1985-89 E-N - FALKIRKMUSICSCENE2017

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BIOG'S to '89
EASY MONEY:  Easy Money were formed as Quiet Life, and changed their name in December 1986 with the recruitment of new drummer Alan Wright, from Orion. He joined Gordon Allan (guitar), Karl Anderson (bass), Stephen Morris (keyboards) & Donald Nisbet (vocals / guitar), and the band began immediatly playing around central Scotland. However, their existance was short, as they split after a poorly reviewed date at the Clubhouse, Falkirk in February 1987. Morris and Nesbit later joined Deep Heat whilst Wright went to The Spacecats.

ECONOMY:  Act formed late 1987 by ex-Chance guitarist/keyboard player George Hall, however they were short lived as Hall soon joined the newly formed Boo Radley.

The ELLINGTONS:  The Ellingtons were a jazz/funk influenced act, formed in 1986 by John Anderson (drums, ex-Gritt), Graeme Gillson (bass), Stephen Myles (guitar), Alex Paterson (vocals) & Alan Stewart (guitar, ex-Dutch). After playing a few dates towards the end of that year, Gillson left in April 1987, turning up in The Palmers a few years later. Anderson later formed The Fugitive Kind, whilst Myles, Paterson & Stewart continued in a more jangly indie guitar style as Funhouse.

ESPRIT:  Denny based band formed in 1984 by former Esprit De Corps and Don't Talk To Strangers bass player Steve McCabe, along with Pat Canavan (keyboards), Alan Dougan (drums), Jackie Dougan (vocals) & Jim Morrison (guitar). The band took demo tapes to London, but failed to gain a record contract. In 1985 Canavan was replaced by Richard McLaren, and soon after all but Jackie Dougan changed their name to Slice Of Life.

ESPRIT D'ACCORD:  Esprit D'Accord were a short lived act from late 1988 / early 1989 formed by the former Deep Heat & Doublevision rhythm section of Andy Elliott (bass) & Steve Leishman (drums) along with Calum McAngus (keyboards) & Susan Smart (vocals, ex-Getting Serious). Elliott & Leishman joined Spank! the following year.

EXCESS:  Band formed in 1985 at Dollar Acadamy by Bonnybridge guitarist Willie Moffat (ex-Backlash) and Tim Jarvis (bass). Later that year Moffat joined The Swinging Curtises.

FARCE:  Local punk act from 1984 - 1985.

FEAR OF SEA:  Industrial band formed as New Germany by Graeme Bryson (percussion), Greg Corbett (bass) & a singer (possibly called Spizz?). They changed their name to Fear Of Sex in 1985 before splitting. Corbett then formed Doctor Caligari, before being re-united with Bryson in The Bed In The Sea.

FIASCO:  Local rock act from 1988.

The FIELD:  Joy Division influenced act formed late 1985 by Russell McEwan (drums/vocals), Gordon Robertson (keyboards, ex-Venture II) & Stephen Smith (vocals/guitar/bass, ex-Swinging Curtises). The band played a few dates locally in early 1986 and recorded a demo tape (produced by Eddie McKenzie), before changing name to Final Solution in June.

FIGUREHEADS MOVE:  Denny based band from 1985.

FINAL SOLUTION:  Final Solution were formed from the ashes of The Field in June 1986 by Russell McEwan (drums/vocals), Gordon Robertson (keyboards) & Stephen Smith (vocals/guitar/bass), by adding ex-Chainsaw Dance vocalist Alan Benzie on guitar & bass. Initially heavily influenced by Joy Division, the band played locally and in Glasgow, where two of the members attended art school. The band were deliberatly belligerent, a mixture of arrogance and paranoia infusing interviews with local fanzines. Despite this, they were well thought of musically. In 1988 they supported The Shamen at the QMU, Glasgow. A year later McEwan was "excommunicated" from the band, and turned up playing drums for Glaswegian act Macrocosmica. By then the band were occasionally known as FS, and had developed a more dance based sound. In 1991 the remaining members became Re:search.

FLORAL DIRTBOX:  Act formed in 1985, who played one date supporting Two Helens at The Leapark Hotel, Grangemouth in 1986.

FOUR LARGE WHISKIES:  Band formed at Graeme High School in 1986 by Craig Laurie, Gail Anderson (drums) & Wilson Gill. Their one planned live date was cancelled due to the drummer passing out drunk at the back of the stage. Gill went on to form The Shock.

FOURTH DIMENSION:  Grangemouth based act formed in late 1987 by ex-Out Of The Blue members Gordon Adams (guitar), Tam Boyle (drums) and David Jamieson (bass), along with vocalist Hugh Louden. Boyle later joined The Smokehouse Blues Band.

FROZEN ASHES:  Bo'ness based act formed in 1988 by David Hamilton (drums), Coco O'Neill (bass), Paul Raeburn (guitar) & Tommy Rollie (guitar/vocals).

The FUGITIVE KIND:  The Fugitive Kind were a rehearsal act formed in late 1987 by Craig Anderson (vocals, ex-Kyro Gasbah) & John Anderson (drums, ex-Ellingtons). By the time the played live early in 1988 they had changed their name to Boo Radley.

FUNHOUSE:  Formed in 1987 by ex-Ellingtons members Stephen Myles (guitar/keyboards), Alex Paterson (vocals) & Alan Stewart (guitar). They recorded three tracks at Rocking Horse Studios in Bathgate, before changing their name to The Big Heart in 1988.

The FUN SECTION:  Band formed by a name change in 1985 from Low Profile, by Ali Wilson (vocals/bass), Derek Wilson (bass/vocals), Andy Scott (guitar),Martin Andrews (drums) & David Hunter (keyboards). The band released a cassette single, "I Hate The Fun Section" in late 1986, after which the band split at a date at the Burns Bar. Ali Wilson had already left the band by this point, and Hunter soon joined The Gallery. 
RELEASES:
"I Hate The Fun Section" (cassette single, 1986).

