2007: The Year Ska Saved the World

So its January 2007 and thank god another Christmas is over, bah humbug. I've actually been compared to Scrooge, but I'm pretty sure he was rich.  Anyway we can at last get back to the things that matter, like working, recording and gigging, and remaining sober on weeknights. Well maybe not the last bit, but that’s what new years resolutions are for; to completely ignore until February, and then ignore them till January.  You are probably wondering what Santa brought for the band at Christmas and you may be surprised to hear that it was a police riot van. We are now the proud but suspicious owners of a nine seater minibus, complete with fully functioning riot cell in the back which will be very handy, although nine seats is one seat short for a ten piece band. So we have decided to sack someone. We’re having a competition where you, the fans, can decide who to sack from the band. Or alternatively we could install another seat. I noticed that Big Hand’s van has its own myspace profile and already I can sense a certain rivalry emerging, but our van could kick the shit out of their van, easy.

Our first gig the year was as special mystery guests of the Tyrant Lizard Kings and Taking Chase at Henry’s Cellar Bar in Edinburgh, last Sunday. I would never have thought it possible to get us all in there, let alone keep it a ‘mystery’. The cat was out the bag pretty quick anyway, and we did fit in there. Amazing bill, good gig and a great crowd. The main event so to speak was at The Exchange on Grove Street, on Friday where we played a benefit gig for the Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group, an organisation set up to raise awareness of the plight of the people in the Chiapas region of Mexico. If you don’t know anything about this subject, I suggest you go and read something. Our Rage Against the Machine tribute band played for these guys last year at the Left Bank, one of the best gigs we’ve ever had. Last Friday was a terrific turn out. First thing on the bill was a screening of the film Nobelity, which was great, two guest speakers (it was meant to be three, but Tommy Sheridan had to cancel, much to Murray‘s delight), then a chap called William Douglas doing an acoustic set.  He was really good, so watch out for him.  Then us. We played for about an hour and a half, I think, to more than three hundred people. It was a great night, and they raised about a grand and a half which was terrific. That kind of money out there could build a hospital probably. Big thanks to Edinchiapas, to AK Press, and of course to Susan for setting it up.

Our next gig is for an even better cause. Us! Namely, the lets fund Bombskare for another couple of months benefit gig, which will be at the Underworld in Bannermans. You know its going to be sweaty chaos, and will also feature west coast Ska meisters, Esperanza. Its going to be busy so get down early. Last time we played there the engineer cut our set in the middle of a song which really pissed me off, but that won’t be happening this time, oh no! I’ll be engineering a little accident to his face if that happens again.

Got back into the studio with Gav yesterday. He’s just back from France. I haven’t listened to the album in over a month so it was good listening to it with fresh ears, so to speak. Sometimes if you have listened to the same thing over and over for months you begin to lose all objectivity on what your working on. I’ve found it the same when I’m doing anything, recording, playing or writing; getting away and coming back is always good. If only I could take a holiday from myself, that would be cool.  Just to find out how awesome I really am.