Sunday, 30 April 2023

Not Unloved presents: 30/07/2023 - Barbara Manning & Gerard Love @ The Glad Cafe (Glasgow)

Exciting news: Not Unloved is putting on a show at The Glad Cafe (Glasgow) featuring two of our favourite artists!

Barbara Manning 

Barbara has released music on some of the greatest labels of the indie-rock era (Matador, K, Siltbreeze etc.) both solo and with an array of fabulous groups (San Francisco Seals28th DayWorld of PoohGlands of External Secretion etc.) and collaborated with some of New Zealand's finest. She also had the ultimate honour of gracing the cover of an  issue of esteemed indie zine/lifestyle guide, Chickfactor. I've written before about my love for her sublime "Optimism Is Its Own Reward" but there is so much to love across her stellar back catalogue including this sonically inventive ode to The Fall's 80s power pair, Mark E Smith and Brix, from her crucial debut lp "Lately I Keep Scissors":

This song is so great!

It's been many years since Barbara played shows in the UK so this is an incredibly rare opportunity to catch her in Glasgow. If you still need convincing, check out this cool Chickfactor interview from a few years ago. Anyone who dreams of writing a song for Kendra Smith is fine by me!

Gerard Love

Gerard Love needs no introduction having written and played on some of the most era-defining music of the last three decades with Teenage FanclubThe Pastels and, most recently, with his group LightshipsI penned a few words that didn't quite do justice to the sheer loveliness of Lightships' "Electric Cables" upon its initial release in 2012 (wisely, it was restored to print on vinyl late last year). When Gerard returned to the stage in July, 2022 Not Unloved waited expectantly in the queue outside Glasgow's Stereo. Of course, his set was nothing short of beautiful. A subtly stunning return!


This is a thrilling version of one of the most brilliant songs to be released in my lifetime:


While I'm at it, how gorgeous is this Moondog cover?

Keep an eye out for the all the usual stuff like posters, Facebook events, ticket links etc. in the next wee while.

When: 30th July 2023 (N.B. That's the Sunday night after Glas-Goes Pop!, POP fans!)
Tickets: TBA

Wednesday, 5 April 2023

Priced outta the game wishlist!

Whilst idly rummaging on discogs for bargains the other day, I noted with interest that one of my favourite tunes from the brilliant "Teenage Shutdown, Vol. 9: Teen Jangler Blowout!" comp. - The Jackson Investment Co.'s rollicking "Not This Time" - had sold for 1,200 GBP in February:


Prices for the most sought-after garage rock 45s seem to be going the way of Northern Soul 45s with prices spiraling upwards at a wild rate in recent years. That got me wondering about what Not Unloved's money-no-object 60s garage/pop/psych/freakbeat 7" wishlist would look like and how much each record would cost by discogs past sales/current listings. After way too much deliberation the other day, this was my list*:
  1. The Selfkick "Gosh, I'm Your Woman and Not Your Wife" (640.00 GBP) The wildest Dutch single of the 1960s?
  2. The Whatt Four "Our Love Should Last Forever" (391.26 GBP) The best US Yardbirds-style rave-up to blast Not Unloved's ears!
  3. Tracy Rogers "Baby" (150.00 GBP) The Toughest 60s Brit-girl 45 to hit these ears.
  4. The Harbinger Complex "Sometimes I Wonder" (320.00 GBP) One of the coolest singles ever. The vocal is just perfect for us folks who came of age during the Sarah Records heyday!
  5. Tol Puddle Martyrs "Time Will Come" (257.72 GBP) The intro reminds me a little of "Rock Lobster" by The B-52s. Brilliantly restrained.
  6. The Gentlemen "It's A Cryin' Shame" (1200.00 GBP) The quintessential guitar cruncher with shredded vocals. Everyone knows this!
  7. The Foggy Notions "Need A Little Lovin'" (799.99 GBP) Effortlessly cool vocals and some of the most memorable guitar bits...ever.
  8. The Zoo "Sometimes" (never sold on discogs) The weepiest moody teen garage sounds - adorable.
  9. Him and The Others "She's Got Eyes That Tell Lies" (429.53 GBP) One of the heaviest 60s UK cuts - a wall-shaker but also singalong-able.
  10. Flash and The Memphis Casuals "Uptight Tonight" (never sold on discogs) Sounds like The Rolling Stones hopped-up on adrenaline cruising for a bar brawl.
It could've been worse, I guess! I'm sure that if Not Unloved were a DJ with an eye on getting feet moving on a dancefloor this list would have been very different.

* Of course, on another day this list would have The Dovers, The Fly-bi-nites, The Shades of Blue, The Stoics etc etc on it.

N.B. These listings haven't been included (13K for The Fly-bi-nites? 8K+ for The Gentlemen etc.)