WHEN music rocks your world as much as it does for Tenement TV, The Tartan Clef’s is one event you’re not going to miss.
Now in its fourteenth year, the Scottish awards ceremony pulled in a crowd that included stars The View and The Fratellis at brilliant venue The Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow.
The infamous Geoff Ellis mingled backstage and stopped to speak with Tenement TV. The man who was once rumoured to pour lager on his cornflakes, and who single-handily built T in the Park from the ground up, isn’t really a Scot. But his love for Glasgow is as strong as his love for hometown Manchester. And the similarities in the cities are uncanny as Ellis explains: “I have lived in Scotland more than England so for me it feels like home.
I grew up in Manchester, and the people there are passionate about three things- football, music and politics. It’s the same here in Glasgow. They are both really working class cities.
“I mean, just look at the bands that have come out of Manchester- Joy Division, The Buzzcocks, Oasis. We won’t mention the Beegees. Glasgow has been a really productive place for music too, not just for one genre but for all of the genres.
Moving to Scotland in February 1992 to run Glasgow’s gem venue The King Tuts Wah Wah Tent, Ellis lived in London for a few years also. So coming from the harsh reality of London, Glasgow for him felt just fantastic: “I have been to gigs and festivals all over the world, but Glasgow audiences are seriously outstanding.
“I mean look at the Alabama Shakes who played Glasgow the other night. They said to me they were truly blown-away by the Glasgow crowd. And they have been playing everywhere. People, particularly in Glasgow, are so passionate about music. They don’t stand back and appreciate it and clap it and nod and smile, they really go for it.
“In America I don’t think you get the same connection or passion as you do back here in Glasgow. In New York, I mean everyone’s really cool and appreciative but it’s not the same. Ireland is the closest to Scotland in terms of passion, I’d say.
“People in Glasgow aren’t too cool for school.”
For Tenement TV, speaking with Ellis helps remind us what gives us the fire in our bellies, and reminds us why giving music a new platform is important. Ellis continues: “Tops of the pops and MTV gave people great access to music back-in-the-day whereas now people can get better access to music thanks to technology and the way people access music.
“Websites like Tenement TV’s help to give a wider audience access to great music they otherwise wouldn’t discover.
“Back ten, twenty years ago people would notice a good music journalist and think to themselves ‘well if they have written about them then that band must be good.’ Whereas now an interview doesn’t mean a band is good or bad.”
On the subject of bands, Tenement TV tried to get the skinny on Ellis’ Scottish favourites. “I don’t know about favourites. But I’ve got to mention Biffy Clyro and Twin Atlantic. They are really doing their thing for Scottish music.”
When people think of music and gigs, not a lot of time is spent considering the background noise. Who puts it all together? Who gets your favourite band standing there in front of you? And one of the greatest people in Scotland help to make that background noise is Geoff Ellis. An expert in the music field, he continues to celebrate the wonderful thing that is the Scottish music industry and its meetings like this that bring him out into the forefront- where we can appreciate all that he has done as a Manc in Scotland.
With a gong in hand, everyone’s favourite Dundonian’s The View were chuffed to pick up ‘Best Album of 2012’ at the ceremony for their fourth album ‘Cheeky For a Reason’. Relaxing backstage, the skinny-jean-clad lads spilled the beans on their cocks, chatting in the street with Bobby Gillespie and that gig next year with The Roses: “Pete got a cock-threat in Tokyo. That’s why that’s one of our favourite places we’ve played.
“If you think cities in the UK are mental, you’ve not seen them in Tokyo. They are crazy. Great fans though. They treat British bands like The Beatles, man.
“Before you have even arrived in Tokyo they ken what hotel you’re staying at and they have loads of presents for you. We played two consecutive nights and the first night Webby (Kieran) kept pulling up his trousers and the front row were laughing at him. The next night some bird gave him a belt in a box. They are just brilliant fans. They love Fred Perry too.
And back to the cock threats, Pete explains: “That’s their favourite story. Someone wrote me a letter in Tokyo saying they were going to chop my cock off. The guy tried to run on stage and he got jumped on by security.
“Just as well really, because I actually like my cock. If someone tried to cut it off I wouldn’t be impressed. You can write about this if you want. I’m still gutted though.”
The View are a band who have pretty much seen it all. Growing up in the grey streets of Dundee, the lads reap the benefits of birds and booze that come out of their outstanding musical success. With Europe and the Far East more than conquered, what’s next for The View? “Pretty much just world domination and being protective cock warriors.
“But seriously though, we are going to America soon, so we are going to try and make a tiny dent over there. That’s the dream for any band, to conquer America. There’s definitely a gig in New York and we’re really looking forward to that.
“It felt like everyone knew about The Roses gig before us. Kieran was walking down the street in London and bumped into Bobby Gillespie. As they said their goodbyes, Bobby slapped him on the arse and said ‘I’ll see you sooner than you think!’”
“We are buzzing for supporting The Stone Roses. We have played a couple of tours with Primal Scream while Mani was playing with them, I just knew if there was ever an opportunity like that Mani wouldn’t let us down. A Scotland Stone Roses gig, we were always going to be in the mix”
“It’s brilliant to be a part of it obviously. We’re representing.”
Edited by Nadine Walker
