MUSIC LIST/ROCK
I Deacon Blue recently turned out atthe Cotton Club In Glasgow to test out some new sengslorthelrlorthcomlng tour. Definitely getting the thumbs up are Sad Eyed Girl and Wages Day, so listen out. The album is being completed with Wame Livesey In November and December, and should be out inthe iirst pan arises. I The recent Shetland Rock Festival tumed outto be a bit oi a musical non event,th several lowpoints: namely, i Love Every Part olMe, a band with an on stage knitter(yes) and Toxik Ephex an Aberdeen punk band, who were charged with Indecent exposure. Also overheard was a top Scottish rock promoter promising a mainland gig lorthe Morton/Nicholson Rhythm Kings, who oi course leature the legendary Tom Morton. Will he be true to his word? Wait and see. .. I Daily Record readers who last week discovered in a lull page ieature that Marti Pellow is really Robert The Bruce, will be pleased to know that i can exclusively reveal that. bythe same logic. Pat Kane is Karl Man; Ricky Ross is Hamish McAlpine; Jim Kerr is Jesus Christ himsell and thatthe author ot this masterwork is really a Sunday Sport leader writer. Remember where you heard it iirst. I WHATEVER megastar may be playing this iortnight, it's unlikely that they’ve had the audience that Ann Turner, playing at Edinburgh’s Venue (in Monday 17 and the Music Box on Tuesday 25, played to on her recent trip to the Soviet Union. The televised song lestivai at which she emerged the triumphant victor was seen by an estimated 200 million. Sharing her nerves was the entry’s composer, local songwriter Bobby Heatley, whose songs have been rendered by stars like Cillt Richard and Shakin’ Stevens. She currently has two dillerent singles on release In France and Hungary, both ol which are doing well, but the potential biggie has to be the theme song she is working on tor a major German soap, which changes its tune every year. This has invariably led to Number One status tor the artist concerned. Joining her In the No Mercy Band is her husband, keyboard player and top producer Jon Turner, who has been dreading requests lor ‘Forever and Ever’ since he and Ann backed up Demls Roussos many years ago. I STOP PRESS: A walkout at Glasgow nightspot Rooltops has resulted in gigs being cancelled or moved to other
Street. 225 6313. 9pm. Free. Soul. funk.
THURSDAY 20 Glasgow
I Robert Gray Band and Brendan Croker Barrowlands. 244 Gallowgate. 552 4601. 7.30pm. Last time round. The Robert Cray Band were incredibly tight but more than a little disappointing. However. the new album shows a greater songwriting depth and diversity. so maybe the boredom that set in towards the end last time will vanish. Brendan Croker was last in Glasgow supporting Billy Bragg. and is described by Tanila Tikaram as ‘Leeds' fincst’. So there.
I Love Decree and Wild Party and Yes Yes
venues. Gigs allected in this lortnight are those by The Flatmates, Salvation and Johnny Thunders. See listings lor updated into.
SINGLES
I The Neighbourhood: A the Time (B the inclination) (Parlophone). What’s this, a new Prince single already. The vocal resemblance and smoochy lunky leel hark back to some ol the Purple Priapus’s earlier work, and are too uplront to ignore. The sampler ol upcoming LP tracks sent by their publicist shows a greater variety, and suggests they could have better to come.
I Sandie Shaw: Please Help the Cause' Against Loneliness (Rough Trade). With a title like that who could it be but the Mozzerwriting? And singing, trom the sound at it. A weak (to be generous) Morrissey song which should not have been donated to any cause at all, least oi all a singer who is lorced to mimic all his idiosyncratic inllectlons to sing it. The other side, written by Fairground Attraction’s Mark Nevin, would pass tor a Fairground Attraction song in the blindlold test. Even producer Stephen Street will want to disown his part in this ghastly mess.
I Laibach: Sympathy lorthe Devil (Mute). Let’s hear it tor conceptual Yugoslavian art rockers! ‘Sympathy lor the Devil' is not one but two 12in singles, with live radically dillerent
Juliette The Revue. 244 Gallowgate . 552 4601. 10pm. First in a new seriesof Towerbeat gigs. and this is not their strongest line up ever. Yes YesJuliette describe themselves as turbopop. and are energetic fun; Wild Party are fairly straight rock and roll. aspiring to stadium rock. with the ever wonderful Jack Reilly as frontman: and Love Decree are featured on the new McEwan‘s Lager ad. Towerbeat gigs are sponsored by McEwan‘s Lager.
I The Moon Hermits La Taniere. 15 Fox Street. 221 4844. 9pm. Free. Regular visitors to La Taniere.
Edinburgh
I Cliff Richard Playhouse Theatre.
versions oi the one song, and lull
marks to them lor spoiling the dance potential ol the old Stones chestnut, which they exploit best in the ‘Who Killed the Kennedys' mix, but a lurther three sides oi portentous sub-Wagnerian plodding you can keep. It can't all be bad, and oi course it Isn't. The stirring symphonic passages twist their way around a theme not dissimilarto the ‘Star Trek’ music, and strategically-placed samples provide critical commentary on the Stones legend itsell. Laibach have now turned their hand to The Beatles’ ‘Let it Be’. I don’t know quite what they're trying to say, bull have my theories. Dance among the ruins!
