I have no doubt that Stephen McRobbie, Alison Mitchell and all the others who have graced either the recording studio or stage as a Pastel will have listened and been influenced by the band featured yesterday. Nothing To Be Done is the first track from the band's second album, Sittin' Pretty released twenty eight years ago, Jesus!
There was a good programme on 6Music the other week where Stuart Murdoch lead a discussion with various other Glasgow indie heroes including Stephen Pastel on the music scene in the City from the 1980s onwards. My only gripe with the programme was that in amongst all of the influential record labels and club nights discussed, Slam and Soma did not even get a mention which I found a bit strange as both DJs and labels had and still have a huge influence on dance culture in the UK and beyond but I suppose they don't really fit the indie image.
The Pastels - Nothing To Be Done
3 comments:
I listened to that same programme Drew and felt a bit underwhelmed by it all. I do wish the producers would go beyond the usual suspects but that would take a bit of imagination and initiative. Didn't hit me at the time when I was liostening about the lack of recognition for the dance/clubbing side of things but you're spot on - it was a serious oversight.
You'd never be able to count the bands that came after that sound like, or tried to sound like, the Pastels.
Sorry the program(me) was lacking, but Stephen really is the one you want to call if you're chronicling Scotland's indie scene. It's funny. A few months ago there was a very small release of a 7" from Strawberry Switchblade... three demos from 1982. Well, the label announced it sold out more or less the day it was announced, and I didn't get it in time. I really wanted it but wondered where I was going to find it. Who would have had the foresight to get their hands on a few copies? Then it hit me. I bet Stephen will have it. I went to Monorail's site. Sure enough, there was a preorder button. It took almost three months, but I got it in the mail the other day.
If I'm a producer of a show like that, I'm calling Stephen. If he isn't available, Duglas would be next in my Rolodex.
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