Scottish band Biffy Clyro

Scottish band from Ayrshire, Biffy Clyro, like Frightened Rabbit who are selling out big venues over America, have not needed to travel to London to make it in the big time in music the way it used to be. This Scottish band has done so by building their fanbase through gigs and albums and online networking. 

I heard Biffy on Jools Holland tv show last year and they are the first band in ages I’ve been impressed over. Biffy won NME 2013 Best British Band 2013. http://www.nme.com/news/biffy-clyro/ 

http://youtu.be/biffyclyrojoolsholland

Biffy Clyro play the SECC Glasgow 1st April 2013.
Quotes from Biffy’s Bio -  United by a love of underground, experimental rock and post-hardcore bands such as Braid and Karate, along with the starrier likes of Guns N’Roses and Metallica, they quickly honed their own unique sound, a mind boggling mix of off-kilter tempos, itchy, unpredictable guitars, soulful choruses and feral screams, sewn together into a strange tapestry of sound that sat resolutely apart anything else being made at the time, both in spirit and - thanks to their admirable refusal to uproot from their hometown for the dog eat dog music community of London - geographically too.  Their first three albums – ‘Blackened Sky’, ‘The Vertigo Of Bliss’ and ‘Infinity Land’ – arrived in a barrage of creativity, a record released every year and relentless touring building up a small but devoted army of followers. Team Biffy’s ranks grew exponentially when ‘Puzzle’ came along and stunned listeners with its achingly personal, rich and complex take on rock anthems, and Simon, James and Ben found themselves playing Wembley Stadium with Muse, headlining the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury while being unmistakably a Biffy album, is something brand new again, perfectly crafted, produced and polished without ever once losing the heart, soul and strangeness that means so much to those who have been faithful from the start. And most of all, it means everything to Simon Neil and James and Ben Johnston. http://www.biffyclyro.com/

Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band that formed in Kilmarnock with Simon Neil  (guitar, lead vocals), James Johnstone (bass, vocals) and Ben Johnston (drums, vocals). Currently signed to, they have released six studio albums, three of which,  Puzzle , Only Revolutions and Opposites reached the top five in UK Album Chart. They also claimed their first number one album in the UK Albums Chart with their sixth studio album, Opposites. Puzzle(2007) made No. 2  UK album; Only Revolutions (2009) No. 3 UK chart and  platinum in 2010 and nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.
Ps One band I have never understood – Oasis. They are often hyped by NME and Noel Gallagher now has his flying birds …but really what is their appeal. I find their songs and sound very meaningless.

Storm Thorgerson's album artwork

Storm Thorgerson has designed Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro’s artwork.  I believe this is a very strong image and full of energy - trees may bend but not break....
I'm a big fan of this band since seeing them live on Jools Holland tv show last year.  

Some say album art work is redundant these days with music downloading the norm, but perhaps artwork has simply changed. Instead of being for those lovely vinyl covers – album artwork is now about promotions online via the networking sites and music magazines. Album artwork is also for the serious music fans.  

Thorgerson also designed the most iconic album art work of all Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon.

Many of his designs are notable for their surreal elements. He often places objects out of their traditional contexts, especially with vast spaces around them, to give them an awkward appearance while highlighting their beauty. To quote Thorgerson, "I like photography because it is a reality medium, unlike drawing which is unreal. I like to mess with reality...to bend reality. Some of my works beg the question of is it real or not?"  

Storm Elvin Thorgerson is an English graphic designer, best known for his work for rock bands such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Scorpions, Genesis, Europe, Dream Theater, The Cranberries, The Mars Volta, Muse and Biffy Clyro.

Kris Drever and Eammon Coyne Milngavie Folk Club

When Irish and Scots folk blend something fun and very unique happens. Both Kris and Eammon are very personable and with their easy manner put their packed audience at ease when they began their set with some energising tunes.  

