8 SFTW Friday, April 29, 2011

ACE CITY heard their demo and immediately got to work RACERS with them in London’s WHO: James Barker (gui- Strongroom Studio. tar/vocals), Mark Daniels But it’s not all retro

JIM (bass/vocals) and Matt with these guys as TOM Green (drums/vocals) they’ve been inspired BY BY GELLATLY WHERE: Glasgow by The Vaccines and FOR FANS OF: Blur, Brother, who they sup- CHURCHILL Buzzcocks, Bis ported at King Tut’s. JIM SAYS: If you’re still Mark said: “We want mourning the demise of to write an album kids

C Britpop, this indie trio will listen to from start to C C finish —just like Blur I I are the antidote. They formed from the did when we were kids.” S S ashes of Glasgow MORE: facebook.com/

CHRIS favourites Juno!, who acecityracers USI U U SWEENEY regularly collaborated Q Hear Jim’s new BY with Bis star Manda Rin. radio show In:Demand Another high-profile Uncut, Sunday 7-10pm M M fan is legendary pro- on Clyde1,Forth One, ducer Stephen Street, Northsound 1, Radio whose work with Blur is Borders, Tay FM, West WM W KASS ARE W certainly amajor influ- FM &West Sound FM. ence on the band. He See jimgellatly.com E DRUNK ON PRESSURE’S ON E NE N N PUNK boys Max Raptor are fuming month —when Max Raptor hit Glasgow’s King never, ever stop —assoon as Iunderstand with anger and don’t plan on EVER Tut’s on May 19, then The Tunnels in something, Iget disillusioned by something SUCCESS FOR HAWTIN Aberdeen the following night. else. You’re constantly feeling it —this country calming down. They’ll be blasting out their debut mini- always has loads of stuff to write about and By CHRIS SWEENEY album Portraits —which covers everything it’s right in front of us all. The band reckon they churn out every song YOUNG guns Kassidy admit PRESSURE @The Arches, Edinburgh, Sunday: Huge all- driven by pure frustration and burning anger. from politics to celebrity culture. “I don’t think the day will ever come when I they’ve been on the lash all But while it’s an angry atmosphere, the write about picnics or girls Imet on holiday, ! Glasgow, Sunday: It’s a day bash featuring the cream Frontman Wil Ray said: “We hate writing through their sold-out UK tour. big one for the techno fans of house and disco talent about nothing. When we first started out we Burton-on-Trent boys keep alid on things. no way.” The Glasgow boys have just Wil, 25, explained: “The shows aren’t aggres- Max Raptor recently toured the UK with The as superstar Richie Hawtin, from the capital and beyond. weren’t angry as there was nothing really of wrapped up the trip and it’s pictured,makes along-over- Riva Starr, Retro/Grade, huge importance. sive, but there can be afew injuries. Last Stranglers and Wil was left with abizarre been a24-hour booze frenzy. week one guy ended up with abroken arm. I legacy —the WEIRDEST pre-gig ritual in rock due return to Scotland. The Revenge and Spencer “But now, being older and experiencing Even when their tour man- Parker are just ahandful of things, all these influences come through. don’t endorse that, but it’s collateral damage. ‘n roll. As well as being one of the ager has cracked the whip, scene’s most influential pro- the stars playing across three “We have melody and chants in the songs, He explained: “On the first night of the tour, they’ve still not toned it down. Throats our sound guy Tim shook everyone in the ducers in his Plastikman and spaces, including an outside but there’s astrong message behind the tunes Barrie-James O’Neill said: BBQ zone. —itcould be subjects like domestic abuse, but band’s hand —and the gig went really well. FUSE guises, he’s the most “At the shows, we all have acelebration of “So the next night Itold him he needed to “We’re abig drinking band forward-thinking DJ on the ALEXANDER ROBOTNIK @ these things happen in life. our problems. We never wanted to be too and we liketohave agood & “Not many bands write about them or are do it again. circuit, using custom hard- La Cheetah, Glasgow, preachy. The songs are more commentaries of “He said he didn’t have time, but Imade time —wedon’t want to sap ware and software to sculpt tomorrow: He rocked the club genuinely angry about the state of the state — us watching these events unfold —wenever the fun out of it. but we are and that’s all we write about. him do it at every gig, then Ihad to find a his club-quaking soundscapes. scene in 1983 with electro- wanted to shove it down people’s throats. hot tap and run my hand underneath it for a “We don’t like to be in bed In the meantime, the disco stormer Problems “’I’m laid-back in the day but when night “Our mini-album is anice little chroni- for 10 o’clock. If it’s bed for 10, comes, my way of venting my anger is through few seconds. Numbers crew take over the d’Amour, and he’s still going cle about the current state “Now Idothat at every show, it’s horri- then we’ll escape out the win- same venue tonight with music —itdefinitely comes across. dow and down the pub. strong. The Italian —real of affairs in this country.” ble but I’m quite superstitious. If I Berlin giants Modeselektor name Maurizio Dami —is G “A lot of people don’t talk about things and G Wil added: “It will don’t follow my routine, then there’s “Sometimes we’re told, and Siriusmo joining Jack- it gets pent up. That’s one of the problems ‘Take your vitamins and get also playing live at the city’s today —people don’t voice their opinions. impending doom in the air —soithas master andSpencer. Rubadub record shop at

