Every record we ever heard. Some of our favourites are by: Primus; The Pixies; PJ Harvey; Iggy and the Stooges; The Kinks; The Cramps; David Bowie; Muddy Waters; Django Reinhardt; Swelling Meg; Tom Waits; Frank Zappa; Devo; Wire; The Dead Kennedys.... There's a whole bunch more we love but we couldn't list them all. And why bother?
Sounds Like
the bastard offspring of PJ Harvey and Nick Cave, taken at birth and raised by Mark E Smith, schooled by Primus and sharing a flat with Tom Waits...
Graeme Mearns - Pinstripe Punk, three-times winner of Scotland's prestigious Best Dressed Hobo contest, gutter-poet and axe-man par excellence - was already a noted figure on Edinburgh's thriving songwriting scene when he put together the (imaginatively-titled) Graeme Mearns Band in the summer of 2005.
The original line-up, with John Need on bass and the titianic Ali Murray on drums, quickly established a reputation as one of Edinburgh's hottest underground acts, with critical acclaim (see reviews below) and a debut album, "Some Kind Of Bliss" (available via i-Tunes, www.thegmb.com or various local record stores) swift to follow.
While shows Scotland-wide certainly broadened their stomping-ground, by the end of 2007 the band's near-cult status on their local scene had been confirmed - not least with a triumphant show at the capital's Queen's Hall (part of the 5th Spectrum Festival), caught on film and viewable on these MySpace pages. In its fusion of an eccentric charisma with rare musicality and the sheer force of their unique sound - as Mearns himself puts it: "Something like Django Reinhardt getting drunk with the Stooges" - the combo's singular appeal to ever-enthusiastic audiences is unquestionable.
The band have since said their farewells to Mr Need - a new bassist will be announced just as soon as auditions are over - but work on studio recordings and a brand new live set is progressing smoothly and the GMB remain one Scottish band you can expect to be hearing a lot more of in the coming months. Watch this space!
"Sorry, pseudo-rockers, but Hells lounge has its bandstand reserved for when the Graeme Mearns Band *ahem* retire. Playing both kinds of music - "noisy AND offensive" - these guys are a revelation, kicking out swing'n'roll that is suave and demonic in exactly the right proportions. Smoking wah-wah pedals swirl around perfectly blended vocals that sound like Lounge crossed with Placebo, albeit without the angst laden androgyny. Stabs of funk bass and proto-stadium metal drumming drift in and out of focus; making for a superb set of eclectic sonics."***** THE SKINNY, LIVE REVIEW AUGUST 2006
"These Scots work some wonderfully weird mojo as Mearns’ eccentric vocals and the band’s studied raggedness makes “I Can’t Believe I Fell In Love With You” a Black Keys-ish winner. “Dancefloor” showcases the GMB’s superior musicianship, with monster fuzz guitar and Hendrix licks galore. “N2U” steals the show, however, as the song seamlessly morphs from straightahead rocker, to Peter Gabrielian passages, to a Psychedelic Furs-type finale. This band is a find for any U.S. alt-label.
MUSIC CONNECTION MAGAZINE - MAY 2007
"Ferocious"
THE SCOTSMAN
"No matter the genre, this tight guitar/bass/drums combo display seemingly effortless musicianship and surely some of the most fiendish guitar solos to be heard in this nation since The Sensational Alex Harvey Band... damn fine music-makers."
THE SKINNY, "SOME KIND OF BLISS" ALBUM REVIEW 10 SEPTEMBER 2007
"Excellent riffage and razor-sharp sense of melody" IS THIS MUSIC magazine
"Like a funk-influenced Stooges... plenty of charisma from Mr Mearns himself, some impressive musicianship and, hell, some good songs. Make that good, FILTHY songs... Definately worth catching live" MANIC POP THRILLS - WORDPRESS
"charismatic... refreshing... a revelation on the Edinburgh scene."**** ARTICLE 19 online review....
Thank you for adding BACKLINE PHOTOGRAPHY to your friends, its great to be here!
Working locally (midlands /mid Wales), nationally & internationally, we specialise in delivering high quality affordable promotional / live music photography, environmental portraiture and imaging consultations to new & developing bands / artists.
