'Good Bye' The Social Services....'Hello' Tall Tales

It's been a wee while since I have mentioned anything about The Social Services, since we last caught up with them back in August last year. Since we last heard from them they've been busy readying new material and changed their name to Tall Tales. I caught up with Lucy from the band to ask her about the change of name and what future plans the band have.


Why the change of name?

I suppose it's a lot to do with the context we're in - The Social Services started out in Stockholm and was very much about trying to entice the Swedes into the quagmire of social interaction. Also some of the lyrics were quite political, and there was a lot of stuff about feeling like an outsider. The name somehow felt relevant to all that. Since arriving in Glasgow the name has made less and less sense. So it just felt like time for a new name and a slightly different direction.


Does this mean you are making a change to your sound?

Well, we now have a new member, who is able to master most of the instruments known to man shortly after purchasing them off eBay (and even knows about things like the names of chords, which the rest of us have previously shunned) so the sound is definitely richer now. We've dropped our total guitar ban, so there may be occasional strummy things appearing. Being back in Scotland has reminded us of folky influences, both musically and lyrically - there's more of a storytelling thing going on now. Hence the new name.


Can we expect to hear anything new from you soon?

Absolutely. We're just putting the finishing touches to an EP at the moment so it should be out by the summer. We have loads of new material taking shape so we're hoping to record an album later in the year as well. Also we're working on a collaborative venture, which is yet to be named, but which involves some of the best bands around in Glasgow at the moment. We'll be taking that to a couple of festivals in the summer. Quite excited about that.


In celebration of their new name, Tall Tales roped in Ben from Bear Bones to make this wee video for them...

Weekly Round Up (05/09/10)

Monday - q without you took on some Fresh Meat action
Tuesday - I Build Collapsible Mountains and Come On Gang! both performed songs for me on my Fresh Air show, and now I can share them with you lucky punters
Wednesday - The Son(s) were the latest band to join the Scots Way-Hay club - love this band!
Thursday - Adam Stafford kicked off my series of posts on Scottish DIY labels as he told us a bit more about his label Wiseblood Industries. The lovely folk at Fresh Air also sent over a recording of my second show, which I stuck up for you to stream/endure.
Friday - Freebies time, man this week was good, oh so very good. Plus there was a recording of Galleries in session for Ally McCrae on Radio One, my third appearance on Fresh Air.
Saturday - Zoey Van Goey took on the Velvet Underground in 'We've Got It Covered'


News, gigs and any other gubbins......

First of, if you're free this afternoon and in Glasgow and looking for something to do, then look no further as the next Words Per Minute is being held at Creation this afternoon. Featuring sets from Zorras, Sian Bevan, Kirsty Logan, Georgina Porteous andKirsty Neary, plus a DJ set from Miaoux Miaoux. It all kicks off at 4pm and it's only three quid, find out more here.


On Thursday night at the 13th Note, Scottish music blogger The Daily Dose and Define Pop (promotions/radio) have teamed up to bring you a cracking line up under the banner of onewordPResents. The line up features Kochka,Blue Sky Archives, Campfires In Winter and Jonathan Sebastian Knight, tickets are only a fiver. If you fancy checking out a diverse range of local talent, then look no further.

On Friday promoters 'Gathering Whispers' have a great wee shindig lined, Swedish band Slaraffenland (Home Tapes) who are on tour in support of their most recent album "We're On Your Side", as it hits Stereo in Glasgow. The band have been getting a lot of amazing reviews recently, Pitchfork have even been raving about them. The support for the evening is pretty special too, with Glasgow indie stalwarts How To Swim, recent Scots Way-Hay'ers The Social Services, and Turning Plates completing the bill. Tickets are available here, although you might be advised to buy them from TSS as they have them that bit cheaper.






Edinburgh based band The Remnant Kings have a gig this Friday (10th) at the Wee Red Bar in the capital. The band are using the evening to raise money to record their debut EP, tickets are £4 in advance or £5 on the door, and doors open at 7pm. Further details can be found here.


After my piss poor attempt to 'do my bit for charity' on Fresh Air the other week (if you didn't hear it, don't ask), I am going to do my best to try and promote as many charity events as I can to try and counter balance my actions . This Thursday at Sleazys, the first of a series of Oxjam events is being held, to kick it off they're having an iBINGO night, 'where it’s music you’ll hear instead of numbers. There will be three rounds – Classics, Hits and Top 40 So for all of you who are ‘young and keen’ it’s ‘time for fun’. This game might be ‘unlucky for some’ but for 3 of you it could be your ‘saving grace’. By taking part you’re ‘halfway there’ to winning some fab prizes. So come on down and have a ‘jump and jive’ and remember it’s not over until the ‘2 fat ladies’ sing (or in this case shout bingo). 1 round will cost £2 or you can buy all 3 cards for £5. and remember all the money raised goes to OXFAM'. Aye so get along and do your bit.

This week sees Esperi heading out on a mini tour with the Portuguese indie star, Noiserv. Having met last year the pair really hit it off and became pretty good friends, which has sees them reuniting next week for some live dates in Scotland. The tour calls in at the following;

8th – Roxy Rooms, Edinburgh
9th – Tunnels, Aberdeen
10th – Secret Location, Glasgow
11th – n_ilk festival, Botanic Gardens, Dundee

The secret performance in Glasgow sees them being joined by special guests RM Hubbert and Finn LeMarinel (Trapped in Kansas). The location of the gig will be revealed in an email upon purchase purchase of a ticket on 'Untitled 4' s Bandcamp, which also includes a free download from each of the artists, plus as if that wasn't enough you will even be fed on the night.



