Happy Hallowe'en (Just A Bit Early)

I know that Hallowe'en is (a) not till Sunday and (b) ridiculous, it is meant to be for kids, but instead turns into an excuse to dress up as a slutty nurse when you should know better, but it gives me an excuse to round up some vaguely spooky themed music and watch scary films, so whatever. Since you are likely to be doing all your partying before Sunday (and if you want suggestions for something to do, why not peek at the gig guide?) we figured we'd post early too with some songs to soundtrack your creepy weekend.

Fist up we'll revisit a post from Monday's Keeping It Peel extravaganza for some Aereogramme, just since it is already uploaded and handy.

Aereogramme - Thriller

Next up is the latest of FOUND's free track giveaways. Something Under The Bed Is Drooling takes it's name from Calvin & Hobbes, which means it is already a winner in my book.


Our next wee Hallowe'en track comes from the good folk at Back de Piggy Records. The two track release by Goat Doctor is available on a pay what you want basis, and is quite terrifying really.

The Plimptons released a seasonal themed single last year called 'I Hate Hallowe'en'. It sounds a bit like The Misfits version of Monster Mash, with a Scottish accent. Fantastic then. It is still available as a free download here. I Hate Hallowe'en is also included on the upcoming Plimpton's album '00s Nostalgia With The Plimptons. The album is set to be launched on November 20th, and you can download the first four tracks as well as finding out more details at the same link as you got the Hallowe'en single.

Supporting The Plimptons at that album launch are The Paraffins, which is handy, since they are also supplying our next freebie. The Thirty One Ten Ten EP was recorded for the recent Way of the Tomb night in Glasgow and is available to download here.

Finally a little something from Le Reno Amps. Never Be Alone is a spooky little taster for their new album, due out early next year. Listen/download below.

Never Be Alone by Le Reno Amps by Armellodie

Oh, and a wee video from Fiction Faction.

Gorman Go Japanese

Bit short notice this, due to emails slipping between the cracks, sorry.

Glasgow band Gorman have been picked to represent Scotland at Japan Music Week, currently the only Scottish band to have been chosen to do so.

In order to pay their way the band have been doing a series of fund raising events, the latest taking place on Thursday October 27th.

Before Gorman head off to Japan they'll be playing an intimate gig in The Vale in Glasgow, where they will perform debut album Kairos in it's entirity, with the set featuring some material rarely, if ever performed live.

The gig kicks off at 7:30pm, entry is £6 and more details can be found over on Facebook.

Gorman : Website

Buy the debut album Kairos on iTunes or Amazon

Down below you can hear a wee bit of the band in rehearsal, and they talk a bit more about heading to Japan.

Mogwai Announce New Album, Tour

Mogwai have announced plans for their seventh studio album, and a tour to go with it.

The album is called Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, and is set for release on February 14th 2011.

Here's the tracklist:

White Noise
Mexican Grand Prix
Rano Pano
Death Rays
San Pedro
Letters To The Metro
George Square Thatcher Death Party
How To Be A Werewolf
Too Raging To Cheers
You're Lionel Richie

Also announced is a tour of Britain, full dates below. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday 29th October.

