. I remember at Johnny Grahams Album Launch I spoke to Logan after we had both played our sets and he said to me "Martin, I was shit but I don't care I just love music" the thing is he was far from shit. He was one of my favourite acts from the night, infact any line up that Logan is on he's guaranteed to be one of my favourite acts. I truly love his music, I love his passion, I love his talent and above all I love the way he portrays himself.


There's not alot of bad points I could pick out about him, infact all I can think of is that he doesn't have a full studio released album out. That is something I want to hear, it's something I need to hear. I want to be able to listen to studio versions of each of his songs whenever I feel like it.

Logan La La Lies is a talent that deserves recognition, he deserves a push towards big things and hopefully one day he'll get it. For the moment though his music has me "Under the thumb"

Music is what we make it son

A few years back I remember going to a gig, that gig was Atreyu! I don't know if you're familiar with them, but they're a bit heavy and they used to be one of my favourites.

I remember the night well, it was raining, and as usual I thought it was a great idea to get a cheeky bottle of Strongbow (it used to be thee boy) and drink it on the train up to Glasgow. I was set for an amazing night, and I wasn't disappointed. That's not what this blog is about though, it's not about me or the band. It's about a frail old man, who was at the gig.

I remember getting in and having a few pints while I watched the support bands, as I normally do. I was disappointed, as none of them caught my attention, but I was still looking forward to Atreyu. I remember I had a bandage on my arm from an injury at work, and so I couldn't take part in "the pit" so I stood near the back, far enough to be out of harms way but close enough to get a good view and listen. I remember I turned round at one point with my pint in my hand and there he was.

This man could not have been a day younger than 70, and there he was at an Atreyu gig. My friends had all pushed to the front and so I was on my own, so I made my way over to the old man out of curiosity, perhaps he was a grandad of one of the members of the support band, perhaps he worked there I thought. I approached him, and he looked at me and turned his head back to the music. I was intrigued, this old man looked to be loving the music so much, that I felt a strange sense of warmth in me. I made the usual hand gesture to him to see if he would like a drink, and he replied with "JD and Coke" this baffled me even more. I got him his drink and together we watched the band perform. Every song, he would not take his eyes off the stage, he appeared to be into this so much I was amazed.

After the show, I made my way outside just behind the old man and he stopped in the street. I stopped behind him, eager to approach him and ask why he was at an Atreyu gig but before I could say anything, he turned to me and said "Don't stereotype people son, music is what you make it" and he walked off.

Those words still ring in my ears today.

Who says you can't like a certain type of music because you are a certain age or dress a certain way. Music is everywhere, it's all around us. We make music with everything we do, every breath, every word, every footstep. Music is in every single one of us, it's in our blood and it's in our hearts. The day the music dies, is the day the world dies.

It's not an Illusion

You know when MESi Radio started, I did have my doubts about what guff we would get sent to play. We've been lucky enough not to have had any awful tracks, infact most of them have been superb.

One of the first bands to get in touch was "Twisted Illusion" a name that made me think for a good few days about where it came from. To be honest, to this day I still have no idea, but that's what makes me like it. There's an air of mystery about these guys, they sent tracks and then they seemed to disappear. Then last week I saw they had a new video and that's when I was captured.

They don't have the sound you would expect, it's got that psychedelia feel to it, but it works. Not many bands can pull a sound like that off, but they do.

I sat down, with the headphones on as I often do, and watched the video for "Powerful and Cunning" and it hit me, who they reminded me of. It just came to me in a wave of realisation that made me sit up and pay even more attention to these guys.

Back in the day (yes I realise I'm getting old, and so I am allowed to use that phrase) I was obsessed with a band called "Million Dead" a band who I never ever got to see perform live and I hate myself to this day for that. Twisted Illusions video for "Powerful and Cunning" reminded me so much of that, in both the way it was shot and the song itself. Million Dead were one of my favourite bands around and if Twisted Illusion keep going the way they are, I can see them climbing up my top 20 list (that list will never be revealed due to me being a bam)

Powerful and Cunning is a video that as soon as you watch it your first thoughts are "What the hell is this" and to be honest if you watched it on mute, you would think that you were watching the intro to a cheesy horror from the 80's.......BUT.........that's not a bad thing. Look at the way it's shot, look at the angles, the lens motion, the whole thing comes together beautifully and to be quite honest I love it. It's one backward masked wonder walking through the countryside, with not a care in the world, and my guess is that under that hood he's listening to the track itself, which is great. You get the feel that the video fits the music and vice versa. Twisted Illusion are a slowed down version of Million Dead, and if they sped up their music they would be on to a proper winner.

I want you to see what I'm talking about

So I've posted both videos below for you to compare.

Twisted Dead or Million Illusion?

No?

Yeah you're right, lets leave them to their own name

Twisted Illusion

 I want these guys to push themselves and get to the stage where I'll kick myself if I don't see them live. I want them to turn into my new dirty secret.

Because you know what, they have the potential, they have the talent, they just need to get the music up one tiny notch, and I'm not saying that as a criticism, I'm saying that because I know they have the talent to go far, and I'll be frustrated if they don't!

Twisted Illusion - Powerful and Cunning

Million Dead - Living The Dream

The Detours

There's always a band who catch your attention, but the problem with music is that after a while you get fed up of the same sound over and over again. It's natural that you get bored listening to the same songs and watching the same videos.

Almost two months ago I witnessed The Detours for the first time, if you recall my blog and review from back then I was annoyed at myself for not seeing or hearing them before hand.

So two months later, I've been listening to the same three tracks on their E.P over and over again, and I've been watching their videos on YouTube over and over again. The question is.....am I bored? am I fed up? The answer is............HELL NO!!

