Record Store Day comes to Glasgow!

Saturday, April 21 marks the UK’s fourth annual Record Store Day, helping to support independent record shops that have become increasingly marginalised by massive entertainment chains such as HMV and online digital download stores, like ITunes.

The day sees a number of exclusive releases from major artists such as Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Arctic Monkeys that are available only through independent shops.

Watch John Lydon speak to The Quetus about Record Store Day

The hope is that fans will be enticed to their nearest participating Record Store Day shop by these exclusive releases and help to create a passionate community of fans that will support the stores year-round.

In a climate that has seen the closure of big-hitting entertainment companies such as Zavvi and Borders, record stores have been hit the hardest with numbers falling from 900 to an all-time low of 269 in 2009. However, there has been a small rise up to 281 in 2011 and it is believed that Record Store Day has made a positive impact.

Organiser Spencer Hickman said: "Record Store Day is everywhere now. There are performances in every part of the UK. It's like an urban Glastonbury. The fact that we have seen new stores opening this year shows that there are still music lovers who want to buy physical music from people who are just as enthusiastic as they are. There are lots of people who still want music as an art form not just a download."

I think this is a fantastic idea during a time when independent record shops really need our support. Since the rise of online shops and digital downloads music lovers have missed being a part of a grassroots community like the old Rough Trade shops of the 1980s, which helped to bring innovative independent music to a captive audience. They also helped to give a voice to genres of music being ignored by the mainstream, such as punk and reggae.

However, events such as Record Store Day can only go so far and eventually buying physical music at all will become as niche as collecting old vinyl records. Like other forms of media, music is moving online and CDs will become as obsolete as cassettes in years to come. Last year CD sales dropped by 13 per cent to 86 million, while online sales jumped a quarter to 27 million. Interestingly vinyl sales are at its highest point since 2005 with 337,000 sales last year. There will always be a niche market for vinyl that Record Store Day should continue to attract, but CDs will likely soon follow the cassette into oblivion and independent music stores will need to adapt once more.

Glasgow has four venues involved in Record Store Day:

Love Music
34 Dundas Street
G1 2AQ

That’s Entertainment
217 Argyle Street
G2 8DL

Rubadub
35 Howard Street
GL1 4BA

Monorail Music
12 Kings Court
G1 5RB

Visit Record Store Day UK online!

Scream in the Park

Primal Scream

Glaswegian rock band Primal Scream have landed one of the prestigious support slots for The Stone Roses’ first Heaton Park show on Friday, 29^th June 2012.

The band joins The Vaccines, The Wailers and Kid British in an exciting line-up for the first of three huge hometown gigs for the reformed Manchester band.

The Scream are one of Glasgow’s most famous exports and have been responsible for some of the best British albums of recent times, such as 1991’s Screamadelica and 1999’s XTRMNTR. They are renowned for changing their sound and incorporating different genres, such as blues rock and dance music.

I think this is an amazing honour for the band to play at one of the most highly-anticipated British gigs in years. With a fantastic pedigree as a live band, stretching back over two decades, I believe the band will prove incredibly popular with a demanding Manchester crowd that will be impatiently awaiting the return of The Roses.

Most recently Primal Scream headlined Edinburgh’s annual Hogmanay bash by playing their Screamadelica album in full. The band have been working on new material and hope to release a follow-up to 2008’s Beautiful Future later this year. A replacement for bassist Mani, who left the band to re-join The Stone Roses, has yet to be announced.

Primal Scream’s highest chart song was 2006’s Country Girl, which reached number 5 in the UK singles chart. Watch the band perform it at T in the Park below:

Visit Primal Scream's Official Website.

Stone Roses Resurrected

Stone Roses re-united (photo: Pennie Smith)

Late last year we got the news that all Stone Roses fans were praying for – the band were reforming for a world tour and new album.

After selling out three dates at Heaton Park in their hometown of Manchester, they announced a series of other headline gigs and festival dates – including this year’s T in the Park.