TOUR DATES
26 Jan: Tolbooth, Stirling (www.ticketsoup.com / 01786 274000)
27 Jan: Paisley Town Hall (www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/onlinebooking /0141 887 1010)
28 Jan: Perth Theatre, Perth (www.horsecross.co.uk / 01738 621 031)
29 Jan: The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen (www.boxofficeaberdeen.com)
30 Jan: Grand Ole Opry, Glasgow (www.seetickets.com / 0871 220 0260)
2 Feb: Tokyo, Japan (More details to follow)
13 Feb: Mandela Hall, Belfast (www.ticketmaster.ie / 0844 847 2455)
14 Feb: The Live Lounge, Galway (www.ticketmaster.ie / 0818 719 300)
15 Feb: Olympia Theatre, Dublin (www.ticketmaster.ie / 0818 719 300)
17 Feb: Bournemouth O2 Academy (www.ticketweb.co.uk /0844 477 2000)
18 Feb: Cardiff University (www.seetickets.com / 02920 230130)
19 Feb: Bristol O2 Academy (www.seetickets.com / 0870 4444400)
20 Feb: Leeds O2 Academy (www.ticketweb.co.uk / 0844 477 2000)
21 Feb: Edinburgh Picture House (www.seetickets.com / 0871 220 0260)
23 Feb: The Regal, Oxford (www.kililive.com / www.tctmusic.co.uk )
24 Feb: Birmingham Institute (www.seetickets.com /0870 264 3333,www.ticketweb.co.uk /0844 477 1000, www.hmvtickets.com / 0843 221 0100)
25 Feb: Brixton O2 Academy London (www.seetickets.com / 0870 264 3333,www.stargreen.com / 0207 734 8932, www.ticketweb.co.uk / 0844 477 1000)
26 Feb: Manchester Academy (www.seetickets.com / 0870 264 3333,www.ticketline.co.uk / 0844 888 9991)
27 Feb: The Sage Gateshead (www.thesagegateshead.org /0191 443 4661)

Tickets for the February dates are £20 in advance for everywhere except London which are £22.50.
Tickets are also available via http://mogwaitickets.sandbag.uk.com

Mogwai: Website

Keeping It Peel - The Nectarine No.9

This will be the final Keeping It Peel post of the evening from me, but keep you eyes on the other bloggers who will be carrying on way into the night.

I'm left with umpteen sessions that I haven't found time to post, so if you want this to turn into a semi-regular thing do let me know. It'll be more like once a week, rather than once an hour though. However, up yours to those people that say I have no work ethic for the blog :)

To round things off I've picked The Nectarine No.9, simply because they are a band that I can't see myself finding a way to shoehorn into any other post, but one I really like. Formed in 1991 by Davey Henderson, a man of many bands, notably Fire Engines and personal favourites Win. Davey is still going strong with the Sexual Objects. The Nectarine No.9 are another of the groups that seemed to be ever present when I was getting into independent and local music. They have a stack of albums under their belt, and a clutch of Peel Sessions too.

The Nectarine No.9 - Maida Vale Peel Session 04.03.2001

1. Pong Fat 6

2. Pocketradiodrops

3. Found Things

4. It's Raining For Some Cloudy Reasons

That'll do pig. That'll do.

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Keeping It Peel - Aereogramme

I was very late to the party with this band. In fact, by the time I got into Aereogramme they were just about to call it a day. My first Aereogramme gig was their last, and I was left with a feeling of regret that I hadn't caught on sooner.

Delving into their back catalogue from there threw up more and more reasons to fall in love with the band, and in a short time I went from being ambivalent to fully converted.

Aereogramme's Craig B and Iain Cook are back making music together now after some time apart as The Unwinding Hours. Their debut album released earlier this year must be a strong competitor for the imminent Album of the Year polls, and their gig a little over a week ago in Glasgow's Oran Mor was nothing short of stunning.

Aereogramme recorded a couple of Peel Sessions, but I only have one handy, you can find that below.

They were in 2004's Festive Fifty twice, with Dreams and Bridges at #4 and The Unravelling at #15.

Aereogramme - John Peel Session 29.01.2003

1. Believe Me

2. Snake

3. Inhalation Blues

4. Thriller

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Keeping It Peel - Primal Scream

Nearing the end of my Keep It Peel posts, before my hands fall off or my eyes go even more wonky than they already are.

Primal Scream's two Peel Sessions were done way back in the mid 80s when they were a much more jangly band, long before the experimentations of later years. I've got a bit of a soft spot for C86 Scream Team though and it is always fun to compare between how they started and where they went.

The sound quality of the sessions is a bit iffy, but you get the idea.

