Added on Monday 22 Mar 2010

West End Volume 30

There's no mileage in this writing thing. In fact, given the state of the economy, there's no mileage in any honest endeavour. I'm rambling on that very subject to my favourite barmaid outside a Glasgow city centre venue. When she looks at me with those azure eyes and tells me she is not happy with her lot. I remark that a life of crime might be an option for us both to consider. She likes that idea. She sees an escape. I see the movie. The reality television programme. Interviews with Lorraine Kelly. Being a criminal can be profitable if you have the right publicist.

Words are what I do however, so on with the show we go. A visit to Largs - a place I've only visited at night, by the way - to see Albert Lee and Hogan's Heroes turned up an expected pleasure in the support act Chantel McGregor. The trivial amount of research that I do in preparation for a review had led me to expect a blues singer but Ms McGregor turned out to be a distinctly talented interpreter of songs. She has no recordings out and hasn't been to Glasgow. Don't worry - I extended an invitation.

Since we are talking about Glasgow, I actually managed to write about a band that might do some business. After their show at Stereo to promote their single on Metropolicana Records, Sonny Marvello even got a feature in the Evening Times. The word is out on the streets as they say.

Just to prove that I haven't gone mainstream though, another Glasgow band called Deathpodal have a new mini album out called "Exu_wow" that has more ideas in it than any ten other Glasgow bands. Of special note is the song "Every Superstition Shall Be Removed". If you like angular post punk guitars mixed up with urban anger then you should look no further.

Anybody want to buy a script for a film about a writer and a barmaid who stray from the path of honest endeavour and go on a crime rampage through the streets of Glasgow? You don't even have to worry about the soundtrack as I've got that sorted for you. All part of the service.

Chantel McGregor - chantelmcgregor.com

Sonny Marvello - www.myspace.com/sonnymarvello

Deathpodal - www.deathpodal.com