CLUBS LlS'l‘
CLUBS
PREVIEW
Juan gives Edinburgh’s Chimes a bell; while Colin Stevens hails the return of
indie disco at Delirium 7 (below).
LISTINGS: GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH DIARY 62
The Chimes at midnight
From Pepsi and Shirley to U2, Edinburgh’s The Chimes are provmg themselves to be a classy soul outfit. Juan charts their progress.
‘In a way it's a good point that we come from Edinburgh. because there isn‘t anyone else doing this type of music up here. It makes it easier not to be criticised for sounding like somebody else in your own back garden. lfwe came from London we would have probably come in for a lot ofstick for having sounded a certain way in the past .‘ says James Locke. drummer and programmer of Edinburgh soul outfit The Chimes.
The Chimes would not be around had it not been forJames and Mike Peden (the band's bass/keyboard player). who were asked to write a song for Pepsi and Shirley. "The song was completely the wrong sound for them. it was more like a Minneapolis sound with a Chaka Khan beat on top ofit. but it got people interested so we thought we‘ll take it a step further. form a band and get a singer.‘
The quest for a singer took longer and proved to be rather more expensive than they thought. As the money was running out they couldn‘t afford to fly Pauline Henry from London to Edinburgh to audition her. So how did they hear her? James explains: ‘What she actually did was to play a demo tape over the phone. I taped it and played it back on the ghetto blaster and it sounded okay.‘ Henry was chosen because. says Mike. ‘we were completely pissed off by that time l because we had flown up about ten people. but
after five minutes ofbeing with them you could tell that they were 0an use.‘
The Chimes signed to CBS in August 1988 and they began to write some songs. the first one being ‘Underestimate‘. Their first single ‘l.2.3.'. which was produced by Nelle Hooper and Jazzie B of Soul II Soul. made many people draw comparisons. But James points out that the difference between The Chimes and Soul II Soul is that. ‘we are trying to be more ofa kind ofsoul thing with a bit ofthat live element thrown in. concentrating on songs rather than just beats. Our album will show that another difference is that they are DJs and we are musicians and even before we became involved with Soul ll Soul. we were developing along similar paths. except that they had their records out before we did. But most people these days talk about The Chimes on
,
a par with Soul II Soul.‘
We discussed the song many believe will take them to chart success. a cover version of the L12 song ‘I Still Haven‘t Found . . .‘ ‘We had been asked to do Halfway To Paradise. in which you have to do a cover version.‘ says James. ‘80 instead ofdoing your usual Stevie Wonder song we remembered hearing Pauline sing the U2 song and we thought that it was worth a try.’
CBS and countless others agree that this is the one that will make them. And. ifthat‘s not recommendation enough. so do Messrs Bone and Co. (Juan)
The Chimes" next single. I Still Haven '1 Found What I 'm Looking For, is scheduled to he released by CBS records in M arc/1.
West Indies
Delirium 7: Secrets Lounge, Rooltops, Glasgow.
What has happened to indie discos recently?
It lew years ago, the nearest you came to hearing a dance record would have been a token gesture to hip-hop in the mould ol the crossover metal/rap hybrid made iamous by the Beastie Boys and Run DMC. It really took our lriend Mr Smiley to bring the blinkered DJs and students the ioys at club music
in 1988. Since then, the indie scene hasn't looked back (re Manchester), 1 with dance music dominating playlists.
All very well, but not everyone has been happy with the changes, and this is where James Flyte, John Travis and their club Delirium 7 come in. It's not only the demise (as they see it) of the indie/psychedelic disco that has brought about its being, but the lack of opportunities lor local bands to play a set in clubs. Delirium 7 hopes to be a showcase lor Glasgow bands which will compliment the playlist ol the club, but there will only be one band per
i night.
Sun11.
James explains, ‘Usually there are
two or three hands a night at concerts, ‘ but I’ve lound people don’t usually want their dancing interrupted that often. So we‘re only having one band a night.‘ Already lined up to play are Cheering the Wake on Sun 28, The Rhythm Kittens on Sun 4, and Lost on
With the intended audience primarily being goths, I can understand the gothic, indie and psychedelic sounds promised, but acid as well? John explains, ‘The gothic/psychedelic
crowd aren’t as hostile to acid as you would think. It has a lot at links to psychedelic sounds from the Sixties, so they do want to hear it, but not all night. We don‘t want to be a strictly revivalist club.‘ (Colin Steven)
Bands interested in playing a set should contactJames Flyte, New Era Sounds 8 Entertainments, Top Lett, 309 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G4 5 9H8. (334 8737). The Glasgow Music
' Collective, a promoter of gigs in the city and a cooperative organisation lor bands, can be contacted at the same address.
__J
The List 26 January — 8 February 100061