In a musical frame this week. Not only did the band play last night (for the first time in months!), but the new issue of is this music? is out this week too. For those of you who don’t know it, itm? is a magazine that focuses on Scotland’s multifarious local music output. And to be honest it’s pretty much essential reading. I hadn’t realised how much I look forward to it coming out until today when I picked up in Avalanche (along with newish CDs by Guillemots, Salon Boris and Y’All Is Fantasy Island – Avalanche is always dangerous for me!).
It’s £3 quid, you get a shitload of reviews and interviews with great acts AND a sampler CD of what’s new on the Scottish scene. Worth a subscription *wherever* you are reading this. [Note – I really should get a subscription myself, but I do enjoying picking it up at lunchtime and taking the afternoon to listen to the CD at work, sorry.]
Talking of Scottish scene type stuff, there’s some excellent music coming out at the moment. I’ve been meaning to post for a while about Scunner’s dangerously addictive String Theory album and Quinn’s fabulous and beautiful Luss, and will, soon, so stay tuned, and I also want to give a mention a new discovery – one of the bands we played with last night – Playtone, who sound very together indeed.
So there’s good stuff here. There’s always good stuff here. Keep watching itm? for details.
ayeahmur 
I’m of the opinion that this decade is the golden age of Scottish rock. That might seem like damning with faint praise given what we’ve had in the past, but there’s quality everywhere. Glad to hear the gig went well(sorry to have missed another one), and I’m looking forward to the album.
I’m of the opinion that this decade is the golden age of Scottish rock. That might seem like damning with faint praise given what we’ve had in the past, but there’s quality everywhere. Glad to hear the gig went well(sorry to have missed another one), and I’m looking forward to the album.
I’m not sure about terms like a “golden age for Scottish rock”, Jim, but it’s certainly a good time to be both playing and watching to live music here. The infrastructure is so much better than it was even a few years ago – new venues opening up with up-to-date gear, are pushing the traditional venues to smarten up too. There’s a stretch of Sauchiehall St now where you can’t walk 50 yards without passing a venue.
It’ll crash, I’m sure, when fads change, but it’s great while it lasts.
The more interesting thing is watching the music scene maturing. When we started out there was a lot of standard indie rock acts, but now people are listening to each other and trying new things, and the diversity is occasionally stunning.
That’s what I love most about it.
I’m not sure about terms like a “golden age for Scottish rock”, Jim, but it’s certainly a good time to be both playing and watching to live music here. The infrastructure is so much better than it was even a few years ago – new venues opening up with up-to-date gear, are pushing the traditional venues to smarten up too. There’s a stretch of Sauchiehall St now where you can’t walk 50 yards without passing a venue.
It’ll crash, I’m sure, when fads change, but it’s great while it lasts.
The more interesting thing is watching the music scene maturing. When we started out there was a lot of standard indie rock acts, but now people are listening to each other and trying new things, and the diversity is occasionally stunning.
That’s what I love most about it.