If anything my love of The Detours has grown.

Personally I don't think I could ever get bored or fed up with The Detours, it's their energy that captured me at first and then you combine that with lyrical perfection, outstanding time signatures, genius bass lines, quality guitar riffs and vocals that blow you away. When put all those together you get a cocktail that if it were actually a drink you would be paying an arm and a leg to get it. Maybe someone should create a cocktail and name it "The Detours" cause I'm sure a hell of a lot of people would pay for it.

The five piece from Glasgow are without a doubt the best band on the circuit at the moment and deserve any success that comes their way. Anyone who came along to the MESi Radio launch night will be able to vouch for that, that night I witnessed old men bouncing around like teenagers, I saw people who looked depressed suddenly look like they had just won the lottery. The name on everyone's lips in Ayrshire for weeks was "The Detours" and quite rightly so.

They can capture anyone's attention, whether you like alternative music or prefer to sit in your bedroom listening to Roy Chubby Browns "Who the fuck is Alice" this band make you realise what music is about. It's about passion, it's about entertainment it's about giving people something they love. It frustrates me seeing a band that good being confined to the local circuit. I want them to be out there, touring Europe, hitting up the USA and making millions. I want to switch on my TV in the morning and see those 5 guys sitting talking to Holly and Phillip on This Morning.. I want to see them getting places because quite frankly I don't think anyone has more potential than this band.

I get jealous of them, because for years I tried to get a band together that sounded good, and seeing these guys I see my dream in front of me. Emily was watching Band Slam or something yesterday and the band were performing "I want you to want me" and both of us turned round and said "I can't listen to anyone else cover that other than The Detours" and it's true.

If The Detours don't make it big, then I will personally come and be a servant to everyone who reads this blog (you need to leave a comment down the bottom for me to know who you are ya diddy)

So what do I say now? All I can say is, if you haven't heard them then go and check them the hell out! Don't sit and read this and say to yourself that you'll check it out later, because chances are you'll forget, do it NOW! Spend 3/4 minutes listening to one song, and I guarantee you will never look back. Infact I'll even help you out by attaching a wee video down the bottom of this!

Until next time..................

New York or Ayr?

I've worked with Martin Bone a few times in my career. He's always been a great photographer and a great friend of mine. So when I heard he was filming a music video I had my doubts, not because I didn't believe he could do it, but because I can sometimes be a bit hesitant of seeing people cross over into new things. Martin is an established photographer and one of the best around, a quick glance through some of his work can show you that. Music video wise I was a bit doubtful, I had watched his video for The Risk and quite enjoyed it, but now he was going to work with Scott Nicol, a musician who has so much energy, I wondered whether it would be possible to capture it on video.

"New York City Summers Day" was a Scott Nicol song that I was not very familiar with, and so I had to go and listen to the song, and get an image of what I imagined the video would be like. That's nothing bad, it's just that if you don't have expectations with these things, then you tend to not be able to give a real opinion.

I saw the preview, I was lucky enough to see a quick preview and during that I instantly had a few negative comments to say. Not in a nasty way, but in a constructive criticism sort of way which myself and Martin spoke about.

So anyway, a couple of weeks pass, and the video launch comes. I sit eagerly at my computer waiting for the link so I could see the finished product. I got the link, I clicked the link, I cranked the headphone volume up and I sat back.

My first though, was that it had that annoying photo at the start of the video, I hate that but do you know what that's a personal opinion.

Lets get past that for a moment and look at the rest, a bouncing crowd in what is clearly Ayrshire's favourite small venue Su Casa, it captures Scott's energy perfectly, the camera angles give it the feel that you're not sitting at home watching this on a screen, but that you're actually there taking part. The outside shots are superbly shot, no flaws in the lighting. It captures you in those first 30 seconds, and any doubts I had about this video are long gone. Cut over to New York city and there's Scott bouncing about Times Square like a playful child with a guitar. The video is tight, it captures everything about the artist that you want to see in a video. I'm going to firmly slap myself in the face and warn myself to never doubt this man again. I didn't watch the video because it was Scott Nicol, I watched it because it was Martin Bone, a man who does so much for the music industry but gets so little recognition. Take a look at the video, take a look at his photographs, take a look at what he puts in and what he gets out. If the time ever comes when he's out of here, making millions, I'm sure a few people will say "oh he used to photograph me, but I never done anything for him" whereas I hope I can still say......"Oh aye, Martin Bone? Aye he's my photographer, has been since the start"

How many more to be overlooked?

Recently the clique orientated promotion of Scottish artists has grated on my nerves greatly. I would start telling you who are part of this clique, but to be honest by doing that I would only be giving them more promotion which the don't really need. It's not that I don't want to promote them, it's just that why should I overlook other acts like Dead Sea Souls, Pure Dead Brilliant, Kenneth Bowman, Dougie Greig and many more.

Last night I posted a comment on a status which I agree was a bit harsh, but it lead to a conversation with a well known Radio DJ who's reputation in Scotland only proceeds him. We agreed that we should all work together to promote artists, but what wasn't agreed on is the fact that the newer and lesser known artists should be given as much exposure as possible.

It's not an easy industry to get into, it's not easy to make a name for yourself and it's a lot of hard work to make just a few new fans. There are avenues there to get your music heard, there are a number of radio stations willing to play unsigned music, the only problem seems to be that if you're not "in the gang" then you'll be waiting a hell of a long time to get your music out there. I try and play every band that sends us songs within an hour, it might now always be possible but I try my hardest to do so. Every musician deserves recognition, a chance to build up their confidence and the chance to get some constructive criticism. As I mentioned to the auld fella last night, I sent him 2 tracks from my debut E.P two years ago, and I've still not heard anything back. If he thought the tracks were shit, then a bit of constructive criticism would have been nice. I actually considered not releasing that E.P because my confidence took a hit from that. I eventually released it, and I'm glad I did.