Primal Scream - Maida Vale Session 01.12.1985

1. Tomorrow Ends Today

2. Leaves

3. Bewitched and Bewildered (this one cuts off before the end, sorry)

Primal Scream - Maida Vale Session 06.05.1986

1. Crystal Crescent

2. Aftermath

3. Subterranean

4. I Love You

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Keeping It Peel - El Hombre Trajeado

el hombre trajeado woke up in october 1995, snoozed a little through 2003 / 2004, then went back to sleep for good in 2006

So it says on their website, and who am I to disagree with the people responsible? El Hombre Trajeado were a familiar name when I was out and about at gigs around the late 90s. They'd pop up from time to time on a bill and had a name that stuck in the head. I hadn't thought about them in some time though, until early this year when the band's RM Hubbert released his album First & Last. Hubby's excellent album sent me back to listen to El Hombre, which gave me a nice little reminder of just how good they were.

All three of their albums and a single are available on a "name your price" basis here. RM Hubbert's album is available on the same terms here.

El Hombre Trajeado recorded three Peel Sessions, you can hear a couple of tracks below.

Many thanks to RM Hubbert for hooking me up with these tracks.

El Hombre Trajeado - John Peel Session 01.03.1998

Diary Extract

El Hombre Trajeado - John Peel Session 24.01.2001

Redial

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

El Hombre Trajeado: Website

RM Hubbert: Website

Keeping It Peel - The Delgados

In tribute to John Peel the 5pm post today, this one, has been written at the wrong speed. In other words, I didn't finish it quick enough to post it at the right time.

The Delgados would be my other favourite band ever if pushed. Them and Arab Strap would need to have some kind of Deathmatch to provide a clear winner, and that seems unlikely to happen.

The Delgados were, of course, Emma Pollock, Paul Savage, Alun Woodward and Stewart Henderson. Not only did The Delgados release five briliant studio albums, but they also formed Chemikal Underground Records together.

The band split in 2005, with each member happily going on to do their own things and they continue to run Chemikal together.

You are allowed to not like The Delgados (though you'll be wrong, I can prove it with graphs) but what this foursome have done for Scottish music both with their own releases and with Chemikal Underground is very deserving of your respect at least.

The Delgados feature 13 times in the Festive Fifty. Pull The Wires From The Wall placed at #27 in 1997 before being #1 in 1998, also making it in to the Millenium All Time Fifty at #26.

Again, all of The Delgados Peel Sessions have been released, so I'll just be cherry picking a couple of tracks. You can buy The Complete Peel Sessions on CD or (very cheap) download from Amazon, download from iTunes, direct from Chemikal or anywhere else that sells good records.

The Delgados - John Peel Session 12.05.1996

Under Canvas Under Wraps

The Delgados - John Peel Session 17.06.1998

The Weaker Argument Defeats The Stronger

The Delgados - John Peel Session 02.09.2004

Is That All That I Came For?

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Chemikal Underground: Website

Keeping It Peel - Kenickie

"I just want to hear something I haven't heard before" said John Peel. With that in mind you could argue that by digging through the archives I've missed the point of #keepingitpeel. However since the rest of the year is dedicated to writing about new music, going out to see live bands and attempting to deliver something you might not have heard before I think I can be forgiven for using today for nostalgia, don't you?

We are slipping out of Scotland for this one, going south of the border to Sunderland.

Kenickie were three girls and a boy. While they weren't always the strongest performers they oozed charm and charisma, and had some killer tunes. Lead vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Lauren Laverne has long since stopped the singing, but can now be found on the telly regularly, and pushing new music as a 6 Music DJ. She likes We're Only Afraid of NYC, which is just one more reason why we at Aye Tunes will always love Lauren.

Kenickie did two Peel Sessions which were put together and released back in 2000. That release can be a bit tricky to find, but to avoid trouble I'm just picking one song per session anyway.