There has been plenty of discussion about whether these shows can make the same cultural impact as the legendary Spike Island, Manchester show – when 27,000 people witnessed the band hit the big-time in 1989.

However, the band holds another gig even closer to their hearts – Glasgow Green in 1990. In front of 7,000 people under a massive tent, the Roses powered through songs from their classic eponymous debut album, such as I Wanna be Adored and I am the Resurrection.

Stone Roses Live at Glasgow Green, 1990

In 2010, pre-reunion, bass player Mani told the Daily Record:

"I would love to bring the Roses back for some shows. And, of course, we would play Scotland.

"I will forever remember that night on Glasgow Green, it was one moment when something special happened where we took a nation to our hearts and they took us to theirs.

"There is no one as loyal to the Roses or the Scream as the Scottish people and we will love them forever more for it. I would love to bring the Roses back. It is on my mind constantly and I will do everything in my power to make it happen."

Debate has raged about whether the band can pull off the reunion. The band have never played gigs this size and their performances during their first time around were erratic at best.

Personally, I don’t see why the band can’t pull it off. Ian Brown was never the greatest live singer to begin with, while guys like Mani and John Squire have honed their trade in bands such as Primal Scream and The Seahorses. The fans will definitely be up for these massive gigs and will create an atmosphere that will hopefully allow the band to thrive.

Maybe Stone Roses fans should be hoping for a performance that matches Glasgow Green, rather than an event that matches the status of Spike Island.

Stone Roses Official Website

Where are Scotland's super-gigs?

Rock bands such as Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band will be playing a series of supersized gigs in the UK this summer. However, not one of these acts will venture north to perform in Scotland.

In recent years, Hampden Park in Glasgow and Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh have hosted major rock acts such as Kings of Leon, Oasis and Bon Jovi, but only Madonna will grace the stage at the latter this year.

Oasis Live at Hampden

The closest the three major acts touring this year will get to Scotland will be the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. In these austere times where concert tickets continue to rocket in price, more and more large gigs are struggling to shift tickets.

With a population that is roughly ten times that of Scotland, it makes fiscal sense for concert promoters to hold gigs in England, where they can bank on greater potential ticket sales from the higher populace and the loyalty of Scottish fans to make the trek south to watch their favourite bands.

Maybe Scotland’s reputation for violence precedes it? Since violence erupted at Oasis’ headline gig at Murrayfield in 2009, Kings of Leon have been the only rock band to play a Scottish stadium. Are stadium owner’s targeting more family-friendly acts like Take That, Pink and Neil Diamond to combat the negative publicity?


Olympic football has most likely been a major factor in Hampden not hosting any big concerts this year. With the tournament set to take place at Scotland’s National Stadium between 25 July and 3 August, there will be tremendous pressure on Hampden officials to make sure the pitch is in pristine condition.


Hopefully a return to an Olypmics-free summer next year will see major acts return to Scotland for more massive gigs.  

More info on past concerts at Hampden  

Majestic Dandelion @ Classic Grand

Craig (left) and Graeme (right) are two-thirds of Majestic Dandelion! (pic by Derek Mark Chapman)

Majestic Dandelion launched their debut self-titled album with a headline gig at the Classic Grand. The band, based in Paisley, features brothers Craig (guitar, lead vocals) and Graeme Ralston (drums, backing vocals), alongside Liam Kavanagh (bass).

The band has gained a loyal following having built up a solid reputation as one of Scotland’s most exciting young bands, and played to a crowd of over 200 on the night.

Anyone who has seen them live will be familiar with songs like Born near the River and Falling over Laughing, which have become staples of their live shows. All of their songs, written by Craig, are groove-laden and hummable from the first time you hear them, echoing the classic rock ‘n’ roll sound from the Sixties.

The band were given such a rapturous applause at the end of the night that they were forced to return for one final track, and brought the gig to a close with an extended instrumental jam that showed off the obvious talents of each band member.

Definitely a band to watch – their debut album is available now!

Like Majestic Dandelion on Facebook

Download the album from iTunes