SATURDAY’S SCOTTISH SONG : #75 : DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS

From wiki:-

Dogs Die in Hot Cars is a Scottish band from St. Andrews consisting of Craig Macintosh (vocals, guitar), Gary Smith (vocals, guitar) Ruth Quigley (vocals, keyboards, French horn), Lee Worrall (bass and glockenspiel) and Laurence Davey (drums and percussion).

Macintosh, Smith, Worrall and Davey all met at Madras College and began playing together in 1993 at the age of 14. After having performed under various names they settled on “Dogs Die In Hot Cars” in 1997. In 1999 they moved to Glasgow where they met Ruth Quigley to complete the line up. The band listed their influences among others as Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beatles and Talking Heads.

Later that year the band signed a one off single deal with EMI subsidiary label, Radiate Records. The single included the songs “I Love You ‘Cause I Have To”, “Celebrity Sanctum” and “Somewhat Off The Way”. In autumn 2003, the band signed to V2 Records and Chrysalis Publishing.

In July 2004 they released their debut album Please Describe Yourself which included the tracks “I Love You ‘Cause I Have To”, “Godhopping” and “Lounger”. “Godhopping” peaked at #24 on the UK Singles Chart and remains the band’s biggest hit. “I Love You ‘Cause I Have To” peaked at #32 on the UK Singles Chart.

In 2006, following the departure of Gary Smith, the band entered the studio to record their second album but this was abandoned. In 2008 they released 17 demos that they’d written for the second album, for people to remix and rewrite how they liked, with the intention being that of the best mixes for each song, they would compile a final record and share any potential royalties from it 50-50 with those who contributed. Nothing however, emerged from the idea.

Here’s one of their two chart hits:-

mp3 : Dogs Die In Hot Cars – I Love You ‘Cause I Have To

JC

SATURDAY’S SCOTTISH SINGLE (Parts 41-45)

Back on 8 October 2011, I started a series called ‘Saturday’s Scottish Single’.  The aim was to feature one 45 or CD single by a Scottish singer or band with the proviso that the 45 or CD single was in the collection. I had got to Part 60-something and as far as Kid Canaveral when the rug was pulled out from under TVV.

I’ll catch up soon enough by featuring 5 or more at a time from the archives..

(41) Dogs Die In Hot Cars – Lounger  b/w Mandarins : V2 Records promo single (2004)

Read more about Dogs Die In Hot Cars here

 

(42) Dot Allison – Message Personnel b/w Tomorrow Never Comes b/w Message Personnel (Arab Strap remix) b/w Message Personnel (Death In Vegas remix): Heavenly Records : CD Maxi-Single (1999)

Read more about Dot Allison here

  

(43) Dumb Instrument –  Oor Wullie’s Baldy b/w What If Cliff? b/w Reverse The Hearse : Hackpen Records CD (2007)

Dumb Instrument  will always have a special place in my heart for it was their gig on 3 January 2008 at the 13th Note in Glasgow that I finally met Comrade Colin in the flesh.  The bloke who had been the single-biggest inspiration for me starting up a blog has invited me alongs to catch a live set from an act he had included the song ‘Reverse The Hearse’ in his best of run-down for 1997.  As I blogged this next day….

“To be honest, I was initially more excited about finally, after all this time, hooking up with Colin (previous attempts to meet and blether had fallen through) than the gig itself. I’m delighted to reveal ladies and gentlemen, that Colin is indeed a true comrade in arms – every bit as witty, erudite, charming and entertaining in the flesh as he is in print – and I reckon we would have been quite happy just sitting in the bar talking about all sorts of things (but mostly music).”

The gig also turned out to be a hugely enjoyable event and I bought this single on the night.

Dumb Instrument  describe their output as ‘Jakey Rock’ – and state that it fuses the ideals of ‘Jakeys’ and ‘Rock’ into one nice genre which is accessible to all.

Overseas readers might wonder what ‘jakey’ means. Well, it’s a bit of Scottish slang which has two meanings – it is used to describe a down and out homeless person or alternatively a particular type of alcoholic – one who is found wandering the streets drinking anything (including methylated spirits) to put him/her in severe state of inebriation. Oh and they’re often of course also a down and out and/or homeless.

While jakey-rock might sound unappealing, it is most certainly not the case. The band consists of keyboardist Mikey Grant, bassist Kieron Campbell and vocalist Tom Murray.

Without being at all disparaging to the others, it is Tom Murray who holds most attention. He doesn’t sing or rant like a scary drunk. He has a really sweet almost angelic voice. His lyrics are just astonishing. I don’t mean it as an insult to say that he is more a poet than a songwriter – each songs unfolds like a short story. Visually, he looks like a cross between a son of Scottish artist and playwright John Byrne and a cousin of Scotland’s other great bearded bard – Aiden Moffat. 

A few years later I lost my young brother and then my best mate within a short period of time.  My other great cyber-mate, ctel, stepped in and took over the blog on both occasions and there were some amazing guest posts which really meant so much to me at a time of sorrow.  Sadly, most of those posts have been lost forever thanks to the bastards at google.  Comrade Colin’s contribution was Reverse The Hearse by Dumb Instrument.  He knew it would make me smile….

(44) Eagleowl – Mf : Fife Kills Records CD  (2008)

The Scotsman newpaper has described Eagleowl the soundtrack to the saddest, most beautiful art-house film you’ve never seen. Others have compared to Low, Galaxie 500, Dirty Three, John Cale, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and The Low Anthem. The band members themselves have Bert Jansch, Fairport Convention, Alasdair Roberts, Smog, Broken Records and Withered Hand as influences on the band.

Between 2008 and 2010 they released two EPs and a single, all of which were limited edition releases, although digital versions of the songs can still be purchased . It’s because of that I only made one track from one of the EPs available.

(45) Edwyn Collins – 50 Shades of Blue (extended version) b/w Kindred Spirit b/w Just Call Her Name b/w Ain’t That Always The Way b/w If Ever You’re Ready b/w 50 Shades of Blue (7″) b/w Judas In Blue Jeans : Demon Records 12″, 7″ and CD single (1989)

Parts 46-50 next Saturday…..