In January this year, I upped stakes and moved to Glasgow, Scotland with my partner Ela Orleans. We really love the city and think it is veritably RAD. One thing I notice in Glasgow is that seemingly everyone I meet is in a band, runs a night or is an artist ov some form or other. This is either because I only venture forth mainly to shows and record shops and run a label or there is indeed a lot going on here. Something that is exciting is the diversity ov the sounds in the city. Apart from some great Glasgow bands from the past like Belle & Sebastian, Mogwai, The Vaselines, The pastels etc, some ov the new breed worth checking out are…
Divorce
These 3 grrrls and token man/drum machine, make a heavy racket combining hardcore, noise and a sexy mammoth with a hint ov cream. They have had a bunch ov records out. Including a few 7″s and 10″s including splits with Comanechi and Swedish/German nutters Jailhouse Fuck. (I mastered the split with J/F which is out on our buddies label sixsixsixties records so grab that). They also have a new LP out on Nightschool Records. Watch the mental visual interpretation ov ‘Aids of Space’ by Sofia Stavropoulou here, they kill everything dead live too.
Gummy Stumps
These guys have been around for a while and channel the spirit ov Beefheart and The Fall through, I dunno, some other shit…they have records out on La Station Radar and other places, so go get some. If you can catch them live it ‘s a good experience. Check this track off some one-sided art bunch ov acetates they did here.
Phat Trophies
The aural equivalent ov a cute naked person running up to you and gently rubbing peanut butter and jelly on your face. Sweet and kinda weird, but not ugly. These two put out one ov my fave tapes this year and should have records shooting out ov their fingertips if there was any justice. Check a bunch ov their tracks played live in the studio here, they are rocking a great Lightning Bolt meets Pussy Riot look. But way before we knew how dangerous it was to jump up and down in a Russian church singing for 30 seconds in masks.
Aggi Doom
Riot grrrl garage heads Aggi Doom, keep the girls in the garage vibe alive and kicking with their sweet vocals and driving rhythms. Check their cover ov The Monks’ “Boys are Boys And Girls Are Choice” here. They have a nice 7″ out on Softly Power now.
Other bands worth looking out for are World Peace (we will be releasing them soon), Ultimate Thrush, Palms, Smack Wizards, VOM, Gropetown, Remember! Remember!, North American War, the impov stylings ov Jer Reid, Fritz Welch, Richard Youngs, Luke Fowler and Heather Leigh. The noise rumblings ov Skitter, The DDN, Blue Sabbath Black Fiji and the dark hip hop electronica ov Texture, Asthmatic Astronaut and Ben Butler and Mousepad. As well as visual art by Tony Swain, Marc Baines, Karla Black, Rob Churn, Oliver Pitt and Luke Fowler.
LABELS
Labels apart from Clan Destine we’re particularly into are Winning Sperm Party, Black Lantern Music, and Softly Power.
RECORD SHOPS
There are also some great record shops that deal in choice vinyl and tapes. Monorail has a great shop and selection, where you chat to Stephen Pastel (who works there), eat a vegan meal, grab some zines or screenprints from Good Press and then watch a show.
There is also the more esoteric Volcanic Tongue, where you can grab the latest deep underground vinyls and tapes from store owners Dave Keenan and Heather Leigh, the shop is located in a room in someone’s apartment above a pub which gives it a certain frisson.
VENUES
Ov course nowhere wouldn’t anywhere without spaces for shows. part from Mono, there is Stereo, the Old Hairdressers, The Arches, Nice & Sleazy, and Tramway amongst other spots. Promoters like Cry Parrot hit back against the general concensus ov all promoters being terrible c**nts by putting on good shows and not ripping anyone off, and you know, actually promoting.
All told the best part ov Glasgow for me is the city itself. It’s small enough you can afford to live here well, get to know a lot ov cool people but have plenty ov things ov substance to do. The architecture is a mix ov monumental and straight up grime, and very green, the tallest cinema in Europe, and a massive old graveyard on a hill called the Necropolis, not a bad city.