I The Band oi Holy Joy: Tactless (Rough Trade). The Band at Holy Joy resound with a sense at pop gone askew, their accordion-led vignettes more suited to a music hall than a sweaty rock'n’roll venue. A perplexing mixture oi intimacy and detachment, ‘Tactless’ is a slow grower, but a lovely song.
I The Jazz Club: Watermelon Man (BB Productions). Butterlield 8 release a version oi this sellsame Herbie Hancock song mere weeks ago, and all concerned on both sides must be breathing sighs ol reliel that the Jazz Club’s is as dillerent as they come. I actually preler Bulterlield B’s straighter rendition, but The Jazz Club let their hair down and take as many liberties as they can playfully getaway with. Hear both and decide.
I M.D.Emm: Playin’ with Fire/Phase ll: Reachln' (Republic). It’s a sign at the times when you have to review dance records with a dictionary oi drugs at youriingertips. MDA‘s in the index, and MDMA, but no MOM, so i guess they come out clean, according to this particular book anyway. They’re more interested in splcing up their tairiy unadventurous backing tracks with Philadelphian and other Seventies motlls. All right, but very predictable alterthe iirst minute. Phase it's uttering, surprise surprise, isn’t a sample-ridden head-mangler, but a real song, with verses and a chorus, in a classical soul/disco iorm. Untortunately, the urge lor House credibility has resulted in some quite ugly, unsympathetic production, particularly overly-agresslve drum lills. A shame.
I The McTells: Wind Up (Bi-jOOpiter) This comes on like a ragged and raw Fail, or Fire Engines, with classically DlY cardboard box production. Beyond the tact that their label's based in Hertlordshlre I know nothing about The
Greenside Place. 557 2590. 7.30pm. SOLD OUT.
I Salvation and Good and Gone Venue. Calton Road. 557 3073. If I do go alongto this it will be for the gritty and bluesy support act Good and Gone rather than the headliners. who contain at least one former member of Sisters ofMercy.
I Wraygun and The Rockets ()ddfellows. Forrest Road. 220 1816. 8pm. Free. Rockabilly.
I Alter Eight Mince Music Box. Victoria Street. 220 1708. 9.30pm. Free. Jazz-funk. I Billy Jones Lord Darnley. West Port. 229 434]. 10.30pm. Free. See Mon 17.
I The Dan Blocker Experience Negociants. Lothian Street. 225 6313. 9pm. Free. Tongue in cheek country and western.
McTells, but this EP’s whetted my appetite to see them live - It only to see it the singer's as wonderlul and lrightening as I imagine. (Mab)
I The Galley Slaves: Jack in the Box (Round Black). Yes, hearthe singer chant absolutely the worst retrain in history, ‘No Unauthorised Persons Beyond This Point', in what sounds like complete sincerity. . . Even Holland/Dozier/Holland had a good giggle when they wrote ‘Stop! in the Name at Love’ and this is sillier still. Avoid. (Mab)
ALBUMS
I ENYA ‘Watermark' (WEA) Adeceptive album this one, the debut lrom atormar vocalist with Clannad. On iirst listen, Its meticulously constructed vocal arrangements drill by the earwithout leaving any impact ol note. Perlect background music, in last, until you delvea little deeper.
The single, Orinoco Flow, is probablythe most seductive ol the tracks, and could even be a hit single, with a tender beautythat may make it one ol the year's surprise hit singles. Elsewhere, the title track, Storms in Alrlca and Evening Falls, all capture engaging moods and atmospheres.
Even so. there are some still unconvincing areas. yet the album is certainly worthon investigation. A mixture ol Clannad, New Age, The Cocteaus and Sinead O'Connor, and as you are unlikely to like all olthem, you are also unlikely to like all olthls album. (JW)
PLAYLIST
John Williamson with the LISTEN! lortnightly Hit List.
1. STEVE EARLE/MARIA McKEE Nothing But A Child (MCA, lorthcoming single/LP track)
2. ANITA BAKER Giving You The Best That I Got (Elektra, 'IIn)
3. LOVE AND MONEY Jocelyn Square (Fontana, LP track)
4. ROSANNE CASH Runaway Train (irom King's Record Shop LP, CBS)
5. SKIN GAMES Brilliant Shining (Epic, Tin)
6. GAIL ANN DORSEY The Missiles at Midnight (WEA, LP track)
7. CAROLE KING l Can Feel The Earth Move (Tapestry LP track, CBS)
8. DEACON BLUE Real Gone Kid (CBS, Tin)
9. TOM WAITS Train Song (B accompanying story, lrom Big Time, island LP)
10. TELEVISION Marquee Moon (LP)
l I The Brothers Preservation Hall. Victoria
Street. 226 3816. 9.30pm. Free.
FRIDAY 21
5 Glasgow
I in Tua Nua and Love TrainGlasgow School of Art. 167 Renl’rew Street.332
0691 . 8pm. Last sighted in lidinburgh. ln
'I‘ua Nua were enjoyable. although I wasa bit disappointed at the sub stadium ,5 approach taken on sortie of the songs.
Should still be good. and Love 'l'rain are one of the best pop bands to have been
signed in the last year or so. it theirdemos
l and previous gig at the Art School (with
Martin Stephenson) are anything to go by.
I Salvation and Christian Death Rooftops. J
The List 14 — 27 October 1988 39