Kenickie placed twice in the Festive Fifty with Come Out 2Nite and Punka at numbers 1 and 4 respectively in 1996. Sandwiched between those two entries were Arab Strap and The Delgados. Sounds like an Aye Tunes DJ set.

Kenickie - John Peel Session 18.06.1995

PVC

Kenickie - John Peel Session 01.03.1996

Come Out 2Nite

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Keeping It Peel - Close Lobsters

How can I do Peel Sessions and not mention the most famous indie band from Paisley ever?
Time for local heros Close Lobster then.

Mostly first noticed due to their inclusion on NME's C86 tape with Firestation Towers, that landed them a deal with Fire Records - who on a side note seem to shaft every artist they work with, as far as the horror stories I've heard about them go.

Only two albums to their name, Foxheads Stalk This Land and Headache Rhetoric, along with a handful of singles. Word has it that there's a Greatest Hits in the works, but I heard that ages ago so take that with a pinch of salt.

Just the one Peel Session to chose from, so you can find it below.

Close Lobsters - John Peel Session 15.12.1987

1. Loopholes

2. From this Day On

3. What Is There To Smile About?

4. Mirror Breaks

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Keeping It Peel - Arab Strap

If there's a question I hate being asked more than any other it is "What's your favourite?". Be it about films, bands, beers, chocolates, whatever, it is a question that I always struggle with, and the answer will change any time I have to give one.

If push comes to shove though, if forced to name my favourite band Arab Strap are never far from the top of the list.

If you are the kind of person who is reading a Scottish music blog then chances are you won't need an introduction to Arab Strap, but just in case, here's the basics. Arab Strap were Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton mainly, with an assortment of friends pitching in at gigs and where needed. Between 1995 and their split in 2006 they released six albums, a clutch of singles and EPs and a couple of obscurities available at gigs, before signing off with a best of, Ten Years Of Tears, which is possibly the most essential "Best Of" album I can think of.

Arab Strap's final gig at the ABC in Glasgow in December 2006 remains one of my favourite gigs I've been too. Complete strangers were hugged, there was singing, there was dancing, and there might even have been a tear or two.

Aidan and Malcolm have of course both continued to make music since the split, and the World is a better place for them being around.

Arab Strap's first two Peel Sessions are available on the recent reissues of The Week Never Stars Round Here (buy from Amazon/iTunes) and Philophobia (buy from Amazon/iTunes), so I'll just post one track from the first session, and a later as yet unreleased session.

Arab Strap placed in the Festive Fifty twice, The First Big Weekend at #2 in 1996 and Hey! Fever at #16 in 1997.

Arab Strap - Maida Vale Peel Session 04.03.1997

The First Big Peel Thing

Arab Strap - Peel Session 09.05.2000

1. The Drinking Eye

2. Pro-(Your) Life

3. Tiny Girls

4. Leave The Day Free

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Aidan Moffat: Website

Malcolm Middleton - Website

Keeping It Peel - bis

Ah, bis. Even if you don't know any of their songs there's a good chance you'll have heard of the Glasgow three piece, due to their appearance on Top of the Pops many years ago when they were the first unsigned band to do so.
Me and bis have a bit of an uneasy relationship. There's enough of their stuff that I really like to make me enjoy them, but there's also a few songs that I can barely listen to. General rule of thumb for me tends to be avoiding most of the early stuff, although there are a few pop gems sprinkled in there, and concentrate more on the later material. Social Dancing is a good album, and ridiculously cheap to download from Amazon according to that link. The posted Peel Session, the band's third, draws from that album.