your a***s to bed’. But f*** NG N to be done.” N FELIX DA HOUSECAT @ “But it’s happening gradually, people are on that, we’re young boys. 4pm, to whet your appetite. I the streets protesting and our gigs are another Q Download I $ Snafu, Aberdeen, Sunday: TRONICSOLE @Admiral, Portraits now “We like to have agood ( platform for people to vent their anger.” time before the show, during TheChicago house legend — Glasgow, tomorrow: BI B And any Scots rebels can do just that next at maxraptor. B and ambassador for the Milton Jackson and Hiro team co.uk the show and after the show,” But despite the non-stop par- electroclash sound —hits the up for aReturn Of The House Granite City. B tying, the band —who’re also B Nerds bash. Expect Hamish Fingland, Lewis He always rocks the classic house from the party and this is sure 80s to the 00s. Andrew and Chris Potter — UB U OXFORD chaps Fixers have bucket- U to be aroadblock. Q Email your news and loads of character, with their mad have delivered on stage, show- DAY OF REST @ L casing debut album Hope St. L listings to tom.churchill@ statements andbonkers antics on % Hawke &Hunter, the-sun.co.uk H H stage, so preparefor aright good The rave reviews sold out EVERY ticket —including time on their UK tour. CL C 1,500 punters packed into last C

CH They’re at Drummonds in Aber- C C night’s homecoming show at deen on Thursday and charge on to Glasgow’s ABC —with their T T Glasgow’s King Tut’s the next night. profile now big all over the UK. Tickets at myspace.com/fixerstheband Barrie, 23, said: “We’ve AT A A been very, very surprised. “There’s more and more people coming out to see us —even in London this week, it W W was packed out and they all SINCE packing in rapping, Example knew the songs. We’ve got 2W 2 2 has become aking of churning out very passionate fans.” electro bangers —and he’s done it The boys currently have a S S again with new single Changed The blank slate for the summer — Way You Kiss Me. ES E E but they’re open to any offers, It is out in June, but check out the no matter how small. video —shot in Ministry of Sound — Barrie added: “If people N N now at trythisforexample.com invite us to things, we’ll show up and play —we’ll take our music anywhere no matter if ON O O it’s on the smallest island.” TAKING AFRESH APPROACH

By EMMA JACKSON me learn to appreciate what every member of the band brought to the table and how important TAKING Back Sunday have been around for over every single member is. adecade, but claim their new self-titled album “Without adoubt, everything was for the best won’t be arehash of the sound that got them —ifwehadn’t changed, we wouldn’t have got major success —because that’s what tore them back to this incredible place we are at in 2011.” apart. That includes the new album out in June and a The pop rockers from Amityville, New York, UK tour next month, which includes agig at first formed in 1999 but when the guys hit it big in Glasgow’s ABC on May 16. 2002 with debut album Tell All Your Friends, bass player Shaun Cooper and guitarist John Nolan Tour decided that the pressure of their fame was too Shaun added: “We decided to make this much to handle. album self-titled because we feel this is the Shaun, 30, said: “Basically what happened definitive Taking Back Sunday sound. And with was we got too big too fast. First of all, Ijust the five of us being back together again, it just felt wasn’t prepared for that, so Iwas kinda freaked right to call it after the band. out by the whole thing. There was alot of fighting “There are some good pop songs on it, there’s going on in the band because we were all losing weeks ago and we’ve seen mostly positive feed- some up-tempo songs and at the end there is our minds and everyone was drinking too much. back, but there are people who don’t get it and this really great ballad. It’s just breathtaking.” “I didn’t know how to go from a20-year-old kid who want to see us rehash Tell All Your Friends. He added: “We can’t wait to get back over to to being this guy in areally successful band. That “We love that record and the songs on it, but the UK and tour. With the drinking age being that was awhole shock to my system —Ireally felt I that’s not who we are any more. We are so proud bit lower in the UK compared to the US, it makes had to take astep back and figure it out. of that and will continue to play these songs live.” for amuch more fun-loving audience.” “I had afew years to tour on amuch smaller John andShaun don’t regret leaving frontman Q New single Faith (When ILet You Down) is avail- level. Ihad it easy for agood couple of years and Adam Lazzara, rhythm guitaristEddie Reyes and able from May 2with their album due for release nowIwant that fast-paced life, the heavy touring drummerMark O’Connell. Instead, they see it as on June25. Taking Back Sunday play Glasgow’s —the Taking Back Sunday way of life. agood thing. ABC on May 16. Tickets, priced £16.50, from “We released teaser single El Paso afew Shaun said: “Being apart from the guys made gigsinscotland.com/0844 499 9990.