Eammon is an accomplished banjo player from Dublin who has played with many well known Irish folk players and now lives in Edinburgh. I noticed Eammon first with Salsa Celtica and I noticed how much he enjoyed himself on stage.

Kris Drever

 Eammon Coyne

Kris is from Orkney and he is one of the most popular contemporary Scots folk singers. Drever originally played with the ceilidh band Session A9.  He was persuaded by John McCusker to record his own solo material and he released his debut album ‘Black Water’ to good reviews in 2006. He has worked with some of the top Scottish folk musicians and toured with Kate Rusby’s band.

They played a excellent selection of tunes and folk ballads. I particularly enjoyed Drever’s own composition Steel and Stone and we sang along to the Tannahill Weaver’s fine song Farewell to Fuinery Drever also sang the Burn’s song Parcel of Rogues to the Nation to good effect

Their tunes and reels were very well played and full of character. Kris has a fine voice and he performs quality songs. The music is an interesting mix of their own compositions and traditional folk and country influences. In 2007 Coyne released a cd with Kris Drever called ‘Honk Toot Suite’ and is worth checking out. 

SET  ( I read this set list upside down so I hope it is correct!)

Call and Answer/ Isle of France/ La Bestai/ Wild Hurricane/ Harvest/ Poor Mans Son

II Mthe/ Mazurka/ Crown of London/ Parcel of Rogues/ Twenty Quid/ Black Water/ Shady Grove/ Steel and Stone/ Farewell to Fuinery Honk Toot Suite.
 

I’ve seen Kris a few times before at Celtic Connections festival and at the folk club and I thought this gig was a step on with both Kris’s performance and Coyne providing colourful playing. I would perhaps have enjoyed hearing more chat about the songs. I also preferred his new look longer hair! 

When he moved from Orkney Drever started out playing at Sandy Bells Edinburgh, a place I have very fond memories of. Drever also plays with the band Lau with Martin Green and Aidan O'Rourke, and they performed on Jools Holland last year.  They prove to be one of the most promising new folk music collaborations.
Kris Drever PHOTOS - http://pkimage.co.uk/krisdrever

Brits 2013

Muse opened the show with a big production behind them of attractive ladies paying violins. Considering Mumford are the big thing, it might have been cooler to have them open and have Muse playing a more real band set later in the show. Mumford's dance vibes mixed with folk offer a real fun energetic set. I saw Mumford in Glasgow in April 2010 and they certainly got the crowd dancing and singing. The sets were spot on though and a lot of thought had gone into Robbie Williams chequered backdrop!

American artists Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift performed, as did the pop boy band One Direction who have taken the teenage pop market by storm and have had several number ones worldwide – hugely successful and X factor graduates no less.

*The Critics Choice award this year went to Tom Odell – a guy for a change - and another piano playing singer songwriter.  He sounded promising when he sang acoustically at the after program, although perhaps sounding a little bit too much like Mumford or Bright Eyes. I am not sure at all where the great male singers are these days - except in bands...None of them have anything new to say to me, I have heard it all before.  

*Ben Howard won – Best Male and Breakthrough.  

*Lana Del Rey won Best International Female. Frank Ocean (who my son has been raving about) won Best International Male.

*The highlight of the night was Emeli Sande who won Best Female and the MasterCard Award for Best Album.  

Emeli Sande is the genuine article and she commented after winning the album of the year award, that she was 'an unlikely popstar.' I was very happy for her as I have been following her career since I first heard her sing in 2007 at her cd launch gig here at the Oran Mor Glasgow. 

The music business makes little sense though I must admit!?  Look at the guys - Ed Sheeran, the new James Blunt? or Robbie Williams even who has won the most Brits ever!!??  Oh well at least One Direction are out there!  The problem is the mainstream is not really where the best music is.    

The BRIT awards began in 1977 as part of the commemoration of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and as an annual event in 1982 under the auspices of the British record industry's trade association, the BPI. The 2011 Brit Awards were held at The O2 Arena in London for the first time in its history, moving from the original venue of Earls Court.