THE first episode of The Spaghetti Factory has officially been unveiled.

A project that was founded by the late Gary Watson, frontman of The Lapelles, The Spaghetti Factory is an online music show designed to showcase some of Scotland’s finest emerging talent through a series of live performances and interviews. An exciting idea that spawned from Watson’s unbelievable dedication and enthusiasm for the local music scene, its first series has now been completed with each episode expected to arrive over the forthcoming winter period.

After the first two episodes were filmed at The Old Mill Studios in Strathaven in April 2016 with Watson at the helm, it was announced earlier this year that the project would be continued under the watchful eye of his friends and family to ensure that his vibrant creative vision would be fulfilled.

In a proposal letter written to a sponsor in 2015, Watson laid out his aims for the show: “With “The Spaghetti Factory” we plan to blend the old with the new: present the best up and coming bands on modern platforms such as YouTube & Facebook, all the while using the same approach as the music shows that have influenced us. Working on a music show based in Glasgow is like working in a goldmine; purely because there are so many bands writing, recording, and performing all under the roof of Scotland’s most cultural city. So what better way to be a part of such a visceral music scene (which has become far more culturally vibrant in the past decade) than to document it?”

Now, after months of hard work and dedication, the very first episode has been made available to the viewing public. Not only a brilliant, fresh-faced insight into two of Scotland’s most exciting up and coming outfits at the very early stages of their career, the show acts as a long-lasting tribute to Watson whose well-known charisma and infectious energy is captured as an eternal gift to those who tune in.

Featuring two brilliant performances from The Van Ts and Declan Welsh & the Decadent West, check out the first episode below.

Meanwhile, TTV caught up with Rosie Watson, Matthew Johnstone and Michaela McElroy, three of the organisers behind The Spaghetti Factory, to hear more about the project, what’s coming up and their ambitions for the future. Check out their Facebook page for more updates here. 

What inspired The Spaghetti Factory and to keep it going? 

The Spaghetti Factory was created because of Gary’s resounding love of live music. He had always spoke with incredible passion about the gap in the television market that had erupted due to the end of some of the show’s biggest influencers (The Old Grey Whistle Test, The Tube and T.F.I. Friday to name a few). He had this niggling desire to create a non-discriminatory platform for Scottish musicians to expose their music within a live environment. Because of how much Gary had dedicated himself to the Glasgow music scene, the team at The Spaghetti Factory decided the completion of the series was our duty to Gary. Hopefully we have made it into something he could be proud of.

What can we expect from the next few episodes? 

Episode 2 remains at The Old Mill with Gary, then from the third episode we have two new wonderful hosts, Hannah Van Thompson from The Van T’s and Declan Welsh, who you may find familiar from the first episode! We also have a venue change to Cathedral House Hotel which is next to the Glasgow Necropolis. But on top of that expect loads more amazing bands, top banter and some band versus band challenges.

What makes Glasgow the perfect location for this kind of show? 

Glasgow is a musical “goldmine” as Gary would put it. There are so many talented bands here in Glasgow’s vibrantly cultured scene that just have to be heard! Gary was so passionate that he would go out his way pretty much every night of the week to attend a gig in Glasgow. When we took a trip down to Manchester to meet our sponsor, Gary was outraged that we couldn’t find one single gig to go to, a problem which you’d never face here in Glasgow. It allows those within the music industry outside of Glasgow to venture into the scene behind the screen and see what they’re missing out on

What are your ambitions for The Spaghetti Factory?

The aim will always to be to inspire people and get them going to gigs. We hope it will be a reminder of the magic that live music can bring. If we could make people 1% as passionate as Gary was regarding the Glasgow music scene/music, then the show will be a success.

Check out the first episode below.