Why should music be so "tribal"
Why should music be so "one sided"

I walk into a pub with live music, and I'll listen, I'll have a chat with whoever was performing, and to be honest, even if I think they're shit, I'll give them a business card and tell them to send over a few tracks. Everyone deserves a chance, everyone can improve and the only way of doing that is to get feedback. Yes in the past, I've reacted badly to negative feedback, but I realised that I could improve on it.

I know this might sound like a shameless bit of self promotion, but it's true. If you send a track to MESi Radio, we'll play it. Chances are, you could get a gig or two out of it. We work with some venues, we get a lot of listeners, we'll do our best to help out anyway we can.

I'm not surprised that a certain radio station is not going to be on DAB anymore, and I'm also not surprised that another certain radio station currently looks like it's hitting the shit. From what I can see, there's about 4 or 5 good named stations in Scotland that say they are dedicated to Unsigned Music, well here's the killer......it's a load of bullshit, there's 3 out of those 5 that are only out to help themselves and don't care about the music. They see pound signs, they see recognition for giving "the clique" a push. It's a shame, because like I said, we should all be working together to promote everyone.

What do I know?

I've only been on the receiving end of a couple of those stations policies, and to be frank, I know a good few others aswell. I would never tell anyone not to listen to them, or even send them tracks, you never know, you might get lucky. All I'm saying is, don't let it bother you when you don't get the airplay. Just realise that you're not part of the elite task force and that when you've done something special you can snigger, and sit with a big cigar as you watch them grovel for an interview.

I think that's my rant over, hmmmm

Someone say Pizza? ...................

My review of BGT 2012

NO

that is all

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So Nothing Happens in Ayrshire?

I used to be a firm believer that the "Ayrshire Scene" was dwindling. I used to sit and say to everyone, that there was nowhere to gig and no way to gain new fans of my music. I suppose in a way, I was right.....THEN. Now however I keep seeing statuses or hear people talking and the same thing comes up "There's nowhere to gig in Ayrshire so we need to go to Glasgow" now that is the biggest load of shite I've heard in a long while, and believe me I've been subjected to Shintys Sabotage every Tuesday night on MESi Radio.

I could name you a massive list of venues in Ayrshire where you can find live music. There is not one night of the week in Ayrshire where there isn't a live performance somewhere. I'm not going to start listing venues because frankly I would be here for God knows how long. Infact, screw it I'm listing some:

Su Casa, Ayr
The Burns, Irvine
McCabes, Largs
Bakers, Kilmarnock
Dirty Martinis, Kilmarnock
The Courtyard, Ayr
The Firehouse, Ayr
Girvans, Troon

and so many more, that I won't bore you to death.

The thing is, the people that say there's no scene or no venues, simply just don't get up off their arse and look for them. Ayrshire Music isn't hidden, it's not an underground industry where only the elite know about it. Ayrshire Music is there for everyone to hear, to enjoy and even to criticise. So I say this with sincerity and I give you my word, the next person who says they don't know any venues to play at in Ayrshire is going to get my fist swiftly across their left cheek.

And for those who say there's no real talent in Ayrshire, take those ears along to MESi Radio www.mesi-radio.co.uk

It's hard to earn a living

I've been watching it go on for year, ever since I first step foot into the music scene I've watched and also been victim to the exploitation of musicians. I was naive at first, as a 14-15 year old boy I just wanted to get out there and play in a band (and a god awful band we were may I add) I used to beg my parents for money so I could go and get new strings, get band practice, go to perform at gigs all across the country. My parents until I turned 16 funded me to go to venues so that the promoter could line their pockets. Promoters have this idea in their head that us musicians should show up, bring a crowd, sell tickets, play and then leave. They think that they are giving us an opportunity to perform when the fact of the matter is that most of the venues have no "reputation" and so would performing there really boost your career?

I remember me and the old band had a gig booked at Rockers in Glasgow one night and myself (as I always was, ran late) we hadn't sold that many tickets, and we weren't getting any return on any tickets sold, so what was the point of pushing ticket sales? Anyway before I arrived at Rockers I received a phone call from my Bassist who said that because we hadn't sold many tickets the venue were keeping our instruments until we paid the cash. If it wasn't for the other halves of the band members grabbing the guitars etc and running out the door, those instruments may very well be one of the ones sitting in your room that you purchased from E-Bay.

Yesterday I received a wall post on my facebook asking me to go along and perform at the "Kopperberg Sessions" in Prestwick. No fee! Just show up and have a few free drinks, which is nice of them. I mean I'm sure a couple of free drinks will pay the rent, the electricity and keep me fed. Musicians work hard at what they do, and should never be used simply to put money in a till. I think people sometimes think that a musician just buys a guitar and shows up at gigs with a list of songs that "just came to me in a dream" and that those guitar strings never need replaced, or that you can pick plectrums off of a tree branch in the Ibanez garden next to the Zylgen pond in the town of Everything's Free.

It's not, they work damn hard to do what the do. Paid Musicians are guaranteed to put on a better performance and bring a better crowd. There's a saying "Speculate to Accumulate" and I suggest that promoters start doing it.

