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56 ............... ............... Friday, April 17, 2015 1SM BABY CHAOS WHO: Chris Gordon (vocals/guitar), Grant McFarlane (guitar/vocals), Bobby Dunn (bass), Davy Greenwood (drums). WHERE: Glasgow. FOR FANS OF: Foo Fighters, Muse, Queens Of The Stone Age. JIM SAYS: After nearly 20 years, Baby Chaos are back in the limelight with a third album. One of Scotland’s great rock hopes in the 90s, they weren’t without success. Debuting with the first ever release on Electric Honey Records out of the then Stow College — now Glasgow Kelvin College — they paved the way for later releases from the likes of Belle & Sebastian and Biffy Clyro. Signing to a major label, they released two critically acclaimed albums. Their second release, Love Your Self Abuse, was even voted into the Top 100 British albums of all time by readers of Kerrang! magazine in 1995. They later morphed into a band called Deckard, signing to the legendary Reprise label. So why is the time right for a return for Baby Chaos? Chris Gordon said: “I had been busy with other bands and record deals (Union Of Knives, Regency Buck) and I was also producing records for a number of other artists. “A space opened up where I was able to commit some time to this. “We have had such great enduring friendships that really the idea of spending time together writing and recording a record seemed very appealing. “Having ventured off in many different musical directions with some other projects I wasn’t sure I would be up for another rock record. “But I found it really liberating singing at the top of my voice and thrashing away at the guitar!” The new album Skulls, Skulls, Skulls, Show Me The Glory sounds anything but a throwback, but it won’t disappoint Baby Chaos fans from back in the day. A slab of riff-heavy melodic rock, it’s very much a contemporary record. Recapturing their old energy, they’ve managed to create a record that actually sounds like a fresh debut rather than a band retracing their roots. Chris admits it wasn’t easy to initially get back into the swing of things. He said: “I won’t lie to you, we were rusty, but even in the early rehearsals you could hear little signs of what it actually might become. “I think we are now sounding even better than in our pomp in ’96, which is a fair achievement.” The way the music industry has developed in recent years means that this time round they don’t need the weight of a major label behind them to get their music out there. The digital revolution has given bands the power to self-release effectively and make an impact on fans. Various packages are available when ordering the album online, and if you buy it direct from the band’s website you can also receive a bonus EP. Chris said: “Bands can forge ahead on their own in a way that simply wasn’t possible when we were kicking about in the ’90s. “Sure it takes a lot of hard work and dedication but if you don’t have that and you expect it all to fall in your lap then you are almost certainly going to be stuck strumming in your bedroom until your hair turns grey anyway. It’s a great time to be in a band I think.” The next gig for Baby Chaos will be on-stage at Stereo in Glasgow tomorrow night. MORE: www.babychaos.com. lJim presents Drivetime on XFM Scotland, Monday to Friday 4-7pm. xfm.co.uk, jimgellatly.com By JIM GELLATLY NEWMUSIC ONE 2 WATCH By CHRIS SWEENEY ONE 2 HEAR ONE 2 SEE DJANGO Django are another of our own homegrown talents. Despite now living in London, the boys — Vincent Neff, David Maclean, Tommy Grace and Jimmy Dixon — formed in Edinburgh in 2009. They’ll be back up the road on tour, playing Aberdeen and Glasgow on May 2 and 3. They’re promoting smashing new album Born Under Saturn. They’re well worth seeing and their talents deserve a bigger profile. Go to djangodjango.co.uk for more information. KERRI Watt is one of our undis- covered gems. The Glasgow girl — mentored by The Libertines drummer Gary Powell — has a superb voice. And she shows it off on new single You, released on April 27. It’s a track that sticks the knife right into an ex and it has already had more than 350,000 streams on Soundcloud and YouTube. There is no doubt that Kerri has the talent to go far so watch this space. Check out the single’s video now at kerriwatt.com. CANADIAN rock supergroup Mounties are all around 40 — but they are getting down and dirty so they can mix it with the kids. The guys have enjoyed success in various bands down the years. Hawksley Workman is an acclaimed singer-songwriter, while Steve Bays was in Hot Hot Heat and Ryan Dahle was part of Limblifter. But now the trio have teamed up and are taking on today’s young- sters, by starting all over again. Ryan, 44, said: “When you’re young, you can be a bit of an a**hole. “You can be not kind to the people around you. “But we’re all such fans of each other, we’re supportive, and that transcends into us being better as a band at our age.” The group, above, took off out the blue. There was not even a plan to form up. Ryan explained: “I didn’t personally realise we were starting a band. “But within a few days, it sounded like a band. We were surprised. It just hap- pened because of our admi- ration for each other. We’ve all influenced each other quite a bit down the years. “Usually you’re trying really hard to make some- thing decent but when you’re a fan of the guys in your band, everything is much more exciting.” Their debut album Thrash Rock Legacy, inset, came out in March last year to rave reviews. One critic even claimed it was “a Lamborghini ride through outer space on warp speed with a glass of wine in hand and headphones on”. The lads have revealed the secret behind it — the sound of silence. Ryan admitted: “I had one idea let’s arrive empty-handed. I wanted us to go in without any ideas, and that’s how we did it. “I wanted that rather than turning up with things done and being political about whose song we were going to work on. “Having three writers, we were surprised how seam- lessly it happened. “We work really fast. “A lot of the songs come from 40-minute jams of us not speaking we’re big fans of not talking too much. “We’ll sit together and write lyrics, someone writes a line and then another per- son adds the next one. It’s a spontaneous thing and because you’re trying to keep up with people who you’re fans of, you’re trying to pull your best out. “It creates a very healthy competitiveness. “It’s a good environment and we hope it lasts and we think it will.” Most veterans hate the term “supergroup” but Mounties are right into it. Ryan said: “I don’t mind the word super, it’s a good word. “The fact that anybody says anything is a good thing. “Calling us super is fine with us, we’ve got used to it. We’re going to show up and play “And it’s pretty accurate considering the success we’ve all had separately.” The band will make their Scottish debut at Glasgow’s King Tut’s tomorrow night. But they admit they have no idea what sort of recep- tion they will face. Ryan added: “We’ve no idea if there will be five people or 300 there. “We’re not sure who knows about this or who’s going to be excited. “But we’re going to show up and play — and see what happens.” l For more, check out mounties- band.com CANADIAN We truly are our own biggest fans

