Undated
/ CMJ Magazine / Glasgow, Scotland by Stephen McRobbie
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND,
THE UK, EUROPE, THE WORLD, THE UNIVERSE. BY THE AGE OF EIGHT IT SEEMED THAT WE
COULD ALL REEL OFF THAT LIST WITH A MANIC CERTAINTY THAT NOW SEEMS LIKE A PREDICTION.
BECAUSE FROM ORANGE JUICE TO BELLE AND SEBASTIAN TO NATIONAL PARK, ALL OF THE
BEST MUSIC FROM GLASGOW HAS BEEN LIKE THAT: AMBITIOUS, INTERNATIONAL AND EXTREMELY
SELF-REVERENTIAL.
THUS IT SEEMS THAT A PARTLY MYTHIC GLASGOW GOT INVENTED:
STUART MURDOCH'S CIRCULAR BUS ROUTE AND THE GROSVENOR CAFÉ SCAM, SATELLITE
CITY AND THE BOTANICS, THE EXACT POINT ON GREAT WESTERN ROAD THAT THE WHOLE WORLD
OPENS UP IN FRONT OF YOU. THOUGH THIS IS A SMALL PART OF GLASGOW AND YOU SHOULDN'T
CONFUSE IT WITH SOME MODERN-DAY URBAN DISNEYLAND, I'D SAY YOU STILL OUGHT TO GIVE
IT A VISIT. THAT IS, IF YOU LIKE STYLISH EARLY 20TH CENTURY ARCHITECTURE VIEWED
THROUGH AN ALMOST PERPETUAL SLOW-MOTION DRIZZLE, AND ONE OF THE BEST NIGHT-TIME
HORIZON VIEWS YOU'LL EVER SEE, A POINTILLIST UTOPIA MADE UP OF SOME OF THE MOST
DISMAL HOUSING ESTATES IN WESTERN EUROPE. EVEN IF YOU'RE ONLY LOOKING FOR A GATEWAY
TO THE TOURIST SCOTLAND OF BONNY THISTLES, LOCHS AND GLENS, WHY NOT TRY US? JUST
DON'T MENTION EDINBURGH, OKAY?
HANG OUTS
The hub of Glasgow's music
scene is unquestionably the 13th Note (13th Note Café, 50 King St., 553-1638;
13th Note Club, 260 Clyde St., 243-2177). It's is noble and it's intentions true.
Everyone has played there and everyone digs the rundown glam. The Centre for Contemporary
Arts (350 Sauchiehall St., 332-7521) is slightly glitzier, slightly more expensive.
I always think it's cool to check out an exhibition and then get drunk. But even
the CCA must bow down to the Glasgow Film Theatre (12 Rose St., 332-8128) for
effortless European avant-gardism. The GFT building is stunning art deco, and
it gets all the best films and the hippest directors. Agnes Varda and Beth B have
given talks. Also Aggi [Wright, also of the Pastels] hung her first exhibition
in it's cafe/bar, so respect is due!
Saturday night is divine at the Art School
(Vic Bar, Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew St., 353-1608), Andrew and Slush
Puppy's long-standing good vibration exravaganza. But don't get too wasted because
Sunday is speedway day at Shawfield Stadium (Sundays, 6:30 p.m., Rutherglen Road,
647-4121), and I'll be expecting you to get pretty vocal on the fourth bend, with
the awesome Glasgow Tigers.
Roughly in the same part of town is the Barrowland
Ballroom (244 Gallowgate, 552-4601). It's the best mid-sized venue I've ever been
in, tops for atmosphere, sound and logo. If by some chance, say, Teenage Fanclub
is playing there, you're in luck. Grab a ticket quick! Downsizing from there are
three pretty other notewothy venues: King Tuts (272 St. Vincent St., 221-5279),
Nice 'N Sleazy (421 Sauchiehall St., 333-9637) and the Renfrew ferry (Windmillcroft
Quay, 429-8676).
