ROCK DOVES Barrowland, Glasgow, Wed 1 May
Doves delivered one of 2000’s finest albums in their sublime debut, Lost Souls, spawning sell-out tours and a clutch of classic singles.
Then last year they vanished into the wide blue yonder, swallowed up by the stark contradictions of the all-engulfing expanse of the US tour trail and the intense intimacy of the studio, where they spent ten months completing new album, The Last Broadcast.
‘Ten months is quick for us really; the last album took two years,’ says Jez Williams. ‘So we’re quite chuffed. The actual writing was really quick, three weeks. It was just the recording was slow and painful.’
It is, he says, ‘a bit more up, this time. ‘We wanted a bit more buzz. Lost Souls was more reflective. There’s still a certain amount of escapism, but I think there are a few more stories on there.’
Brother Andy Williams concurs: ‘lt’s more diverse, it’s up and down, more extreme. More of a head-nodding vibe. I’m sure that there will be people out there who won’t like it, who are hoping for another Lost Souls.’
‘But people who know us know we aren’t gonna
as good as it used to be.
In our new column, Mogwai main man Stuart Braithwaite reckons the past ain’t
Survival of the fittest for 093
repeat,’ counters Jez. ‘So fuck ‘em if they don’t like it. I’m sure we’re gonna gain a lot of new fans from it.’
Having just supported Travis round the UK’s stadiums, they’ve already played to 200,000 new pairs of ears this year and while they grumble about the album/tour treadmill, the lure of the infamous Doves party vibe and the joy of working up a crowd on their imminent UK headline jaunt are irresistible.
‘lt’s a cliche but the best bit of it is on stage, that’s why you’re doing it. Not for the six hours on a bus with thirteen men and not seeing your girlfriend for weeks,’ muses Andy. ‘That drives you mad. It’s really boring, really tedious.’
‘If it’s gone really well you’re so hyped up you feel “I’ve got to maintain this high by whatever means”. Or if you have a shit one, you wanna take something to forget it, and that continues the cycle again,’ adds Jez.
But even these chemical brothers succumb to temperance eventually: ‘You can only do it for a certain amount of time, before you start suffering, everyone starts getting ill, flipping out, losing their minds. You start to learn a few things. “Okay, I’m not going to get hammered every night and maybe I’ll survive this tour”.’ (Vicky Davidson)
or that Tom Hanks has won an Oscar.
It is a huge relief to know that after months of wrangling that the whole 13th Note saga is close to some kind of resolution.
Having a venue where new bands can play without the pressures of selling tickets (thus lining someone’s pockets) is
atching 24 Hour Party People is a truly strange experience. The film is as
touching as it is funny and really works well in telling people about the characters and times (much in a similar way to the truly amazing Sex Pistols documentary The Filth And The Fury). While it’s very good in all respects, it’s hard not to notice that most of the characters in the film are still alive (although by the look of Shaun Ryder on TV the other week, I don’t know for how long).
There seems to be an obsession in modern times to document and assess everything almost before it has run its course. Nostalgia TV specials are just the tip of the iceberg. In the musical world those of
44 THE LIST 2f) Apr S) May 200?
us too young to have experienced the heady days of late 70$ NYC punk in the flesh now have a band who dress and sound just the same as Television but still qualify for a young persons rail card.
How come the Strokes can shamelessly plunder history and come out smelling of roses, and Ocean Colour Scene are a national joke? Admittedly the Strokes aren't quite that bad but you get the point. When did blatant retroism become acceptable? How many of the masses that bought the Hives record actually own a record by the Stooges? I'm sure the answer would be as equally horrifying as the fact that no Bob Dylan record has sold as much as the first Wallflowers album
incalculable. There's a real possibility that half the bands people associate with Glasgow would never have got past the first hurdle without it.
By the time you read this, my first instalment for The List, I will have already gotten ‘rocked' by Austin’s finest . . . And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead. About time too since everyone knows that Scotland invented . . . Trail Of Dead and that before they hit Caledonia all they knew was pig farmin' and sister— Iovin'. I love these boys like my own corn-fed spawn, I saw them at the London Astoria a while back and they were, in short, fucking tremendous. Even if they have to learn the spelling difference between ‘stoner’ and ‘stonner’. Humbaws.
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Surface noise
All the buy-outs, try-outs and pig-outs in the wonderful world of music.
GLASGOW MUSIC FANS
can breathe a sigh of relief and look forward to the opening of West 13, the successor to the 13th Note cafe. Former 13th Note owner Craig Tannock has taken over the running of McChuils Wayout West on Kelvinhaugh Street and proposes to run it as a vegan café and live music venue like before. A full programme of events will be launched from 23 May.
THIS COUNTRY IS GOING jazz ker-azy with two new outlets for live jazz starting in the coming weeks. The capital has the Bridge Jazz bar. a new venue. run by local drummer Bill Kyle. who is proposing to fill the gap between the established touring names from Europe appearing at Henry's Cellar Bar and the more dancefloor friendly, late night antics at the Beat Jazz Basement round the corner with local live acts. Opening the Club is New York vibes supremo Joe Locke on Saturday 28 April.
Also. Sidewinder is a new weekly club at Canvas in Glasgow and kicks off on with Green Juice playing live on Thursday 25 April and boasts a raft of guests in the coming months with the turntable treats prowded by residents Looseioints.
T IN THE PARK JUST GETS better and better as godlike geniuses Sonic Youth are confirmed to grace the stage at Balado This is in addition to Basement Jaxx (pictured) and Orbital and Hoobastank.
CONFUSION IS RlFl: OVER the proposed changes to the Bongo Club. It should be pointed out that contrary to last issues report. the proposed Dalmeny Street development would be the home for Out Of The Blue. and would not be a club or live music venue due to its residential location. A home for the late night side of the venture is currently being sought.