NEWMUSIC - WordPress.com ·  · 2015-04-18FORFANSOF:FooFighters,Muse, QueensOfTheStoneAge. JIMSAYS:Afternearly20years,Baby ... fans of, you’re trying to pull your best out. “It

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56 .............................. Friday, April 17, 2015 1SM

BABY CHAOSWHO: Chris Gordon (vocals/guitar), GrantMcFarlane (guitar/vocals), Bobby Dunn(bass), Davy Greenwood (drums).WHERE:Glasgow.FOR FANS OF: Foo Fighters, Muse,Queens Of The Stone Age.JIM SAYS: After nearly 20 years, BabyChaos are back in the limelight with athird album.

One of Scotland’s great rock hopes inthe 90s, they weren’t without success.

Debuting with the first ever release onElectric Honey Records out of the thenStow College — now Glasgow KelvinCollege — they paved the way for laterreleases from the likes of Belle &Sebastian and Biffy Clyro.

Signing to a major label, they releasedtwo critically acclaimed albums.

Their second release, Love Your SelfAbuse, was even voted into the Top 100British albums of all time by readers ofKerrang! magazine in 1995.

They later morphed into a band calledDeckard, signing to the legendaryReprise label.

So why is the time right for a return forBaby Chaos?

Chris Gordon said: “I had been busywith other bands and record deals (UnionOf Knives, Regency Buck) and I was alsoproducing records for a number of otherartists.

“A space opened up where I was able tocommit some time to this.

“We have had such great enduringfriendships that really the idea of spendingtime together writing and recording arecord seemed very appealing.

“Having ventured off in many differentmusical directions with some otherprojects I wasn’t sure I would be up foranother rock record.

“But I found it really liberating singing at

the top of my voice and thrashing away atthe guitar!”

The new album Skulls, Skulls, Skulls,Show Me The Glory sounds anything but athrowback, but it won’t disappoint BabyChaos fans from back in the day.

A slab of riff-heavy melodic rock, it’s verymuch a contemporary record.

Recapturing their old energy, they’vemanaged to create a record that actuallysounds like a fresh debut rather than aband retracing their roots.

Chris admits it wasn’t easy to initially getback into the swing of things.

He said: “I won’t lie to you, we were rusty,but even in the early rehearsals you couldhear little signs of what it actually mightbecome.

“I think we are now sounding even betterthan in our pomp in ’96, which is a fairachievement.”

The way the music industry hasdeveloped in recent years means that thistime round they don’t need the weight of amajor label behind them to get their musicout there.

The digital revolution has given bandsthe power to self-release effectively andmake an impact on fans.

Various packages are available whenordering the album online, and if you buy itdirect from the band’s website you canalso receive a bonus EP.