Rant Over

OAFT......that is all

I've neglected the blog recently, not because I can't be bothered but because both Emily and I have had our hands full with MESi Radio. So here I am again, going to tell you who I think are worth watching. At the MESi Radio Launch we had a whole host of acts and a good friend of mine Johnny Graham kicked the day off with a good wee set. He was rough as a badgers arse, but quite frankly pulled it off. He has that ability to just connect with a crowd, and his interaction even though it comes across as "an arrogant wee shit" is what make Johnny Grahams set worth watching.

Up next was Baby Taylor, many times I've saw Baby Taylor and she never fails to disappoint. Apart from a couple of small slips up with the guitar her set was perfect, but to be honest, when you listen to Baby Taylor it's her voice that captivates you and not her guitar skills.

Following her was Kenneth Bowman. There's something about Kenneth that just makes you sit up and watch. It's clear that he doesn't play music for fame, or to be noticed, he plays it because he loves music, when you see someone like that it's a great feeling. His songwriting is exceptional and his vocals match it perfectly. If there's one bit of advice I could give to Kenneth it's get more confidence out when you're performing.

Next up is the first OAFT of the show..........Dougie Greig, even now almost two weeks later I'm sitting listening to his set from that day and it still sends a shiver up my spine. Dougie is from a band called Roadway (check them out www.roadwaymusic.com) and his talents are second to none. I can't even put down in words how exceptional he is, and added to that the fact that he uses a loop pedal on his vocals...it just blows you away.

Allan Trotter soon followed, a dear friend of mine and a blues player like no other. Allan always puts on a tremendous show, I've never been disappointed in his music. Today however something was missing, I don't know whether it was the uncomfortableness of being out in daylight or just that maybe I didn't have time to properly enjoy his set. He still played a blinder and put on amazing set.

Wee Kris...........Wee Kris? Wee Kris is 9! 9 years old and plays like he's 20....you have to see him to be fully aware of how good he is. Although, I've got one piece of advice for Wee Kris.........stop being late!

I'll review the bands of the day at a later date, I've got so much to say about them but so little time.
We have copies of all of the sets from that day, so they will be repeated throughout the course of time on www.mesi-radio.co.uk

Anyway I better get back to work.

The Female Showcase

Some of the best venues I've ever been in are the hidden ones. The ones in back alleys or in small villages in the middle of nowhere, the venues that not many are aware of but stumble across them by accident and then slowly but surely that venue becomes on of the places that everyone wants to play. A few months ago I had never heard of The Courtyard in Ayr until I was standing outside The Burns in Irvine and Connor from A Band Called Cadence asked me to play there. A few weeks later I played on the bill along with Taylor Buntain and Alex Duncan and instantly it became of my favourite venues to perform in. It's small and intimate but at the same time is a lively and insane place to play. Every Friday night there's a different group of musicians performing. With styles ranging from Acoustic to Hip Hop, it really is the place to go in Ayr on a Friday night. Friday the 13th of April was the turn of The Female Showcase featuring Carol Davies, Rebs Cloke, Laura Hyslop and Anna Sweeney, some of the top talent in Ayr.

First up was Anna Sweeney, a 17 year old performer who sings with the heart and passion of someone much older. I've been privilaged to see Anna perform on numerous occasions, it's one of the perks of being involved in the Ayrshire music scene. Her songwriting is second to none and her voice is so gentle but so powerful at the same time. Tonight she showed up crutches with a sore throat, but she battled through it to give her performance. The beginning of her set provided a few technical difficulties but like a true pro she battled on and you could hear the hint of her sore throat in her vocals, but (unlike most performers) a sore throat actually sounded good. It added that huskiness to her voice that I think is what alot of singers need, she pulled it out the bag with a winning performance. Anna without doubt is a singer/songwriter who has a huge future ahead of her.

Laura Hyslop is an American superstar in my eyes. You know those musicians you see in pubs and you instantly think to yourself that they belong on a larger stage with a massive audience? Well Laura is definitely one of those musicians. It's her voice that instantly attracts you, it's so powerful and emotional that you can't tear yourself away, even for a moment. 

Up next was Rebs Cloke, I'm not going to lie, the first time I ever saw Rebs perform I wasn't keen. It was nothing bad, I just didn't like the style of music but the more and more I've saw her perform the more and more I've fallen in love with her music. When I saw her this time I was in awe, her vocals were amazing and pitch perfect and her songs are written so brilliantly, I struggle to believe it's the same Rebs Cloke I saw a few months ago.

Carol Davies was the host of the evening and performed at various points throughout the night, although her partner Mark was not on hand to accompany her as usual, she still performed at a very high standard. If I could tell anyone where to go in Ayr for music advice and direction, then I would direct you to Carol, she loves her music and she is one of the few who actually can give you good advice. She's a well rounded performer who interacts with any crowd and makes them pay attention, when her voice hits out those first few notes your captivated by what you're hearing. One of the true stars of the Ayrshire scene.

MESi Radio Launch Night

Normally I have a blog up every couple of days about a live act I've witnessed, but alas the last week has been so busy for me I've not managed to get along to any events. For those of you who don't know, on Sunday the 15th myself and Emily will be launching MESi Radio. A new station with a view on the world, we will be promoting up and coming artists from all around the world. Originally we were just going to be based in Scotland, but since we launched the website we have had acts from as far away as China getting in touch. I know China? It's insane right? 

The Launch is looking great, it was originally supposed to start at 9pm and have 3 or 4 acts however due to the massive amount of interest and the over excitement of the people booking the event it has now turned into an all day festival, a fitting start to MESi Radio and a tremendous send off to Amanda who leaves the Flask that day. There's some astounding acts booked for the night and it really is going to showcase some of the best of Scotlands musical talent.

