Early Gigs Part 1

Between '86 and '89 there was barely a week went by where I would not be found at one gig or another. Apart from The Barrowland, most of these would have been at Glasgow Uni, Strathclyde Uni or Glasgow Tech with a few others at the likes of Fury Murry's, The Mayfair or 46 West George Street. Over the first few years of gig going I had the pleasure of seeing the likes of The Shop Assistants, Go Betweens, 10,000 Maniacs, Pixies, Sonic Youth, James, Age Of Chance, The Sugarcubes, The Bodines, The Pastels, The Mighty Lemon Drops and The Wedding Present amongst many others. 

Both the Universities and The Tech played host to many great bands and were essential to the gig scene in Glasgow before the likes of King Tut's and the much missed ABC. If it hadn't been for these venues it's unlikely I would have had the chance to see most of those bands in their prime. 

Two that really stand out for me from that time are The Pastels, supported by The Vaselines in Fury Murry's and Pixies at Glasgow University. The Pastels had not long released Up For A Bit and that evening started a lifelong love of both them and The Vaselines. Both these bands are much loved and that evening in Fury's clearly showed why. I do recall being a bit worse for wear at the Pixies gig and missing the support band completely. I managed to rally just as Pixies hit the stage. Doolittle had just been released and we were amongst the first people to hear these songs live. Glasgow took Pixies to their collective hearts and made sure they knew how loved they were in this part of the world. I've seen Pixies a few times over the years, but none will match that very special evening in The QMU. 

Up For A Bit With The Pastels

Few bands are as integral to the Glasgow independent music scene as The Pastels. Formed in the early 80's they have steadfastly refused to conform to whatever the latest trends are and have always followed their own path. After a few singles throughout the 80's, including a single on Rough Trade, their timeless debut hit the shelves in 1987. Up For A Bit With The Pastels may not have set the charts alight but its enduring influence is still being felt today. Like The Velvet Underground's debut, Up For A Bit influenced pretty much everyone who bought it to form a band or get involved in some way with music. Cited as one of the must have albums by the likes of Sonic Youth, The Mary Chain and Yo La Tengo there is a certain naive quality to Up For A Bit that I have always found extremely endearing. Combining 60's classic pop with a DIY punk ethos it is an album that, for me, is one of the essential Scottish albums of the last 35 years. Many bands may be better known but nowhere near as influential as The Pastels.

I have had the pleasure of seeing the band live a few times, but the one that will always stand out for me was at Fury Murrys in '87 supported by the ever wonderful Vaselines, in what must have been one of their earliest gigs. I'm not sure if Stephen McRobbie himself had any idea at the time that they would still be releasing music almost 35 years later. Thank goodness they are as each new release just reaffirms how vital they are and continue to be. Long live The Pastels.