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ROCK/POP 'flflESUPERNATURALS Garage, Glasgow, Wed 19 Sep.
So what next for the wayward Britpop star now the days everyone partied like it’s 1968 have come and gone? Has God blessed you and your ‘kid’ with a singular eyebrow? Nope. Have you a cartoon alter ego to fall back on? Sorry, only the chosen few. Then that’ll mean you’ve probably jacked it in already.
There’s always an exception, though, which means we can safely file James McColI-singer and bassist in Glasgow’s champions of the three-minute summer classic The Supernaturals-under ‘none of the above’. Not that he isn’t proud of his roots: ‘I quite liked Britpop. At the time we got really irritated being called it, though, because anyone who knew us would be able to tell you we’d been imitating The Kinks and The Small Faces for five years and by the time we finally got a record deal it seemed to be coming towards an end.’
So even though there’s not a man, woman or bairn in the country who can’t hum one of
their insufferany catchy singles note for note - ‘Smile’, ‘Built To Get Up’, ‘Lazy Lover’. . . take your pick, and they produced two reasonably successful albums - It Doesn’t Matter Anymore and A Tune A Day - The Supernaturals found themselves a victim of changing tastes. First, they were dropped by their record company right after supporting Robbie Williams on tour, and the lean times that followed eventually led to the departure of a couple of key band members. ‘Mark (Guthrie) is working as a car park attendant in Glasgow,’ relates McColl, ‘and Ken (McAlpine) films golfers in St. Andrews. That just shows you how little money we make in The Supernaturals if that’s a career move.’ Unfashionably, all concerned remain on good
terms.
Salvation came in the form of television advertising cash for the use of ‘Smile’, which has helped fund their third album What We Did Last Summer. Or ‘what we did
EXPOSURE
Life’s full of tricky decisions. Razzle or Men Only? Chinos or Sta-Press? Well, here’s some help choosing the next band to love. This issue: Haven
Festival messed up my head. Need help. Badly. Cheer up you culture- fatigued dolt, for Haven are here, a new bunch of feller-me-lads from Manchester . . .
Stop. Stop right there. Another bunch of baggy-trousered, floppy- haired, monkey-faced . . . Alright. enOugh with the stereotypes. actually these lads originally hail from Cornwall, and moved to Manchester two years ago. where they have been doing very nicely indeed. thank you.
Like how nicely, exactly? Well, there's the tour supporting Badly Drawn Boy. Signing to Virgin offshoot Radiate. getting Johnny Marr to produce their debut album. N/le saying they're as good as The Smiths and The Stone Roses. you know. usual stuff.
44 THE LIST (3 Sop-20 Sep 2001
CARACAS
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two summers ago’, as it’s now not due for release until next spring, according to McColl ‘because it’s got quite a July vibe. It’s a bit like putting out a Christmas single in May’. Pushed on its content he reveals it will be more mature than previous offerings. ‘We’re just getting older, really. You grow as a musician; you want to do something a bit more individual.’ Fear not, though, chorus fans, because he still cites the harmonies of The Beach Boys and The Beatles as a major inspiration. With a new record deal on the table, new players bedded in after a summer tour of the Highlands (‘instead of going to play Middlesborough and stuff like that’) and the single ‘Finishing Credits’ - a duet with the guitarist’s girlfriend - due for release, this gig, part of a
Rolling Rock sponsored tour with up-and-comers
Skinny, could be your best chance to see them before they get big. All over again. (David Pollock) I A single, ‘Finishing Credits' is released on Mon 24 Sep.
No baggy trousers, floppy hair or monkey faces with Haven
Blimey crikey. How did it all get started? Ah, the cue for the PR blurb. Alleged/y singer Gary Briggs and guitarist Nat Watson met in a record shop in rockin' St Just in Cornwall. They were both after the same record. neither could afford it. so they went halfers on it. And if you believe that. I've got a tip for you. a nag that cannae lose...
Yeah, OK. Press bullshit aside, are they any cop? Thankfully yes. while it's
best to ignore any NME spOutings. the band have definitely got a chemistry between them and a powerful groove. as their new Single. the rollicking ‘Let lt Live' is testament to.
Thank you very much for your useful information. Yeah. whatever. Talk to the hand. the face ain't listening. (Doug Johnstone)
I A single ‘Let It Live', is released 10 Sep on Radiate. Haven play King Tut's, Glasgow, 8 Sep.
Natural surviviors
Surface noise Music news now
The autumn sees everyone and his dog filling up the tour buses and polishing up their best patter for the interview circuit as the world of rock and pop goes album and tour crazy.
The Chemical Brothers are among those with new albums on the horizon in the next few months with the tentatively titled Chemical 4 due out in October. preceded by a single, 'It Came From Afrika' out late September. The album includes collaborations with Beth Orton and Richard Ashcroft. Also on the electronica front. The Orb shuffle back into town with a date at Edinburgh's Liquid Room on 1 October.
Scotland's finest Mogwai and Mull Historical Society have both announced live dates. MHS embark on a tour of the Highlands before stopping off at the Liquid Boom in Edinburgh on 3 October while Mogwai finish off a highly productive year with a night at the Barrowland on 8 November. The band are finally releasing a version of live favourite, 'My Father, My King' as a single around that time. they recorded a 25-minute version of the track with Steve Albini earlier in the year. Look out for Mogwai re-releases in October too. their remix LP Kicking A Dead Pig and a compilation of EPs seeing the light of day in October.
The Charlatans (pictured) and Pulp are both on the verge of announcing dates in Scotland Over the coming months. Tim Burgess and co have already sold Out a night in Aberdeen and more live dates are pencilled in fOr late October/early November. Pulp's self titled album is due fOr release on 22 October. preceded by a single. 'Trees' on 8 October while The Charlatans' Wonder/and will be in the racks by 10 September. See next issue for a review.
For a full run down of all the just announced gigs see Book Now on page 47. Also look out for next issue on the streets 20 September when The List presents its autumn music preview featuring Spiritualized. Gorrilaz. a ten-year celebration of Glasgow's Soma Records and more.