Along with the acts playing, there will be some great acts coming along to do some interviews including the amazing Audiodriver.
On top of that we have personally invited Glasvegas to come along, and so fingers crossed that they accept the invite, they were kind enough to give us permission to use them as one of our featured artists on the site.

On the bill for the launch are The Standards who are an outstanding band and I can't wait to see them live, there is a previous blog on here reviewing their ep. A Band Called Cadence who are very good friends of mine, and can liven up any room, as many times as I see them live I never get tired of it. Johnny Graham, another great friend of mine, who I've basically had to force into this because he runs his own event on a Sunday night. Kenneth Bowman, a solo artist who I had along at Garfields on the first night and who's song writing ability is second to none. The Detours, do I even need to go into detail about The Detours? If I do, then I kindly direct you to my previous blog about them. Taylor Buntain, one of the most talented guitarists I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Along with a whole other host of great performers. It's going to be one of those days that you'll regret it if you don't get along.

www.mesi-radio.co.uk

Allan Trotter - Minor Deliah - Amanda Robinson @The Flask

My favourite reason for going to The Flask is that you never know what kind of musicians going to see. It's like a bag of Revels, you're taking a chance because although there's loads that you do like, but there's always that odd one that makes you pull that disgusted face. I've been lucky enough now to have two weeks in a row where I've managed to skip that Coffee flavoured chocolate out of the bag. As ordered, I got my guitar ready last night and headed down to The Flask for the chance to support Minor Delilah.

I got a message from a good friend of mine and fellow musician yesterday Allan Trotter, he informed me that he was going to come down to The Flask and watch me play, we got talking and I put him in touch with Amanda because he wanted to perform himself. Luckily Amanda isn't hard faced and allowed him that chance, and I think everyone in the building was glad of the fact.

After I had performed my little set and promoted MESi Radio (there's no promotion like shameless self promotion) Allan took to the stage. I'm getting into this really bad habit of missing performers first songs if they're on stage directly after me, but at least it's only one song right? I've saw Allan play a few times, but always on Acoustic and always as part of the band "The Triggers" so it was a nice change to see him pull out the old electric and go solo. It's very rare these days that you can walk into a venue and hear the blues being played, never mind being played with such accuracy and skill. The only other person that springs to mind, when thinking about that standard of playing the blues is Tragic O'Hara. Allan belts out the blues like he invented them and sitting watching him, you can (just for that moment in time) imagine that he did. He makes it look so easy, and if I was asked about it, I would have no issues declaring that Allan is one of the most talented guitarists that I know. What made Allan's set just that little bit more exciting was when Minor Delilah joined him on stage for a "Jam" it was unexpected and you could be tricked into believing that this impromptu session was planned and rehearsed. It was one of the best moments that Sunday Band Nights at The Flask ever had.

Next up was the headline acts, Minor Delilah. Now here's a band that I've been trying to pin down for a couple of months. There was no question where I was going last night, even if I wasn't performing. The group unfortunately were a man down last night, however it caused no disruption to their sound. The group are so dynamic and have that stage persona that not many people can pull off. I remember saying to Emily that they remind me of a "Glaswegian A Band Called Cadence" they have the cheekiness and humour that even if the music they were playing wasn't that good, you would be distracted by their banter and wouldn't even notice. It's just great that they have the musical talent aswell. The band are a tight band with a sound thats hard to place down, It's been going through my mind that the group are a mash up of Panic! at the Disco and The Fray. Then there was that moment when the singer picked up an acoustic and asked for requests, he started playing "Basket Case" by Greenday and forgot the lyrics (like he said he would) and then our wee Amanda got up to take over the reigns. I know Amanda doesn't want a review, but you know what I'm going to give her one anyway. I always had this stereotypical image that the Irish were the best singers, and it's not been proved wrong yet. Yes ok Amanda's not a singer, but she done a great job with the song, it's hard to tell if she was nervous or if she was just enjoying the buzz. It was just one of those nights at The Flask where if you weren't there you lost out. It's a shame that Amanda's leaving, because the band nights have been brilliant, and if they continue then they won't be the same. Last night was a fitting end to her run, and the next band night is on the 15th of April, Amanda's leaving do AND the MESi Radio launch party. You'll never know what you missed at The Flask, and it's a shame because it was THE place to be on  a Sunday night. 

Tully Does It Best

In the small seaside town ardrossan lies a small but atmospheric Tapas bar. Every Saturday night Garfields brings together what I would describe as a Spanish atmosphere and some of Scotlands finest musicians for a night of good music and good laughs. I've been hosting Garfields for 4 weeks now and each week is getting busier and better.

This weeks featured Artist was a man who I've been aching to see live since I was introduced to his music by a friend of mine. So trying to get Tim along to perform was a no brainer.

After the usual hosting duties that I am somewhat obliged to do, I handed the coveted Garfields Stage over to Mr Tim Tully. I'll admit that I'm a bad person and missed his first song. I settled down however in time for his second piece of music and right through to the end of his set. When I first heard his guitaring start I saw that this man a talented guitarist, he commands such a delicate but loud sound from the 6 string, hollow item of wood and glory.

Its when his vocals begin that everything really begins to take shape. Tim's voice is just that damn good, I've been sitting for hours trying to figure out a way to describe it in words and this is what I've came up with. Tim has the voice of an angel who's just stumbled out of bed, it's the perfect blend of soulful and rawness that makes him such a talented performer. I was eagerly anticipating his song 'Baby Girl" and was not disappointed when he delivered. Here is a performer who loves the music and who clearly enjoys the buzz of performing to a live audience as he kept wanting to play more and more music and not surprisingly nobody objected. Throw together Dylan, Cash, The Script and Sheeran and you get Tully, an odd combination that shouldn't work but just does. Tim has a very bright and prosperous career ahead of him, and anyone who doesn't make the effort to see him live will regret it.