The first single from Social Dancing, Eurodisco, placed at number 7 in the 1998 Festive Fifty, the fourth year in a row bis had a song included.

bis - Maida Vale Peel Session 28.06.1998

1. Making People Normal

2. Action & Drama

3. The Hit Girl

4. It's All New

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

bis: Website

Keeping It Peel - ballboy

I sometimes take Edinburgh four piece ballboy a bit for granted. It feels like they've been around for as long as I've been paying attention and partly because of that familiarity I find myself forgetting how many blooming brilliant songs they have under their belts. Ballboy do also have an eye for a great song title, and are one of the few bands that have not just gotten away with covering The Boss, but added something new, with their gorgeous version of Born in the USA.

John Peel obviously agreed with ballboy's quality, with 10 songs in the Festive Fifty in only four years and a number of sessions.

Those Festive Fifty picks in full:

I Hate Scotland (Number 13 in 2000)

They'll Hang Flags From Cranes (Number 26 in 2001)

I've Got Pictures Of You In Your Underwear (Number 41 in 2001)

All The Records On The Radio Are Shite (Number 10 in 2002)

Where Do The Nights Of Sleep Go? (When They Do Not Come To Me) (Number 24 in 2002)

The Sash My Father Wore (Number 14 in 2003)

I Gave Up My Eyes (Number 23 in 2003)

Born In The USA (Number 38 in 2003)

The Art of Kissing (Number 21 in 2004)

I Don't Have Time To Stand Here With You Fighting About The Size Of My Dick (Number 49 in 2004)

There are several Peel Sessions available direct from the ballboy website, so go over there and help yourself. I'll posted up the last one from November 2004 below.

ballboy: John Peel Session November 9th 2004

1. We've All Had Better Days

2. Let's Fall In Love And Run Away From Here

3. Slow Days

4. The Art of Kissing

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

ballboy: Website - MySpace

Keeping It Peel - Urusei Yatsura

For the first proper KeepingItPeel post of the day we are visiting one of my favourite bands.

Urasei Yatsura formed in Glasgow in 1993 and consisted of Graham Kemp, Fergus Lawrie, Elaine Graham and Elaine 's brother Ian Graham. In 1994 they contributed a live recording of the song Guitars are Boring to a compilation released by the Kazoo Club (which was based in the 13th Note). This recording, along with their fanzine Kitten Frenzy brought the band to the attention of John Peel and a session followed.
The band then recorded a six track maxi single All Hail Urusei Yatsura. With the proceeds of the Peel session the band released a split single on their own Modern Independent Records label, Pampered Adolescent. They were later lured to London's Che Records where they released more records, but the band split after releasing their fourth album.

Fergus, Elaine and Ian moved on to form Projekt A-Ko, who should hopefully be releasing their second album around the end of the year.

In 1996 Kewpies Like Watermelon placed at #45 in Peel's Festive Fifty.

If you hate Aye Tunes (and if you do why are you bothering to read it?) then you can put partial blame for it existing at the feet of Urusei Yatsura. You see, Yatsura were one of the earliest bands to make me interested in the Scottish music scene. Several nights were spent trying to get into venues around Glasgow while still underage to get to see them. Along with the more obvious names like Arab Strap, The Delgados and Mogwai, Urusei Yatsura instilled a passion for local bands that indirectly led me to being here now, writing this.

Urusei Yatsura featured four times on John Peel's show, I've picked the two Maida Vale sessions they did for posting.

Urusei Yastura - Maida Vale Peel Session - 02.04.2006

1. Skull In Action

2. First Day On A Brand New Planet

3. The Power Of Negative Thinking

4. Velvey Bood

Urusei Yastura - Maida Vale Peel Session - 29.07.2007

1. Hello Tiger

2. Dice Nae Dice

3. Exidor

4. Flaming Skull

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

Urusei Yatsura MySpace

Projekt A-Ko MySpace

Keeping It Peel

What is Keeping It Peel? Well, simply put it is a sort of John Peel Day, for bloggers.
KeepingItPeel is the brainchild of Webbie of Football and Music, brought to my attention by JC of The Vinyl Villain. It is a sort of offspring of JC's brilliant Paul Haig Day idea and it boils down to a bunch of bloggers taking today to post some Peel Sessions.