RECORD STORES
Hipsters can pick up just about any
thing in Glasgow, from the latest techno to German electronics to the next Belle
and Sebastian. And all before the suckers in London have caught on. Here's a list
of my favourite record stores in particular order: John Smith and Son (9252 Byres
Road, 334-2769), a bookstore front for independent, electronic, avant-garde, jazz,
classical and '60s music. Eight-O-Three Records (Flip basement, 70 Queen St.,
204-1846) is a cardboard box operation with lots of cool US imports, punk rock
and independents. Other spots to visit include Missing Records (685 Great Western
Road, 400-2270,and 9 Wellington St., 400-1776) and Fopp Records (358 Byres Road,
357-1774). All of these stores stock vinyl, have courteous staff and will play
you something off their racks.
RADIO STATIONS
I wouldn't exactly
say we're spoilt for choice, but BBC Radio Scotland (FM 92-95, AM + MW 810kHz)
has a fitfully worthwhile output. The following shows are worth checking: Beat
Patrol (Sundays 8-9 p.m.), Original Masters (Sundays 3-4 p.m., repeat Mondays
8-9 p.m.), Electronica (Sundays 9-10 p.m.) and Soundcheck (Sundays 7-8 p.m.).
Best of all might be Duglas T. Stewart's inserts on Fred MacAulay (Monday-Thursday
8:45-10 a.m.), which features anything from Morricone to the Modern Lovers. Sub
City Radio (106.2 MHz) is seasonal and receptions pretty dodgy, but it did boast
one of the greatest radio shows I have ever heard (Coolport). Now if London's
XFM would only get a license and run that as part of it's schedule...
UNROCK
ACTIVITIES
If you come to Glasgow you might want to get out of Glasgow. But
only because you're so close to the countryside you'd be mad not to. I recommend
hiring a car and going out to Loch Lomond late, late in the afternoon. Bring a
mix tape, toast some marshmallows, and go skinnydipping if it's not to cold and
you're not being spied on. Alternatively you might want to go "doon the watter"
(not that any of us actually speak like that). You can get info on Clyde sailings
from Calmac (Caledonian MacBrayne Hebridean and Clyde Ferries, 0147-565-0100).
Exotic
destinations like Dunoon and Rothesay, ahoy! Actually the Botanic Gardens (730
Great Western Road, 334-2422) are pretty exotic and I've got to say we are very
well served for parks and departments. Swots like me spend hours in the Mitchell
Library (North St., 287-2999), and I also want to mention the Women's Library
(109 Trongate, 552-8345). Pat Laureate (who also runs super-hip label Vesuvius)
will happily guide you through the collection of women's writing and artwork,
and Britain's most important lesbian archive.
EATING OUT
Fratelli
Sarti's (113 Wellington St. (deli), 248-2228; 121 Bath St., 204-0440) is a great,
great Italian restaurant. We like to eat in the delicatessen part, which is pretty
informal and groovy. In fact, the last time we were there they forgot to charge
us. Glasgow has quite a big Indian population and an impressive selection of restaurants
reflecting that. But my tip is the Asha Vegetarian Restaurant (141 Elderslie St.,
221-7144), which is quite traditional and low key. The food is never less than
excellent and the service is super-friendly. But since you've come to the UK,
you've got to try a plate of fish and chips. The University Cafe (87 Byres Road,
339-5217) is probably the best place for this. It's so timeless you expect to
be experiencing it through a grainy film. They also do great ice cream. The best
pizza slice is at Little Italy (205 Byres Road, 339-6287). In addition the following
cafes are definitely worth checking out: The Grosvenor Cafe (31 Ashton Lane, 339-1848);
Java, an Internet cafe (152 Park Road, 337-6814); The Bay Tree for vegan food
(403 Great Western Road, 334-5898); 13th Note Cafe for vegan food (see "Hang
Outs" for address); CCA (see "Hang Outs" for address), and Insomnia
for all-night food (38 Woodlands Road, 564-1700). We won't let you starve
ALL PHONE NUMBERS ARE AREA CODE 0141, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. STEPHEN MCROBBIE
AND KATRINA MITCHELL ARE MEMBERS OF THE PASTELS
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