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Confused by Confusion

As I sit here, in the process of launching a new radio station with Emily I'm looking through all the talented musicians throughout Scotland and thinking how lucky we are to be able to be involved.

One band stick out like a sore thumb for me and its not because they're untalented, far from it. Infact it's because they are so talented yet they don't gig as much as they should.

Confusion are a band from Stevenson in North Ayrshire and are possibly one of the best sounding group of artists around. For the past 13 years they have developed a sound that incorporates what I can only describe as Blue Oyster Cult combined with Primal Scream. For me they define the "rock'n'roll" genre with there mix of talent and enthusiasm that can be heard on every track. I'm currently sitting writing this on my phone, but confusion got me so excited and annoyed that I couldn't stop myself logging in and start typing away.

I've never witnessed confusion live, which is a shame cause I've heard nothing but good things about them. They played the illistrious King Tuts this month and its one of those gigs I missed that I'll forever kick myself for.

Its not often I'll highly rate a local act without seeing them live, and that's what confuses me here. Confusion need to get out and showcase their talent more, here is a group of musicians who could completely own a music scene and pack venues every night of the week. Hopefully at some point in the near future I'll see them live and when that happens I'm sure that I'll have a hell of a lot to write about them.

One thing is for sure however, they will 100% be getting airtime on MESi radio. Infact they're already on our website.

www.mesi-radio.co.uk

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The Flask March 25th 2012

On a sunny day in Scotland (well anywhere in the world really) people tend to head towards the beach, shorts on etc. if you’re in Ayrshire then a lot of people tend to head towards Saltcoats beach, and if you head towards that beach, just off the main street down from the amusements lies a building with the words outside “The Flask” from the outside it looks like a nice wee restaurant and if you walk in during the day it’s got a great atmosphere to it. However if you walk in on a Sunday night, you’ll walk straight into a wall of music, some good and some not so good. Sunday the 25^th of March 2012 was one of those nights where the music was great. Two Glasgow bands “Audiodriver” and “The Detours” gave The Flask some of the best music that it’s ever had.

Emily and I headed down for dinner before hand, and originally wanted to see Audiodriver, a band who I’ve never actually witnessed live. When I saw them take to the stage my first thought on their image was Blink 182, they had ¾ lengths on, pink hair, Mohawks and they just had that overall feel that they were going to hit out some 4 chord structured songs and sing about blow jobs…..they didn’t.
Audiodriver are a band who command a presence on stage, write great songs and perform a tight set. Tonight was a night with a new drummer, and in all honesty you couldn’t tell. As in every band, it’s important to have the rhythm section performing well together and Audiodriver pulled it off brilliantly. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I got the impression that the Bassist wanted to be the front man, but that’s possibly because he has so much energy he needs to vent it somehow. Their songs “Who I am” “Universal Truth” and “Reach Out” were so full of life and had lead guitar parts that blew me away. Their cover of Pink Floyds “Brick in the Wall” had even the crowd that wasn’t interested in the music dancing. My favourite song of the set was not one of their own, it was in fact a cover of South Parks Chef with “Chocolate Salty Balls” I’ve never heard the song covered before and it was an amazing cover, in fact it was better than the original, they even threw in a bit of choreography. Overall I would recommend going to see Audiodriver, they are a great band, they performed amazingly but the best was yet to come.

After a cigarette break and a wee chat with our “Star in the reasonably priced bar” Amanda, we settled down for the next band “The Detours” the crowd had dispersed as they had all obviously came to see Audiodriver, and felt that no other band deserved their attention, a common occurrence at gigs and one that grates on my nerves enormously. They missed out greatly though, because The Detours are possibly the best band I have seen in years. Everything from the lyrics right down to the image was perfection. The song “Ignite” caught my attention, the guitar was so beautifully loud it was enough to make me smile (not much makes me smile) when the vocals kicked in, I knew this band were going to be good. Before they had even finished the song, Emily turned to me and said “They are going to be big” and she’s right. Ignite has the Lyrics “Your mind is hectic don’t lose the drive” and I can see that every individual of the band have the drive to succeed and make music that everyone will love. They remind me of a more melodic version of a band called “Rev Theory” (if you’ve never heard them I suggest you check them out) The Detours in my eyes however are a much better and stronger sounding band. They threw in two covers in their set, one was an amazing version of “Wayward Son” by Kansas which was so good, I thought I was listening to a cd version, three vocal harmonies at the one time and instrumentally sound, it’s the best cover I’ve ever heard of any song. They also performed a mash up of “Country Roads” and “Want you to want me” which should be the original version of both songs (I have that awful habit of preferring originals, not in this case however) because I think more would enjoy this version. The guys finished their set with their single “One Last Chance” which when introducing it they announced that they were very proud of the song and that it’s due to be broadcast on Kerrang, and I can see why. I’m not going to lie, I thought the lyrics were “Get a ginger ale” and it’s actually “This ship won’t sail” so I do feel like a bit of a plamf, but none the less, the song has “HIT” written all over it.

After the set we had a little chat with the band, and I even bought a CD. Amanda explained to them that I don’t buy anything, so they must have impressed me, and they did. I think I have a new love, and that love is The Detours. It’s one of those moments in life, when you realize that there’s a reason why you love music. For me The Detours embody everything that I love about music, and that’s what makes them such a great band to listen to and watch. I’ll definitely be attending more gigs of theirs, if it means giving up some of my own gigs. I’m now an addict. As I sit here with a copy of their CD sitting next to me, I’m thinking to myself, that one day these guys will be touring the world, selling out arenas, making television appearances and you know what? I saw them first, at a small venue in Saltcoats on the West Coast of Scotland.