You can view more of my work on our web site www.backlinephotography.com and also my work for Rock Against Child Pornography at www.myspace.com/racp_photography
Please help Rock Against Child Pornography™ to help those who cant help themselves by showing your support - www.myspace.com/rockagainstchildporno
Hey Dudes, have a listen to our new track "Damage that you've done" and tell us what you think. We really appreciate your feedback. Thanks, The Dunderheids
Huge thank you for an excellent night of live music, we managed to raise a respectful £400 which is fantastic. Here are a few examples of where and how the money raised will help make a difference.
£120 - can buy more than 50 Oxfam buckets with a tap and a lid to keep water clean.
£250 - can provide chickens for 10 families – that means fresh eggs and meat to eat, and a way of earning extra income.
£400 - can buy 12 goats, which will make 12 families somewhere very happy.
Hear ye, hear ye friends. Calling all ye faithful and faithless, the Big Hand debut album is finally here and set to dazzle upon the main stage of life! Yes, its set for release, and its gonna blow your socks off.........
............ 14 tracks of the finest sparkling soulful zorbic ska ever heard for just ten little pounds. Available now from www.thebighand.co.uk - it would be a crime to miss out! Get yourselves the remedy for the winter blues, reach out through the ether and get yourself one today. Go on, you know you want to!
Hey hey man, yeah top night a while back likes. Unfortunately my mates nicked yer cd of me so im gonna have to go and liberate it back. gonna look forward to rolling a fat spliff and listening tae yer tunes though mr G.
Wee brag...Today I was voted as one of ‘The brightest and best Future 500 rising stars’ by Courvoisier, in partnership with The Observer (25/11/07)…woohoo!
Just to say hello from the Infidelity mob - sorry we haven't sooner. Thanks for the recent add request: really nice to meet you and really hope you like the tunes. In true Infidels style, watch this space cos we've written loads of new ones ranging through punk, cuban, irish, power pop and ... punk, new wave (did I already say that?), which will be coming on soon. "Direction, we don't need direction where we're going!!" You take care derby john pp the infidels
Hello all fans and friends of The Graeme Mearns Band! The Graeme Mearns Band is being featured on this week's SoupyGato Show #96C! There are several ways to listen to the SoupyGato Show – the easiest is to visit our website: www.soupygato.com – or subscribe to the show by visiting http://www.gcast.com/u/soupygato/main -- and it will download to your Itunes, Ipod, etc.
Here's the playlist for SoupyGato Show #96C!
Savage Sound System -- We Found His Bones On The Beach
Gum -- Cross Your Heart Hope To Die Sara and The Snakes -- Rag Mama Rag Kim Edgar -- Thaw the Graeme Mearns Band -- Same All Over
Gusbo the Jam -- Loop Da Loop Emma Forman -- All I've Got To Give Billy Limerick -- Conform Or Be Forgotten Winona -- De Nada
Oxbow Lake Orchestra -- Neanderthal Blues Ed Walker -- TJ Murnie -- Lemonade Savage Sound System -- Give Me The Bad News
If you have enjoyed the show and would like to request more of your favorite independent music to be played, please vote/comment at: http://www.podcastalley.com/one_vote2.php?pod_id=21268 -- You can also hear the show by clicking on my profile -- and find out how to submit your own music as well!
Alright lads. Just to let you know that the music event of the century, Cock Rock, is now taking applications for next year AND its now a 2 day festival. That's a potential audience of 6000 web footed, hairy cumbrians for ya. Personally I'm not sure the county is ready for such sophisticated gents as yourselves but if you do get sheep thrown at you there's always my ma and da's pub as an escape.
good to meet you on a subdued Greenock night. ach had a great night and really enjoyed yer set... i would stick the album on for a listen now, but my beds cring oot for me!
if its anything like you are live, its bound to be a good thang.. that last number you done stood on in particular. take it easy and all the best.
Finally got a chance to stop with the touristy crap get on here and say... BAD ASS!!!! Man loved listening to ya... and I had mucho, mucho fun hanging out with all ya'lls. Thanx for such a kick ass time... if any of ya out and about over next few nights lemme know... here till tuesday. Would love to meet up with ya....Shannon
Hello boys! Be lovely if you could come and see me at my WASPS studio on the 6th or 7th of October at West Park Place, off Dalry Road, where I'll be flogging your album at my open studio.
