01-1996
/ Seasonal Salute / Stephen Pastel / 1995 by Aggi
Seasonal Salute
Dear Shareholder,
1996 was a year of fabulous progress undertaken
by the Pastels. In non-abstract terms, we were
there, baby : unblinking, close, unfaltering.
We pounded on. It was hard for us to do so much
and stay on top of everything that’s important
to us. We tried our best. We always do.
We issued three records. Mobile Safari (LP), Worlds
of Possibility (EP) and Sandy Dirt (EP w/ Al Larsen).
These brought us closer than ever to where we
would like to be. At times it was almost possible
to glimpse the future and our next sound ; scattered,
spacial and ever personal. We’re optimistic,
all three of us, and our sense of purpose will
not waver.
In the future there will be many fantastic, extraordinary
records and some of them will be by The Pastels.
Thank you,
Stephen Pastel
Sandy Dirt ?
Yes. This is our collaboration with Al Larsen,
the culmination of his cultural visit to our city.
Songs are kind of loose, semi-spontaneous and
just sort of spill out. Al :’We didn’t
spend that much time working on Sandy Dirt –
a couple of practices and the recording. But because
by that time I’d been in Glasgow almost
three months, we knew each other well enough and
we had this vibe. I’d call it a G12 vibe.
And that’s why the record sounds so good’.
Al has designed the 1996 Lo-Fi calender –
‘Nothing Essential Happens In The Absence
of Noise’ and is working on a tape under
the name Telepathic Youth.
U.S. release of Mobile Safari ?
Yes. Up records from Seattle will be bringing
it out in January on vinyl and CD. They seem like
fine people. We salute them.
Coolport ?
Yeah. A place to go Saturday nights – the
13th Note. No squares. Check it out.
New Technologies ?
Yes. We have secret web sites strategically located
in the world. We will be buying some fancy new
gear soon.
1995 by Aggi
This was
Norway March 22nd – 25 th. Oslo, Trondheim,
Bergen, Moss.
Oslo – Unveiling Jonathan Kilgour as our
n°4 and we were battling against the odds
(odd amps and odd soundman) and sleep deprivation,
which was the theme of this tour. For Chickfactor
readers, this was perhaps the most unlikely reported
sighting of Pavement Boy. Trondheim was our furthest
ever point north. Soundcheck was broadcast live
on national radio. Lots of men with beards. Bergen
– played the famous leaky cave. The only
song everyone knew was Thru Your Heart ‘cos
it’s been on an ‘indie’ sampler.
Moss – smells of glue. Excellent sightseeing
in Oslo with its winter Olympicly glorious ski
jump where we were recognised by a French diplomat
; long boats in the Viking museum and long faces
in the Munch museum.
Glasgow March 29th. Renfrew Ferry,
Supporting Teenage Fanclub – tide was in
and everything flowed.
U.K. April 22nd – May 1st.
9 date tour supporting Tindersticks. The ‘sticks
were lovely and let us on their bus, provided
we were quiet. Lots of passive smoking.
France May 10th – 21st. Tours, Lyon, Clemront-Ferrand,
Nantes, Rennes, Paris, Nancy, Colmar, Reims.
In anticipation of World War III we travelled
in an armoured tank which attracted a lot of interest
from the douane. By now, after the equivalent
of 2 years of touring by our usual standarts,
we are a very tight rock band, a disappointment
for the French audiences as this was not how they
remembered us at all. A last-minute acoustic show
in Rennes revealed our fragile selves and things
were soon put right. We enjoyed playing with Dominique
A. who is by now a big pop star in France. His
music is haunting, personal and stylish, and his
singing, to our ears, " very French ".
One night we joined his band on stage for their
lovely gentle version of Speeding Motorcycle,
Dominique and Stephen swapping verses and the
rest of us on woodblocks and things. In Colmar
we shared the dressing room with the Edelweiss
Accordion Society of Colmar and Les Molies. Les
Molies did not have rosettes, trophies and photos
of their band in regional costume but still we
were very pleased to see them. (Renaud is renowned
for setting Pat Laureate to music). Competing
(in volume terms only only) with an inebriated
and unrestrained brass band next door we invited
Les Molies to join us for Speeding Motorcycle
(we won).
