Name the tears
Occupation Friends reunited What’s this all about then? No matter how much Suede fans tried to fool themselves. things were never the same after the Brett/Bernard split. Towards the end of the Dog Man Star sessions in 1994, Anderson had chucked all of Butler ’s possessions into bin bags and left them outsule the studio. and a once dark and spiky belter of an indie band slipped into a poppier pastiche of themselves. After a long. hard ten years for both Willi Anderson's outfit limping on producing unsuccessful. lifeless dirge. and Butler deing orin mildly better with an average solo career. production work for the Libertines and a failed partnership with DaVid McAlmont. Suede disbanded and much to the delight of their devoted followers the London fivesome's frontman and original guitarist swallowed their pride and have decided to work together again.
And about time too. as it was clear from their live performances that one without the other just wouldn't do. It was the competitive chemistry between the duo which made for great music. like Morrissey and Man before them. and finally recognising this. they holed up in Butler‘s home studio and promised to create a ‘spectacular' set of songs. The as-yet—untitled debut album is due for release in the Spring. but we don't have to wait too long to hear what they've come up with as they preview new tracks at this forthcoming low-key Scottish date. Last year‘s London shows were received well wrth reviews indicating that the new material was similar in sound to the emotional majesty of their previous work together. Let's just hope it's reinvention rather than rehash. (Camilla Pia) I The Liquid Room. Edinburgh. Mon 74 Feb.
68 THE LIST: «
GIANT SAND Queen's Hall. Edinburgh. Tue 15 Feb
‘I think that certain people are born with disabilities and they get superpowers as compensation,‘ Howe Gelb says. ‘So, if you're born blind, you can hear 50% better than other people.‘
If Ray Charles‘ superpower was his hearing, then Gelb‘s is the ability to make many records with plenty of people and tour all over the world. A lot.
Gelb’s bringing the third incarnation of his three decade-old alt.country outfit Giant Sand to Edinburgh. The latest line-up sees Gelb‘s old Calexico buddies replaced by ‘the Danes‘ he‘s been making music with since spending four months of the year in Aarhus, Denmark with his wife Sofie Albertsen Gelb and their kids.
Gelb spend the other eight months of the year in his hometown ‘toasty Tucson‘, although he’s on the road plenty. ‘lt‘s the only time I don’t get interruptions.’ says Gelb about songwriting. ‘I've got three children now. You got any kids yet? Get on the kid stick soon. I can tell you. at 47, you don’t get more energy.‘
Gelb gets it from somewhere. Aside from being a family man (his 17-year-old daughter lndiosa provides the vocals for the Sex Pistols homage on Giant Sand‘s last album) and Gelb is following the current tour with ten solo gigs in Spain. Then he has a new the Band of Blacky Ranchette album (with Calexico's Joey Burns and John Convertino) ready for release. but also isn‘t sure what to do with his Granddady recordings. and may contribute to the soundtrack of Terry Gilliam‘s next film. Tide/and.
But Gelb says the songs sort of write themselves. ‘I figure they‘re in you already; they come pre-packaged. Sometimes. man. it‘s like someone's whispering into your head. Which probably does happen - this planet has got to be crowded with the dead. The ghosts probably use us as stereos.‘
Likewise. Gelb jokes the gigs have a life of their own. ‘When the atmosphere‘s provided. that's when the songs take seed. You can plan. but it won‘t have that certain indescribable edge. It happens all by its self. It's kind of like a percentage game; it happens 73% of the time. At each gig. That‘s the standard.‘
27%. Maybe that's the disability Gelb was born with. (Miles Fielder)
hr x :k’
EL PRESIDENTE
King Tut's, Glasgow, Thu 20 Jan 0...
A daxxling spectacle of Sll()\“.’l)l/
craftsmanship »7 and that's just lead singer Dante (SIX/is suit — tonight sees
[3| Presidente staging a minor and admittedly impeccath dressed. homecoming f't?‘.’()ltll|()ll. But then you'd expect nothing else from amone WHOSC riianifesto states:
touriter-terrorism officers have
.iescrihed him as the most dangerous musician in the world and the lyrics to his music have been banned in :17
countries'
The '.'.eapon of choice is hugely
energetic and irresistiny entertaining t‘lthEl rock. a kind of halfway house
t‘t‘t\‘.t"t‘:ri AC DC and the Seissor Sister's with occasional echoes of
reggae thrown I" for good measure.
With the rest of the band throwrng some egually enthusiastic and stylish shapes. the cries of ‘Viva El Presidentel' from the ex Gun star become an increasingly enticing proposition wrth every song. Their next hostage in 2005 could well be the mainstream: resistance is futile. comrades. (Emma Newlandsi
lUNACY
KUNT
Stag & Turret, Edinburgh, Tue Jan 25 0...
You could be forgiven for thinking the Fringe has come early to Edinburgh's latest underground emporium. Given
both the event's timing and li‘, propensity for r,-ower tools, you could easily l)f:ll(:\.’(: too. that you've stumbled on a vehy different kind of Burns Night.
Preceded by CK Dexter Haven". rhythm method poWer pad liypriotir '. and /‘\non‘yrnye's one man ban/l folktronrca, [Jr lick and l Iilii Deluxe, AKA Kurit. indulge iii a non stop ‘I'UTI’, cabaret of Oedipal odes ari'l pott. mouthed paens to their favourite adjecti/e. cut up and electro pussysrliipped so as to reclaim .f from the XXXX s.'/i|l.
Tiff: (:flfflj ()f lll‘:‘.‘: l‘.‘.’f) l'llll.’ eare’f Antipodeans is akin to l’eaclie', sucking on the feat of linstiir/enile Neubaten's industrial strength ',tiirrii und drang before running array to join Jirii Rose's Circus. Where these glamour pussies excel beyond the ow,- iirie joke“, of both, box/ever. i'. in tlieir deliciously nudgeniidge a ."/;2T(1il(,‘<,', of' how not to give a may the goods too soon.
So. if initial cunning stunts are a flirtatious lease. the 'r/restling match that rips and strips Our combatants of their cuddly-wudd|y ariirnal suif'. means the money shot is irrirriinerit. A', Ms Deluxe slips into a solid steel strap-on. attacking it Hill) a turned on angle grinder. sparks really do fly, Come again. girls. Appliances. pox/er tools and air. (Neil Cocperi