Check out the detours at http://www.wearethedetours.com/

Like the best "he's" fearless

Every Saturday night, I run a wee music night in Garfield's in Ardrossan and every week I have a special guest with me. This week I had the very very talented Scott Nicol, a man who has that rare talent of being both a performer and a musician, he can get any crowd (whether it be 2 people or 200 people) singing along and moving their feet. Tonight was no exception. 

Garfield's isn't the biggest venue in the world, in fact it's a Ta-pas Bar so you can imagine it's fairly small. Small however doesn't mean bad, it's intimate, and a great place to both play and watch performers. In the last couple of years I've played alongside Scott and watched put on a great show, so when I got the position of booking acts for Garfield's he was one of my first choices, and I'm so glad that he agreed to come along.

He started the night off with a great song, which had people starting to tap their feet, always a great way to begin a show. From the off, he had the crowd fixed on his every move and lyric. His second song was "Wildfire" is a song which I'm not too familiar with, but I loved it, every chord hit and every vocal that left his mouth was pitch perfect and filled with such passion. Clearly a guy who loves music, loves to perform and loves to do what he does. After Wildfire came one of my favourite Scott Nicol tracks "Swimming in the waters of civilisation" I love it, every time I've saw it performed live I've absolutely loved it, the Chorus is just those words from the title and it's so catchy and easy to sing along, it's a song that fills the room with enthusiasm, not mainly because Scott is a guy who oozes enthusiasm. He finished his first set (yes he played more than one set, what a star) with other songs such as "Like the best she's fearless" "Live like a lion" "Christina's View" (a song about a painting in New York inspired by a French artist) he even threw in a cheeky wee cover of Jessie J's "Price Tag" which was absolutely astounding.

After I got up and played a few tracks, Scott returned to the floor. This time to play requests from his many fans in the room (myself included) songs included "Welcome to Dreamland" and my favourite Scott Nicol song "Paradise" Scott did ask me if I wanted to sing the second verse of "Paradise" but I politely refused, mainly because I don't think I could do the song justice and secondly because I love the song that much that I just wanted to sit back and relax and enjoy it. 

Scott Nicol in my eyes is one of the best musicians around Ayrshire if not Scotland, and yet I sometimes feel that he's so underrated. I think that's due to his modesty mainly, but someone needs to stand up and say "THIS IS SCOTT NICOL, START LISTENING" 

If there's one man in Ayrshire who has the biggest passion for what he does, then it's Scott. You can tell that just from watching him, being in his presence and listening to his tracks.

Pure Dead Brilliant

Pure Dead Brilliant are a band from Fife, and when you hear the name you're torn between thinking that they are either a) some random neds who've picked up a guitar or that they're endorsed by Prestwick airport. Well let me tell you that neither of those are true.
I was sent a link to their soundcloud to have a listen to their album. Being the rebel that I am, I never listen to things in order and so the first track I decided to listen to was "Best of Life" and I'm not going to lie, when the guitar started I instantly thought to myself "Brilliant another Blink 182 wannabe band" normally I would just have switched off but as I said I'd review it I thought I'd give it a chance. I'm glad I did, because after the first few bars of what I thought was going to be a rip off of Blink, the song progressed into a much more mature sound, the dynamics of the vocals draw you in the moment you hear them. The guitar part is simple yet effective, and the song in it's entirety is very entertaining and enjoyable. It's a band you could imagine being on stage at the Slam-dunk festival and getting everyone in the crowd moving along.
The next song was Festival High, again I heard the intro and thought of another band, this time it wasn't so much the actual melody but rather the tone. The tone of the intro reminded me so much of "I'm not okay" by My Chemical Romance, I was half expecting the drums to come in and do a build up, however what I was graced with instead was some harmonics, which seem out of place but fit perfectly, an odd combination. Again for me it's the vocals in the song that pull me in. Music wise, the band seems fairly simple. They have predictable chord progressions however this doesn't pull away from the fact that this band sound great and pull together. I've had a look at some of their videos on YouTube and live they seem to be just as good as they are recorded.
I'm a sucker for acoustic tracks, so when I saw that there was a live acoustic track I had to listen. I'm an acoustic artist so it's the music I love, and when I hear a full band being stripped down to just acoustic it amazes me. No difference here, in all honesty you couldn't tell it's the same band. "Cried myself to sleep" is an acoustic track that reminds me so much of the Stereophonics in terms of vocals, yet I prefer it to anything Stereophonics have done. I'm going to keep listening to this band, I'm going to make sure I see them live and I suggest that you do the same. I'm glad I kept listening after those first few bars, otherwise I would have missed out on something spectacular.

You can find the band at http://soundcloud.com/puredeadbrilliantuk

Setting the Standard

I'm not going to lie, I get annoyed at myself sometimes, I'll not listen to certain bands or go and see some bands just because I don't think they'd interest me. Then I accidentally hear them, or I see them somewhere and think to myself "why the hell did I not listen to them sooner"
This could be said for what's just happened with me with The Standards. I'd never properly listened to them and I'd never made an effort to go and see them live, then the other day after I put up a blog Tommy sent me their E.P over and so I knew then that I'd have to listen.
Now I'm going to pride myself on being honest at all times when I blog about bands and acts, and so hears my honest opinion on The Standards..........Amazing.

The Barely Legal EP just blew me away.