And to finish us off, here's a wee video that Belle and Sebastian posted this week.....

The Peenko Show on Fresh Air - Episode #2 (11/08/10)

This was the second show that I did for Fresh Air, joining me that week I had Boab from Campfires in Winter in to co-host/try and keep me in check. Not sure if he fully managed it or not though! On the plus side we did get to play loads of great music, including two exclusives (at that time) from Come On Gang! and the mysterious Let's Talk About Trees. The banter may well be pish, but the tunes are top notch!

Tracks Played

1. Come On Gang! - Fortune Favours The Brave
2. Call To Mind - All The Happiness In My Mind
3. Campfires in Winter - It's Been Months Now
4. Department of Eagles - Brightest Minds
5. King Post Kitsch - Walking On Eggshells
6. Golden Oldie; Baby Chaos - Hello
7. The Seventeenth Century - Roses in the Park
8. Washington Irving - Islands
9. Let's Talk About Trees - Lumberjacks Lament
10. Frightened Rabbit - Son C
11. Yahweh - Make Me Stop
12. Errors - A Rumour In Africa
13. The Social Services - The Baltic Sea
14. Spaghetti Anywhere - Girlfriends With Boyfriends
15. Endor - Without The Help Of Sparks
16. Admiral Fallow - Squealing Pigs

The Peenko Show On Fresh Air - Episode #2 (11/08/10) by Peenko on Mixcloud

Fresh Air

Scots Way-Hay #28 - The Social Services

It's a funny wee world, I have been running this blog for almost two years and I honestly can't quite believe how many cracking local bands I have 'discovered'. The one thing that I hadn't fully expected was to have my little sister ask me if I had heard of one of her best friends from school, Emma's band The Social Services. Here was a band who's album, 'It's Nothing Personal, It's National Security' I had on heavy rotation when it came out last year, and now here was my younger sibling announcing that the record I'd been enjoying had been made by her pal from school (she's all grown up now I should add). Right I'm starting to dig myself into a dangerous hole there, so I suppose I should tell you a bit more about the band. Having originally formed in Sweden, they blend elements of both Scottish and Swedish indie pop, combine this with wry, ironic lyrics and it makes for quite a unique sound that's a welcome addition to the Scottish music scene.


Would you care to introduce yourself?

We’re an indiepop quartet, two parts Glaswegian, one part Swedish and one part Northern Irish, formed in Stockholm and now based in Glasgow.

How would you describe the music you make?

Imagine a 70s Elton John riding an elephant through a circus and stepping on all the clowns on the way past, then being knocked off by a stray trapeze artist while the tango band plays on as if nothing untoward has happened. Or: melodic, guitarless, dramatic, lyrical pop

How did you come together as a band?

Some of us are married to each other, some of us are childhood friends, some of us live on the same street. We’d all done lots of music before but never together so we thought it was worth a try.

How did you start out making music?

There were three of us snowed in in a tiny Stockholm flat with a guitar, two basses and a £10 charity shop keyboard. We ditched the guitar and one of the basses, brought in a drumkit and lots of harmonies, and suddenly it started to work.

What process goes into the way you write songs?

We all write material, which means we have new songs on the go most of the time. One of us comes with anything from a rough idea to a full song and we work on that together. We find the end result is much richer because we all have a lot of creative input.

Who are your big musical influences?

They’re pretty varied, since all of us write and we all listen to quite different music. To cite a few… Regina Spektor, Mogwai, Ben Folds, Tom Waits, Tchaikovsky, Nina Simone, Entombed, Rufus Wainwright, Cult of Luna, Mahler, The Magic Numbers.


You seem to have been on a bit of hiatus when it comes to playing gigs in Scotland, have you been locked away writing new material for the past few months then?

Um… we’ve been doing quite a few gigs actually… we moved back to Scotland from Sweden last autumn and we’ve been finding our feet in the lush and plentiful music scene of our hometown. There’s so much good music being made in Glasgow at the moment so we’re excited to be part of that scene.


If you could support any band you liked in a venue of your choice, who and where would it be?

The Magic Numbers in a beautiful theatre in Stockholm called Folkan, which was recently demolished to make space for yet more office blocks and luxury apartments.


What are your plans for the rest of the year and beyond? Do you have any new releases planned for any time soon?

We’re sitting in the studio at this very moment, recording an EP which we hope to release later this year. Next week we’re heading off on a Scottish tour with Open Swimmer. In the autumn we’ll be doing more writing and gigging around Glasgow, then we’re heading back into the studio to record our second full-length album early next year.

The Social Services - The Baltic Sea

The Social Services kick off their Scottish tomorrow, calling in at the following;
12 Aug - Oban
13 Aug - Old Bridge Inn Aviemore,
14 Aug - The Tunnels Aberdeen
15 Aug - Dundee
16 Aug - Sneaky Pete's Edinburgh
19 Aug - Nice 'n' Sleazys , Glasgow

If you can't make it to any of these, then make sure you keep the 10th of September free, as they're playing at Stereo alongside Rachel Sermanni, Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers, and Danish band SLARAFFENLAND. Tickets are available directly from the band for the princely sum of £5. While you're at it, make sure you pick yourself up a copy of their debut album, 'It's Nothing Personal, It's National Security', it's a cracking wee record.

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