Chris said: “Bands can forge ahead ontheir own in a way that simply wasn’tpossible when we were kicking about inthe ’90s.

“Sure it takes a lot of hard work anddedication but if you don’t have that andyou expect it all to fall in your lap then youare almost certainly going to be stuckstrumming in your bedroom until your hairturns grey anyway. It’s a great time to be ina band I think.”

The next gig for Baby Chaos will beon-stage at Stereo in Glasgow tomorrownight.MORE: www.babychaos.com.lJim presents Drivetime on XFMScotland, Monday to Friday 4-7pm.xfm.co.uk, jimgellatly.com

By JIMGELLATLYNEWMUSIC

ONE2

WATC

HBy

CHR

ISSW

EENEY

ONE 2 HEAR

ONE 2 SEEDJANGODjango are another ofour own homegrown talents.Despite now living in London,the boys— Vincent Neff, DavidMaclean, Tommy Grace andJimmy Dixon— formed inEdinburgh in 2009.They’ll be back up the road ontour, playing Aberdeen andGlasgow onMay 2 and 3.They’re promoting smashingnew album Born Under Saturn.They’re well worth seeing andtheir talents deserve a biggerprofile.Go to djangodjango.co.uk formore information.

KERRI Watt is one of our undis-covered gems.The Glasgow girl —mentoredby The Libertines drummer GaryPowell — has a superb voice.And she shows it off on newsingle You, released on April 27.It’s a track that sticks the kniferight into an ex and it hasalready had more than 350,000streams on Soundcloud andYouTube.There is no doubt that Kerrihas the talent to go far so watchthis space.Check out the single’s videonow at kerriwatt.com.

CANADIAN rocksupergroup Mountiesare all around 40 —but they are gettingdown and dirty sothey can mix it withthe kids.

The guys have enjoyedsuccess in various bandsdown the years.

Hawksley Workman is anacclaimed singer-songwriter,while Steve Bays was in HotHot Heat and Ryan Dahlewas part of Limblifter.

But now thetrio have teamedup and are takingon today’s young-sters, by startingall over again.

Ryan, 44, said:“When you’reyoung, you can bea bit of ana**hole.

“You can be notkind to the peoplearound you.

“But we’re all such fans ofeach other, we’re supportive,and that transcends into usbeing better as a band atour age.”

The group, above, took offout the blue. There was noteven a plan to form up.

Ryan explained: “I didn’tpersonally realise we werestarting a band.

“But within a few days, itsounded like a band. Wewere surprised. It just hap-pened because of our admi-

ration for each other. We’veall influenced each otherquite a bit down the years.

“Usually you’re tryingreally hard to make some-thing decent but when you’rea fan of the guys in yourband, everything is muchmore exciting.”

Their debut album ThrashRock Legacy, inset, came outin March last year to ravereviews.

One critic even claimed itwas “a Lamborghini ridethrough outer space on warpspeed with a glass of winein hand and headphones

on”.The lads have

revealed thesecret behind it —the sound ofsilence.

Ryan admitted:“I had one idea— let’s arriveempty-handed. Iwanted us to goin without anyideas, and that’show we did it.

“I wanted that rather thanturning up with things doneand being political aboutwhose song we were going towork on.

“Having three writers, wewere surprised how seam-lessly it happened.

“We work really fast.“A lot of the songs come

from 40-minute jams of usnot speaking — we’re bigfans of not talking too much.

“We’ll sit together andwrite lyrics, someone writesa line and then another per-

son adds the next one. It’s aspontaneous thing andbecause you’re trying to keepup with people who you’refans of, you’re trying to pullyour best out.

“It creates a very healthycompetitiveness.

“It’s a good environmentand we hope it lasts — andwe think it will.”

Most veterans hate theterm “supergroup” butMounties are right into it.

Ryan said: “I don’t mindthe word super, it’s a goodword.

“The fact that anybodysays anything is a goodthing.

“Calling us super is finewith us, we’ve got usedto it.

We’re going toshow up and play

“And it’s pretty accurateconsidering the success we’veall had separately.”

The band will make theirScottish debut at Glasgow’sKing Tut’s tomorrow night.

But they admit they haveno idea what sort of recep-tion they will face.

Ryan added: “We’ve noidea if there will be fivepeople or 300 there.

“We’re not sure who knowsabout this or who’s going tobe excited.

“But we’re going to showup and play — and see whathappens.”l For more, check out mounties-band.com

CANADIAN rock

Wetrulyareourownbiggest fans