We conducted a nationwide survey of French pedestrian
crossing signals and found there to be a splendid
variety, with all the panache and style lacking
in our own.
Switzerland May 19th and 20th. Winterthur and
Yverdon-Les-Bains.
Bizarrely we found ouurselves involved in a cigarette-sponsored
talent contest. The tiny stage was smothered with
yukky banners and their reps were offended when
we wouldn’t use their stacks of tinny rock
gear. By the second night we could no longer quell
the punk rock rebellion. Half the audience understood
the secret sign which was to lead them to our
dressing-room after the show for an impromptu
convention and immediate redemption. Then we left
the country and just drove and drove.
Spain 4th August. Festival Internacional Benicassim.
Unusual but desirable combination of idealism
and charm combined with attention to detail. Apart
from being caught in a food fight between Salad
and The Chralatans, it was all fun. Amelia Fletcher
(Heavenly) made her annual appearence with us
on stage. Biggest ever audience (9000). Unlike
Gene we did not say " grassyass " after
each song. Nor did our singer leave us in standard
class while he travelled club. (thanks Stephen).
New York 6th – 8th September CMJ
Matador night – well, here we really rocked,
but Pizzicato 5 stole the show in term of, erm,
"showbiz professionalism "… but
we stole their script.
Chickfactor Nite – chic and glamorous like
a 50’s canaret with cocktails and glittery
curtains, celebrating the brilliant and similarly
styled Chickfactor magazine. Lois was great, full
of warmth and spontaneity. Cibo Matto, they were
probably full of food – but still managed
to be great.
Glasgow Domino Nite. Friday 13th October
King Tut’s. with Flying Saucer Attack, Quickspace
Supersport and Ganger. Introducing Sarah Ward
on flute. Much confusion in the dressing room
with all the Domino bags.
U.S.A. / Canada November 10th – 20th with
Yo La Tengo. Chicago, Ann Arbor, Toronto, Ottawa,
Boston x2, New York x2.
We joined Yo La Tengo on the last legs of their
six week tour. A chance to get down to the nitty
gritty – which of our bands was the first
to think of covering Speeding Motorcycle. Well,
we both pinned it down to June ’89 and called
a truce. Stephen sang it with them in Ann Arbor.
It was the first time I’ve watched him from
the audience for years and years – it was
magic. Another thrill was (at a soundcheck) playing
Dark Side Of Your World with Georgia and Ira.
And we were delighted to have James (McNew) play
the famous ace-tone (keyboards) with us on a couple
of songs. I drew in his diary – I drew Katrina
playing maracas with Yo La Tengo. She got a good
ticking off from Ira for smiling too much, but
I must say, he was later seen to be way out-of-line
in the smiling department.
In Canada we were joined on the bill by the groovy
Phonocomb featuring 2 Shadowy Men (Don & Reid)
and a Half Japanese (Dallas Good). The spirit
of Jad Fair was strongly felt, as all three bands
have backed him at some time. Feeling a bit scruffy
by then but luckily Phonocomb had some appropriate
promotional accessories. In Toronto while we played
Winter Olympic Glory the lighting man shone Olympic
rings round us. In Ottawa it snowed a ton.
Coming back to the U.S. it was a pleasant surprise
to be given a BIS badge by the surly customs man
when he returned our passports. Thought a bit
better of him till I realised I’d given
him it by mistake. Raced to get to Amherst in
time (as you might expect with a speedway rider
at the wheel – thanks, David). But YLT were
stuck in Ottawa for want of a guv’nor, so
no show.
In New York we were whisked away to a goth dive
hotel and set upon by a make-up artist and a wardrobe.
Check March issue of Raygun for the strange results
(bruises).
Well, Yo La Tengo really looked after us, with
total care that included saving us getting electric
shock from tehir funny American currents. They
are awesome live and always different ; entrancing.
Their grand finale – Half Japanese’s
No More Beatlemania – involved Katrina going
very very wild on guitar – but still she
couldn’t stop smiling.
30th November London Forum and 1st december Glasgow
Barrowland with Teenage Fanclub.
A rapturous homecoming.
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