I've got a fair amount planned for today but rather than doing a massive post I'll be spreading things out a bit, so pop by every now and then to hear some songs, read a wee bit about some bands and generally celebrate Uncle John.

We'll kick things off pretty simply. Recorded in Mono in Glasgow on October 13th 2005 at a John Peel Night gig here is Mogwai paying tribute. It is exactly what it says it is.

Mogwai: A Minute of Noise In Memory of John Peel

Mogwai were no strangers to the John Peel show, with several sessions under their belts and eight Festive Fifty inclusions.

Many of Mogwai's Peel Session tracks are collected on Government Commissions, available on CD or download from Amazon and from iTunes.

For more information on Keeping It Peel visit the website set up here.

You Already Know - Let's Fuck

You might remember a few weeks ago I mentioned that the brilliant You Already Know are currently releasing a series of digital singles, this is just me reminding you if you've forgotten, and shamelessly pimping them.

The first single, Boomstick, is out now and available here.

The next single, Let's Fuck, is released on November 1st. Have a listen and watch the video below.

YAK : Digital Single 2: November 2010: Let's Fuck by YAKtracks

This Week's Gigs: 25th - 31st October

Oh look, I'm back on time with a Sunday gig guide. Just as well as there's quite a lot happing on the blog tomorrow. Really this time, there'll be posts and stuff.

On with the gigs.

Monday:

Sugar Crisis, Her Royal Higness. Pivo Pivo. Free entry.

Oxjam: Fiona Soe Paing. the Arts Centre, Aberdeen. Tickets

Tuesday:

Glasgow Slow Club: Barn Owl, The Japanese War Effort. Bloc. Free entry.

45 A-Side Records are hijacking the Slow Club again this week to further promotion of the recently released Glad Cafe Fundraiser album with two of the bands involved playing tonight. Well, one band playing and a member pulling double duty. We really like The Japanese War Effort round here, and there's a half written review from Thursday Barn Owl gig sat here waiting for me to finish it, but we rather like them too.

Thursday:

A Band Called Quinn, The Low Miffs, Dead Boy Robotics . ABC2

Launch gig for A Band Called Quinn's rather gorgeous new album The Beggar's Opera. If you hurry you can pick up a copy of the album and a ticket for this gig for only a tenner. It'll be money well spent and the supports for the gig are pretty tasty too.

The Answering Machine, Futuristic Retro Champions, Little Eskimos, Rapids. King Tut's Wah Wah Hut. Tickets

Futuristic Retro Champions recently announced they'll be breaking up soon, so catch them while you can. You can get tickets a wee bit cheaper direct from them here.

Johnny Reb, Oscar Charlie, Los Tentakills. Nice N Sleazy.

Friday:

Pin Up Frights. The Flying Duck.

Previewed this one already, go look here to read a bit more and listen to songs by the bands playing on the night, PopUp, The Social Services and Endor.

Oxjam & Favourite Son Present... The Classic Grand.

Previewed this one too, just the other day. The Clyde, Kochka, Nevada Base and The Winter Tradition are on the bill, and there should be some raffle prizes on the go. Read the full preview here.

Saturday:

Detour Hallowe'en Party. Bloc. Free Entry.

From 9pm till 3am the Detour crew will be up to their usual mischief and carnage in Bloc.

Sunday:

Fence Hallowe'en Party. Stereo.

Full details and tickets at the link above. The party takes place in Stereo, and across the road at The Old Hairdresser from 2pm until the wee hours of Monday morning. The fancy dress theme is Wild West 3010: Space Cowboys and Aliens, so why not dress up like a chestburster in chaps and a hat or something.

Oxjam: Roktoberfest. The Classic Grand. Tickets

An all day blow out with music from So Many Animal Calls, Make Sparks, This Familiar Smile, The Darien Venture, Penguins Kill Polar Bears, Trapped In Kansas and more.