A post for St. Andrew's Day

November 30 marks St. Andrew's Day, the Patron Saint of Scotland.

This isn't a particularly big day in Scotland, but then St. David's Day and St. George's Day aren't either. Which probably seems out to the Americans reading this, when you consider how important both Thanksgiving and the 4th of July are.

There's much I love about Scotland, my adopted homeland since 2001. I didn't just move here because I loved Belle and Sebastian or because of Fopp and Avalanche, though these were factors in my coming. Since moving here, I've interviewed Emma Pollock, had tea at Stevie Jackson from Belle and Sebastian's house, worked with members of the Prats, X-Vectors and Wounded Knee, to say nothing of seeing many acts. Oh, and started my own indie label, done my own club night, begun this blog...and qualified as a teacher. It's a place where many of my dreams have come true.

It's not just about the music. There's great literature, great films and a whole thriving culture. I don;t think I could live anywhere else. Sure the winter's are severe, but you can't have everything.

My favourite scottish band remain The Delgados, who are just brilliant. They split up in 2005, but are just life affirming. My favourite Delgados song is 'No Danger' which is from the album The Great Eastern, my favourite scottish album (it was recorded in New York State. Then again, Transformer by Lou Reed reminds me of New York but was recorded in London. Go figure...)



And an mp3 from the album, 'American Trilogy.'

The Delgados -'American Trilogy.' mp3

Oh go on! Here's the video too...



And some other great, classic scottish tracks...

Motorcycle Boy -'Big Rock Candy Mountain (Velocity Dance Mix).' mp3

Aztec Camera -'Oblivious.' mp3

Primal Scream -'Velocity Girl.' mp3

Jesus and Mary Chain -'Upside Down.' mp3

Camera Obscura -'Eighties Fan.' mp3

Yes, I know most of them are over twenty years old, but hey...

Motorcycle Boy - repost

I have received a couple of very polite requests in my inbox about posting Motorcycle Boy, so here is the first EP, Big Rock Candy Mountain:

Motorcycle Boy -'Big Rock Candy Mountain (Velocity Dance Mix).' mp3

Motorcycle Boy -'Room At the Top.' mp3

Motorcycle Boy -'His Latest Flame.' mp3

Motorcycle Boy -'Big Rock Candy Mountain (7" mix).' mp3

Thanks to Tom for supplying these mp3s in the first place.

More Alex Taylor (and related)

Tonight's post is courtesy of not one but two 17 Seconds readers. Bernd, thank you for supplying the picture above of Alex Taylor and the cover of motorcycle Boy doing the Velvet underground's Run Run Run' and the Shop Assistants doing 'Respectable' and yet again, Tom, for supplying the two tracks by One Note Jam. Unless anyone has any info to the contrary, this was the very final record she made, in early 1991, as One Note Jam, who Motorcycle Boy became, split after this, in 1992. I would love to knwo what she's up to know. In fact, if Motorcycle Boy and/or The Shop Assistants were to reform, I would be one very happy person...

One Note Jam -'Warp Eight In Electroglide (Only You).' mp3

One Note Jam -'Warp Nine In Electroglide (Only You).' mp3

Motorcycle Boy -'Run Run Run.' mp3 (Velvet Underground cover).' mp3

As a bonus, the very final Shop Assistants track, recorded long after Alex Taylor left, their cover from 1990 of the Rolling Stones' 'Respectable.'

Shop Assistants -'Respectable.' mp3

Great scottish bands #4: Motorcycle Boy

For the second post in a row, I am completely indebted to Tom over at Indie mp3 for providing me with the mp3s to make this post.

Motorcycle Boy came together of members of Meat Whiplash and Alex Taylor, lead singer of The Shop Assistants, a band I have banged on about repeatedly on here. The line-up of Motorcycle Boy was:

Alex Taylor (vocals), Michael Kerr (guitar), Eddy Connoly (bass) Paul McDermott (drums) and David 'Scottie' Scott (guitar). Their first single was released by Rough Trade, then they signed to Chrysalis. They recorded one John Peel session and that year their debut single 'Big rock Candy Mountain' reached no.22 in the annual Festive Fifty conducted by listeners to John Peel's show. None of their singles charted in the UK, and were not released in the US. Their only album was shelved...but I remain convinced that Motorcycle Boy are one of the great scottish bands, and a proper re-issue programme should be set in place.

