Like going to see a retrospective in the Tate, you could see the curve of development without the distraction of every detail. An indication of where the future may be taking them. A way to understand the progression of ideas with the perspective of the long term. For me those records were an introduction, a doorway into the artist's world. That's the point of this record: the hits to the head, hits to the heart, hits to the feet as they hit the dancefloor. For them, it was what they wanted to listen to. They didn't have every Bowie LP, they had Changes. My parents didn't have a huge record collection. They were such a big part of my life growing up. We're doing this album and I'm thinking about how to tell you why we would. Bob went off to get a carry out and when he came back they'd swapped. It was a laugh, but he wasn't quite as good on guitar as Nick was on the drums. Our pal Paul heard we were up to something. He had an irrepressible enthusiasm and was a great musician, but did lie about being a drummer. What, the dick who pinched the vodka? No, he seems alright. Right, Bob, we're meeting this guy Nick at his flat tomorrow. Before fists followed, I said I don't suppose you play drums do you? Yes. Who nicked the vodka? There was this weird looking wee guy on the other side of the room carrying it like a trophy. Put it down, turned around and it was gone. A few of us chipped in and bought a litre of vodka. There was a party at Jo and Celia's flat above Canton Express on Sauchiehall Street. We played with Michael and Charlie, but they went off to join Dino and Jason in V Twin. ![]() We never settled this one, but we did think it might be a laugh to actually get a band together. ![]() You just played music, so you are by definition. ![]() It's just two notes, but it's a bassline. My pal Mick Cooke gave me his old bass, but Bob said he was a painter, not a musician. This imaginary band that was whatever we wanted it to be. Haha, imagine if we said we wanted to make music for girls to dance to? That's funny. Why can't we make music for them? Let's make them dance. I'm sick of gigs where it's a bunch of blokes nodding their heads. Do you think people could think of Glasgow the way we think of New York when we hear this? I love how heavy this Shellac song is. What about that Gina X song we were dancing to the other night? I love it. My brother, my killer? It's so personal, yet universal. Listen to that line in Famous Blue Raincoat. It was just me and Bob in the kitchen where I was a chef and he was a dishwasher, talking about what we'd do if we had a band. Especially when I think of how it all started. That they developed a visual aesthetic that was as sharp and wiry as their melodies. That they ricocheted around the planet playing to millions** of people, winning Brit Awards, Mercuries, Grammy nominations***, spearheading a renaissance in British bands, gaining red carpet fans like Kanye West, Hedi Slimane, Nile Rodgers, Marr, Gaga****, Hanks, Dogg and Bowie****, collaborating with icons like Jane Birkin, Daft Punk, Sparks, Justice and Debbie Harry along the way. ![]() If my friends ever read this, I'll get such a slagging. That this is the best of those songs which made a generation feel sexy and alive with a blend of dance floor euphoria, electrifying guitars and an easy, erudite lyrical wistfulness. Are you ready for the hyperbole? I'm supposed to tell you about how this era-defining band sold millions of LPs* that all sounded like Best Ofs.
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