First song I listened to was "Come on Now" it's a song that could get stuck in your head for days. The timings are just perfection and the whole band just comes together nicely. There's no "this could be done better" feeling in my opinion and you can tell just from listening to that one track that it's not just music thrown together because some guys decided to start a band.

The next song I listened to was "It don't matter" and I'm sorry to say it but again it's just so damn good. I don't know The Standards, but I want to. "It Don't Matter" is a song that you know when you hear it, it will instantly register that The Standards are a band to be reckoned with.

"Blu Today" and "Butcher Girl" are another two great tracks on a sublime EP. It's hard for me to sit here and pick out a favourite track, because it's so hard to decide on what one to choose. So I'm not going to pick a track, what I'm going to do is urge you to go and listen to the EP, go and see these guys live. You will not be disappointed at all, and while you do that I'm going to go and bang my head off a wall and shout at myself for not giving these guys a chance sooner.

The Standards EP can be heard at http://soundcloud.com/the-scottish-standards

Scarlett Inside

Last night I ended up at the Flask in Saltcoats. I wasn't going to go out, Sunday night, not bad viewing on the old tv box, but I decided to get ready and go out. After some nice chit chat via facebook with the lovely Amanda (manager) of The Flask, I decided to take my guitar down and play some tunes to open the night. I love the Flask, I love that there's live music every Sunday night, but I wish I had stayed in last night. I can't really review myself as it would be a bit biased, so all I'll say is I was just my usual self. Then my beautiful partner in both life and business got up to sing Valerie. She pretty much nailed it as she always does.
After I finished my set and had a cheeky wee cigarette, I sat down with my pint of Fosters (only £2.65 aswell, that's why Amanda's my star in the reasonably priced bar) and waited on Scarlett Inside to begin their set. They begin with noise, just noise. As an avid lover of music, I respect musicians for what they are and don't get me wrong, the band are talented individual musicians, but as a whole I just didn't get it. There was no real structure to the songs, and the guitarist was pulling instruments out from all over the place, including a violin and a Norwegian Harp (which looked like a bread basket, half a broom pole and some strings) and changing and playing them mid song. It had the feel of  “I can play these instruments so I'm going to do it anyway whether it works or not” mentality about it. As one person I spoke to said “it feels like I should be sitting in the dark smoking a giant doube” which funnily enough was the exact thoughts going through my mind.
I'm not going to say that they were an awful band, because they were far from it, in the technical side of things they were a great band, the timings were spot on, the drummer never missed a beat, the bassist (apart from disappearing during a song and leaving the guitarist looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights) was an astounding player, and the guitar itself was great. As a whole however it just didn't work. I'm undecided whether it was the group together or if it was just the sound that they were going for. I left before the end of the set, no disrespect to the guys, but it just didn't do anything for me. You win some, you lose some and Scarlett Inside lost me at the first bar.

Johnny Graham – Love is Blind

I debated with myself whether or not to review Johnny's album, but I decided that I should. He's one of my good friends, and has given me some great advice over the last few months, and been one of my “go to people” whenever I need something. He also has a tendency to lead me into debauchery but that's another blog. My deciding factor about reviewing it was thinking back to how hard he's worked to get the album out, and the stress levels that he gained. Looking back on countless conversations, I thought at one point he was going to start shooting people, including photographers, and the cd printers.

Love is Blind as he puts it, is about “Love and Death in a cheery manner” it gives you a little chuckle just thinking about death in a cheery manner, but that's just his mentality.

There's so many stand out tracks on the album, it's hard to pick a favourite, but I'm going to start with one of my favourites “Where I Belong” it's a song that just oozes talent. When it starts, you're instantly drawn into it, it's got the feeling that (as corny as it sounds) listening to this song is where you belong, right here, right now. Is the song about love or death, that's for you to decided, personally I think it's about being in The Burns on a Sunday night.

Another song, is probably his best known song “Candlewax” I've heard this song countless times, including both live and recorded, it was probably my most played song when I worked on KA Radio. The opening line “Stop what you're doing I'm not going to take you back” resonates so strongly in so many peoples mind, you're instantly taken back to that time when someone keeps harassing you to give them another chance, and the next line just clears it up so well “You're love's like a candle, a candle that's ran out of wax” it's spot on. Musically and Lyrically it's such a strong song, you can't help listening to it over and over again, even when you're not listening, you can't help singing “Whoa oh whoa oh whoa oh” to yourself.

The last song I'm going to go into is “Crimson Red” or as myself and Emily call it “Red Red” Johnny, isn't Crimson just another name for Red? I've asked him this before, but I never get an answer. It's a song that you don't expect the full band to kick in when it does, it changes tempo so quickly yet so seamlessly, with the words “You fell out from the sky, just to say you're alright” it's possibly one of the catchiest songs I've heard in a long long time. “Crimson Red” in my opinion is one of the most lyrically sound songs on the entire album.

The whole album from the Intro (Violins Bled I) through to the outro (Violins Bled II) is just astounding. For a guy who a mere two years ago wasn't on the “scene” as a solo performer, to bring out a full album as strong and musically appealing is amazing . I remember a few months ago being with Johnny one night and him asking the question to some guy “Do you know who I am? I'm Johnny G” yet the thing is, I don't see it being very long at all before everyone does know who he is. When that day comes it will be well deserved, and I'll be there, with all the “Ah ah ah ah's” and “whoa oh whoa oh whoa ohs” that I can manage. I urge everyone to go to The Burns in Irvine on a Sunday night for Johnny's open mic night, go and see him for free, before you're having to pay  20-30 quid to see him playing. It will happen one day, and aslong as I get free tickets for being his mate, then I'll be very happy for him.