The singles were as follows:

'Big Rock Candy Mountain' 12" single

1.'Big Rock Candy Mountain (Velocity Dance Mix).' mp3
2.'Room At The Top.' mp3
3.'His Latest Flame.' mp3
4.'Big Rock Candy Mountain (7" mix).' mp3

'Trying To Be Kind' 12" single

1. 'Trying To Be Kind (extended mix).' mp3
2. 'World Falls Into Place.' mp3
3. 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow.' mp3
4. 'Trying To Be Kind (1000cc version).' mp3

'You And Me Against The World.' 12" single
1. 'You And Me Against the World.' mp3
2. 'Under The Bridge.' mp3
3. 'Some Girls.' mp3
4. 'You And Me Against the World. (extended mix).' mp3

(Note: the last two singles were due to be on the band's album, Scarlet, which never appeared.)

'The Road Goes On Forever.' 12" single

1. 'Starlight.' mp3
2. 'Starlight (Paradise a go-go mix).' mp3
3. 'The Road Goes On Forever (Overdrive Karma mix).' mp3
4. 'Salvation.' mp3
5. 'The Road Goes On Forever.' mp3

'Here She Comes' 12" single

1. 'Here She Comes.' mp3
2. 'Everything I See.' mp3
3. 'The Road Goes On Forever (live).' mp3

After this, the band added 'Fitzpatrick' became One Note Jam, who issued a further 12" single and then the band split. Alex became a real shop assistant, working for the Virgin Megastore in London.

BONUS: Taken from the cd86 compilation (well-worth your hard-earned cash, IMHO) , this is Meat Whiplash's single 'Don't Slip Up.'

Meat Whiplash -'Don't Slip Up.' mp3

If you want more info on scottish bands, Jocknroll is THE place to start.

Finally, if anyone has the Shop Assistants or Motorcycle Boy Peel sessions, could they get in touch, please?

Motorcycle Boy -re-post!

Earlier today, I received feedback from a reader saying that a link from when I had posted Motorcycle Boy back in April was no longer active; it isn't but given that this fine song is no longer available, so why not repost?

Motorcycle Boy -'Big Rock Candy Mountain (12" mix).' mp3

...and seeing as I didn't post them here originally, why not the tracks from the 7" single?

Motorcycle Boy -'Big Rock Candy Mountain (7").' mp3

Motorcycle Boy -'Room At The Top.' mp3

Motorcycle Boy were the boy founded when Meat Whiplash united with Alex Taylor of the Shop Assistants. Meat Whiplash recorded one Peel session; the Shop Assistants recorded two and had four festive fifty entries in 1985-6; Motorcycle Boy recorded one session and reached no.22 in the 1987Festive Fifty with 'Big Rock Candy Mountain.'

When I posted the track back a few months ago, I did receive a lot of emails etc.. asking what else I had by Motorcycle Boy; this is all I have. So if anyone can email me mp3s I will happily post them here! And if you love Motorcycle Boy and the Shop Assistants you should be checking indie mp3, a totally excellent blog! See also Tom's pages on the Shop Assistants.

Motorcycle Boy

Girl on a motorcycle...

Ever heard a track that within a few weeks of never having even heard it you can't imagine being without? Well, that track for me is by the band the Motorcycle Boy and it's their debut single from 1987 (and no.21 in the 1987 Festive Fifty) 'Big Rock Candy Mountain.' If you like the stuff I've posted by Edinburgh Legends The Shop Assistants, this might well be of interest: it's their former singer Alex Taylor who united with Meat Whiplash to form the band. This was posted by Steve over at Teenage Kicks a few weeks ago, but I managed to find a copy of the 7" this afternoon, so am deliriously happy and want to share this with you. Their stuff has long been deleted, andthey have nothing to do with the American band of the same name, so if anyone can help by sending mp3s or whatever, please do.

Motorcycle Boy -'Big Rock Candy Mountain.' mp3



Meanwhile, very chuffed by all the feedback my post on the Jesus and Mary Chain generated. One reader, Ben, got in touch to send the mp3 of the JAMC on television in America last year performing a song called 'All Things Must Pass.' So I am posting that here, as well as re-posting a Sister Vanilla track from last year's Little Pop Rock where the brothers Reid were reunited and joined up with their sister Linda to make some pretty fine things indeed:

Jesus And Mary Chain -'All Things Must Pass.' mp3

Sister Vanilla - 'K To be Lost.' mp3

Enjoy the sunshine...hell, we've even got some here in Scotland.