Mildred's Dairy

Second of the Glasgow bands with new albums out featured by Ralph this week is Mildred's Dairy and their quirkily named offering The Helsinki Bus Station Theory. In keeping with the retro feel of the album's packaging (niftily designed by Alf Button) slightly 80's vibed tunes and faux record effect, it would be all the more impressive served up as a vinyl platter.




Mildred's Dairy have the feel of a grown-up Orange Juice, Aztec Camera and Deacon Blue throughout this release with well-crafted, well-written tracks immaculately played and produced. Then there's the relatively tongue-in-cheek nature of the sleeve notes and the band's ambiguously anonymous bio. Possibly self-explanatory when you think more about the album's title which is based on The Helsinki Bus Station Theory. 

First outlined in a 2004 graduation speech by Finnish-American photographer Arno Mikkinen, the theory claims that the secret to a creatively fulfilling career lies in understanding the operations of Helsinki's main bus station. With that in mind this offering may be a Mildred's Dairy Last Train To Glasgow Central.

This album is infectious to listen to, with some extremely radio friendly tracks. Ralph's already played Evergreen on his Radio KC Indie Show and they've featured on Tom Robinson's Fresh On The Net program recently. They will also lend themselves very well to live performances. 

It's on the cards that the band will be gigging with increasing frequency throughout 2016 and with tracks like Fools Rush In they'll quickly get the crowds on-side and grooving along.

The Deadline Shakes

Ralph has given The Deadline Shakes a spin on the Radio KC Indie Show a few times now so it's no surprise he was relishing the release of their album Zealots. 

From the lead track, the bright and bouncy Bad Spot In A Bad Year to the closer Boy they've created a beautiful soundscape of sonorific light and shade.

It's like a squidgy mix of Prefab Sprout and Deacon Blue, but with a sometimes quirkier, more contemporary feel as The Deadline Shakes plough their own furrow. 

With thanks to davidbaxendale.com

The Deadline Shakes have released the album on Glasgow's Flowers In The Dustbin Records, the album's full of radio-friendly tracks, some of which have a familiar feel, like an old, favourite jumper. 

Frozen Out; which was released as a single, is a case-in-point with its uplifting chorus which seems to draw on folkier Waterboys-like themes.






The Deadline Shakes take a sharp turn with the jazzier A Little Waiting While and follow up with the funkier, heavier Don't You Be Too Cool which has a more Alt/Pop feel. 

For some, there may be too much going on throughout this album of 13 tracks, but for me each track peaks my interest anew. 

All in all, it's an accomplished blend of folky, poppy, jazzy musicality that demands to be heard.      

Deacon Blue at The Barrowlands 1994

If there ever was a gig I didn't want to have to go to, but could never miss it was on May 20th 1994 in Glasgow's Barrowlands.  Saying goodbye to a band that's music had echo'd your emotions over nearly ten years was never going to be ideal at the best of times.  Farewell gigs are discomfiting, emotional events and Deacon Blue's certainly fell into that classification.  




The queue that ran back the street was in an expectant frenzy, hoping for that one last memorable yahoo.  For my part I wasn't so sure it was so much a time for celebration but for condolence.  I was loosing an old friend.

The gig itself was a full-on run through of their greatest hits, 'Chocolate Girl', 'The Very Thing', 'Loaded' and 'Love and Regret' took the crowd to an emotional high.  By the time 'Dignity' is ringing out and everyone is singing out, I'm in tears, the people next to me are in tears...I think the whole of The Barrowlands must have been in tears.  







The energy in the hall that night was more than electric as they launched into the finale merging their 'Twist and Shout' with a homage to Liverpool lads The Beatles 'Twist and Shout' (an irony that I'm about to share with you), so we all did just that and, as they say - the rest is history.

2007 and I move down south to St Helens and in nearby Liverpool I notice that the Summer Pops festival was taking place at Aintree Racecourse.  Topping the bill was (ironically) Deacon Blue and it was like we'd never been parted.  They launched into 'The One About Loneliness' and 'Fellow Hoodlums' before 'Raintown' took the capacity crowd into raptures.

