Viking Galaxy rocked Bannermans

On March 30^th VG played their first gig this year for Dougie's birthday. Bannermans is a cloistered stone venue directly down in the Cowgate from Edinburgh’s High Street and proved a intense venue for new bands. 

Lead by the tall and charismatic William Hill on lead vocals, energetic Matt Brown on keys, full of character Mike Parkin on guitar, Ross Keightley providing strong bass lines, and new drummer Alasdair Gunn playing tight thundering drums.

In the summer they recorded their debut album First Contact. They performed songs form the album – Raid & Pillage; Sickle of Hate; Galactic Plunder; Lost Forever’ Shaft of Agony’ Hall the Slain; Space Chariots.

On 20th April Viking Galaxy play their debut Album launch gig at Love Music Glasgow.  http://www.lovemusicglasgow.com/

While Viking Galaxy list themselves as a metal music band they are also influenced by 70s soul and by bands such as Mastodon and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.  https://www.facebook.com/vikinggalaxy

Songbird Eva Cassidy

For me my best loved music is often about the perfect song, perfectly sung. One of the loveliest female voices is Eva Cassidy. She became known for her voice four years after her early death in 1996.

She had a naturally unaffected voice and beautifully interpreted and expressed the song. She never ‘over sang’ or over killed as some singers do and her voice is both soothing and heartbreaking. You can feel her honesty of emotion and hunger for a better world. She has the most expressive and sad eyes.

She chose top quality songs to sing. In those days not every singer also worked with co-writers to do their own songs. Songs such as Over the Rainbow, Songbird, Kathy’s Song, Danny Boy, What a Wonderful World, Imagine, Early Morning Rain, Ain't No Sunshine.  

One of my favourites sung by Eva – You Take My Breath Away - http://youtu.be/anqO7bpffts

Eva Marie Cassidy (1963-1996) was an American vocalist and guitarist known for her interpretations of jazz, blues, folk, gospel, country and pop classics. In 1992, she released her first album, The Other Side, a set of duets with go-go musician Chuck Brown, followed by the 1996 live solo album entitled Live at Blues Alley. Although she had been honored by the Washington Area Music Association, she was virtually unknown outside her native Washington DC, when she died of melanoma in 1996.  Cassidy's music was brought to the attention of British audiences when her version of "Over the Rainbow" was played by Terry Wogan on BBC Radio 2. Following the overwhelming response, a camcorder recording of "Over the Rainbow", taken at Blues Alley in Washington, was shown on BBC Two's Top of the Pops 2. Shortly afterwards, the compilation album Songbird climbed to the top of the UK Albums Charts, almost three years after its initial release. The chart success in the United Kingdom and Ireland led to increased recognition worldwide; her posthumously released recordings, including three UK number 1s, have sold more than ten million copies. Her music has also charted top 10 positions in Australia, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland.

Iain Banks illness

Sad news about Iain Banks illness, one of Scotlands best loved authors. Iain Banks in Edinburgh 2012. Iain Banks, Scottish novelist and science fiction writer, at The Edinburgh International Book Festival. Credit Pauline Keightley. Copyright: pkimage09@gmail.com. 


Iain Banks (born on 16 February 1954 in Fife) is a Scottish writer. He writes mainstream fiction under the name Iain Banks, and science fiction as Iain M. Banks, including the initial of his adopted middle name Menzies. In 2008, The Times named Banks in their list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".

Songwriter Nile Rodgers

Check out respected songwriter Nile Rodgers BBC4 Interview (photo Edinburgh book festival 2012) - Le Freak, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Bowie. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/Nile_Rodgers_The_Hitmaker/

Nile gave a fun informal chat at the Edinburgh Book Festival's Speigel tent in August, with many impromptu plays of the guitar when the audience enthusiastically sang along. Nile talked about his music. He said when he wrote songs – first came the words and he always started with the chorus or hook. He likes to use the jazziest chords and fuse concepts together. He talked about the level of pop culture and that Bowie was ‘disruptive’ and therefore stood out in the charts. He believed in the ‘artistic powers’ of music itself. He said that the people made Good Times a No 1 which he said was his favourite song.  

Nile talked about his music. He said when he wrote songs – first came the words and he always started with the chorus or hook. He likes to use the jazziest chords and fuse concepts together. He talked about the level of pop culture and that Bowie was ‘disruptive’ and therefore stood out in the charts. He believed in the ‘artistic powers’ of music itself. He said that the people made Good Times a No 1 which he said was his favourite song.  

He learned flute and clarinet at school and later taught himself guitar. At 18 he auditioned for the children’s tv show Sesame Street for which he wore a crazy green wig!. He then worked at the Apollo theatre in New York with Screaming J Hawkings. 
On a trip to London he saw Roxy Music at the Roxy theatre!  Which he thought was so unique. He thought they should be the black version of Roxy Music and be a ‘totally immersive experience in music’ and they called themselves the Big Apple Band

They played sophisticated funk and their track ‘Everybody Dance’ was a big success in the dance clubs but there was little interest in a black rock band at that time. Jazz bands often went to France to make it then (Nina Simone and others) so they pretended that they were from France! Chic was born and they had a hit with ‘Le Freak’ – which has been the biggest selling song for Atlantic Records and has such an awesome guitar riff!  

They then wrote hit songs for Sister Sledge – We are Family and Lost in Music. He wrote for Diana Ross – who he interviewed for three days firstly – Michael Jackson, Madonna, David Bowie and many more. He has jammed with Hendrix. Madonna's Like Virgin sold more than 20m records and Nile wrote David's Bowie's best-selling album Let's Dance in just 17 days.

Blog on Nile's highly entertaining talk in Edinburgh last year- http://www.musicfootnotes.com/nile-rodgers-why-did-disco-suck.html

Nile Rodger, American musician, producer, composer, arranger and guitarist, discussed his autobiography Le Freak – An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco and Destiny at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.