Neds Got On At Springburn

Paul Haig

Paul Haig interviewed by Roy Moller for isthismusic? magazine, August 2007. Sammy Davis Jr. knew what he was singing about: the rhythm of life is a powerful beat. For twenty-five years, Rhythm Of Life’s been an imprint for numerous Paul Haig projects since his first solo ventures after the break-up of the gloriously edgy Josef K.Haig’s independent label Rhythm Of Life Inc has just released Electronik Audience, an album that finds him inspired by Kraftwerk/Yello-style electropop, and seminal Iggy Pop l.p. The Idiot. “When I first heard Iggy it was just my cup of tea - a deep monotone voice …instantly appealing”, recounts Haig with a wry smile: there’s a decidedly Iggy/Lou Reed timbre to his baritone and The Idiot’s well-turned lyrical economy continues to exert its influence. “Words that are quite choice and direct can really portray a whole feeling. So I was purposely trying to hold back on the lyrics as well”. Electronik Audience started taking shape when, one Sunday afternoon, Haig s...

The Velvet Underground in Edinburgh

Hearing that the Velvet Underground were playing the Playhouse was mind-blowing. And not one but two shows – I remember saying one must be for Sister Ray and the other for the rest of the material. I’d read that the Velvets had played Heroin live in 1990 but the idea of them getting together half a mile from where I grew up was crazy: my favourite group reuniting after 25 years (with Cale) or 23 years (with Reed) and doing it on Greenside Place – it was outrageous. I’d had a little VU history with the venue as in early 1982 I’d seen Nico play at the Nite Club (directly above the Playhouse) with the Blue Orchids. At one point she mentioned L-oooo-uuuu Reeeeed was soon to play in London and the thought of him playing 393 miles away was pretty exciting in itself. I didn’t know she’d stayed in Edinburgh and was living in Manchester. I was aware of Rab from The Scars but, living away from the city, hadn’t realised they’d briefly lived together in Stockbridge, frequenting bars on St St...

George Gallacher

A s the Store Keys packed our As the Store Keys packed our gear away after our first and, so sadly, last recording session with George, we looked at each other across the studio floor, in a proper case of “I know what you’re thinking.” Perhaps it was Stevie who blurted it out: “Can you believe that? Can you believe what just took place?” We were delighted just to be in a room with George. Honoured to have supported the Poets at Stereo for the Eyes Wide Open Club last December and somewhat bewildered that George and Fraser Watson had taken time to tell us they dug our sound. The Stereo show started with George on stage, clad commandingly in black as Poets and Thanes assembled for him, bottle of water in his hand. Eager to get on with it but calm in the eye of the storm. Fresh from a session on Radio Scotland that showcased a voice, astoundingly young. The show was spine-tingling. Somehow now we were cutting a single with the great man. To have him singing with us in the studio made ever...

Pleasures Of The Harbor

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