'Your Swaying Arms' lulled us before they had us leaping out of our seats through killer tracks like 'Twist And Shout', 'Wages Day' and 'Queen Of The New Year'.  Then, ever the crowd pleaser Ricky slowed the tempo with a solo tribute to the Liverpool fans and John Lennon in a very moving version of 'Beautiful Boy'.

We bounced to 'Fergus Sings The Blues' and Ross had the fans taking over much of the vocals on old favourite 'Loaded' before 'Dignity' rounded things off.

Three rapturous encores ensued, The Band classic 'The Weight ' followed by 'When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)' led us into the anthemic 'Real Gone Kid'.  Tears of joy this time - happy days.




Ralph would like to thank/apologise to everyone he's pinched pictures from for this article...I thank you...

Michael Marra.....see you up the road big man.....

It was with great sadness that I heard of the untimely death of Scottish singer/songwriter Michael Marra .  My feelings are echo'd by the tribute his family paid..... 





" We are devastated by our sudden loss but are comforted by the kind words of so many people who loved Michael, his music and his spirit. His life's work has told our family story and the story of his beloved Dundee. Michael's songs are his legacy, given to Scotland by one wee boy from Lochee"  

A concert to raise funds for Dundee’s appeal to set up a Sistema Scotland orchestra in the city led by Michael Marra's family sold out.

The campaign to establish a Sistema orchestra in Dundee is being led by the family of Michael Marra, one of Scotland’s most acclaimed singer-songwriters, who died in Dundee in December, aged 60, after a long battle against cancer.

The fund raising concert at Abertay University’s Hannah Maclure Centre Gallery on Friday, 5 April, will feature performances from Riley Briggs, The Filter Tips (featuring Alice Marra), and Christopher Marra.

Clare Brennan, curator of the Hannah Maclure Centre at Abertay University, said: “We’re delighted this event has sold out so quickly – it shows the huge support there is to set up a Sistema Scotland orchestra in Dundee.

“The project is genuinely inspirational, and we’re hoping our event can really help to support the campaign”

Michael Marra was brought up in the Lochee district of Dundee. His first public performance was at an NCR Christmas party in the 1950s Although predominantly known as a songwriter, Michael has worked extensively in theatre, radio and television. To most he was a solo performer touring the length and breadth of Britain, performing in arts centres, theatres, folk clubs and village halls. He had opened for such diverse performers as Van Morrison, The Proclaimers, Louden Wainwright III, Barbara Dickson and Deacon Blue.





In he had performed both in Washington DC and Melbourne, Australia in the show 'In Flagrant Delicht' which was devised in collaboration with poet and playwright Liz Lochhead. In theatre Michael had written original music and worked both as an actor and musical director. His own operetta 'If The Moon Can Be Believed' was performed at Dundee Rep to sell out audiences. He collaborated with Graham McLaren of Theatre Babel on a new production of 'The Demon Barber' for Perth Theatre having previously worked with him on Liz Lochead's "Beauty and The Beast". Michael had also recently performed original songs with the Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish National Orchestra, Concerto Caledonia, Mr McFall's Chamber, and his own Quintet. He had dueted with Patti Smith, Eddi Reader, Karen Mathieson and Karine Polwart.

In 2007 Michael was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Dundee University in recognition of his contribution to the cultural profile of his home town and in 2011 he was made an Honarary Doctor of Letters by Glasgow Caledonia University. He also won a  prestigious Herald Angel Award in 2010 for his performance at The Acoustic Music Centre during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

His play St Catherines Day played to enthusiastic audiences at both Oran Mor in Glasgow and Dundee Repertory Theatre. An exhibition of his unique portraiture prints was shown at The Bank Street Gallery. He had collobarated with award winning choreographer Frank McConnell and his Dance Company, Plan B on Parallel|Parallels and A Wee Home From Home.

His songs have been covered by a wide range of artistes including Sylvia Rae Tracey, Coope Boyes and Simpson and Rab Noakes.

Recorded Live on Tour with Mr McFall's Chamber was released on  Delphian Records. 

Michael's most recent CD was released on Tob Records in March 2012. Titled "Houseroom", it's a 6 track collaboration with The Hazey Janes, one of Scotland's finest contemporay bands.