The GALLERY:  Band formed in 1987 by Alan Smith (vocals/guitar, ex-Crystal Head Radio), "Big Man" Paterson (bass, ex-Inferiority Complex) & Jim Silcock (drums, ex-Complex). Later in the year they changed their name to Brochen Spectre. David Hunter (keyboards, ex-Fun Section) was a member for a while.

GANGSTERS:  Short lived rehearsal group formed in early 1988 by Alan Robertson (vocals/guitar, ex-Spank!), Eddie McKenzie (bass/vocals, also with Shotgun Religion) & Alan Martin (drums, ex-...And Jane). After splitting Martin joined The Big Heart, McKenzie continued with Shotgun Religion, and Robertson re-formed Spank!.

GETTING SERIOUS:  Getting Serious were formed by ex-Dreamscene musicians Thomas Clark (guitar), Elliot Winchcolm (drums) & Paul Woods (keyboards) in late 1987. They were joined by Michael Francis (bass) & Susan Smart (vocals), however the line-up was short lived as Smart & Woods left in December, with Smart going on to form Esprit D'Accord. In 1990 Clark joined The Bitter Suite, whilst Winchcolm later joined Wade.

The GODSEND:  Arguably the top local "alternative" act in the area at the end of the 1980's, The Godsend were formed by Grangemouth brothers Stuart McIntosh (vocals/guitar) and Dave McIntosh (keyboards/ vocals). After playing their debut at Grangemouth Town Hall in December 1986, the duo recruited Ramsay Hunter (bass) and Stephen Murphy (drums/vocals) from the recently split Silencers early in the New Year. A small tour of central Scotland was put together that summer, with continued sporadic gigging throughout the rest of the year. Early in 1988 they released their debut cassette single, "False Emotions", which demonstrated that they had gone beyond their Goth roots to embrace melody. The single sold well at gigs throughout 1988, including a headline performance at the Grangemouth Rock Festival, and encouraged the band recorded a follow up ("Mirror Haze") early in 1989. That year also saw Murphy playing with another local act, The Bed In The Sea. A final single, "The Ritual", was released in 1990, after which the band sort of faded away, with Dave McIntosh starting his own act, Filigree Sun, as well as playing with Big Blue Funky Whale. Hunter & Murphy joined him in Filigree Sun before Murphey moved south of the border (to be a store manager for Tesco!). In the late 1990's the McIntosh brothers and Hunter were re-united in top local punk act, Shatterhand.
RELEASES:
"False Emotions" (cassette single, 1988)
"The Mirror Haze" (cassette single, 1989)
"The Ritual" (cassette single, 1990).

The GRASSHARPS:  Indie/rock blues act formed in 1989 by ex-Spacecats members Dougie Cameron (guitar), Ian Deering (bass) & Murray Stevenson (vocals guitar), with the addition of ex-Prize Turkeys guitarist Gareth Finn and ex-Influx drummer Gary Walker. Deering left in May 1990, later turning up in The Concorde Jams, after which the band fell apart. Cameron, Finn & Walker later formed Dougstar.

GUN CRAZY:  Grangemouth based band formed in late 1988 by ex-Method In Madness member Norman Phillips. The band made their debut at The Glenfinnan Suite, Falkirk, in February 1989, but was shorted lived, and by summer Phillips had moved on to form Hope.

The HAPPYMEN:  Act formed in 1987 by Kevin Deans (bass, ex-Scapegoat Society), John McAleer (vocals, ex-Southern Comfort), Jason Taylor (drums, ex-...And Jane) & Gary Verth (guitar, ex-Southern Comfort). The Happymen only played one date, a support at The Metropolitan Hotel, Falkirk, before splitting. Deans joined The Big Trees, and was later reunited with Verth in Stacatto Hat, whilst Taylor later formed Bay & The Angry Buddhists.

HEARTS & MINDS:  Hearts & Minds were the idea of former Chewy Racoon singer and multi-instrumentalist, Davy Scott. With money from a publishing deal he recruited Jeanette Burns (vocals), Australian Jim Gash (drums) and ex-Bluebells keyboard player Robert McGinley, as well as retaining the Chewy Racoon bass player, Chris Keenan in early 1986. The band signed to CBS in September 1986, and set about recording their debut single, "Turning Turtle" with ex-10CC man Eric Stewart producing. In March 1987 Burns left the band to concentrate on a solo career, however she did return in September, along with ex-Dragonfly guitarist Cameron Nisbet. The band struggled on until June 1988, albiet with only Gash & Scott, when the discovery of an American band with the same name led to a name change to The Pearlfishers.
RELEASES:
"Turning Turtle" (7 inch vinyl, CBS, 1987).

HELM'S DEEP:  Prog rock act formed in 1985 at Graeme High School, who played a couple of gigs before imploding under the weight of the concept in 1986. The line-up was Ian Davidson (drums), Greg Robertson (keyboards), Graham Roy (guitar), Paul Veitch (bass, ex-Woodhenge) & David Young (vocals/guitar). Roy & Young then formed Native Son, whilst Robertson formed Agatha & Cleo's Exploding Plastic Ynevitable. David Young later became a scriptwriter for "Brookside", and is now one of the chief writers for "River City" (now, there's a concept!).

HOPE:  Grangemouth based acoustic outfit formed by ex-Gun Crazy frontman Norman Phillips in 1989. He continued solo until 1993 when, with the help of three members of The Earth Dwellers & The Jazz Prophets, George Falconer (drums), Cal Marshall (keyboards) & Peter Watson (bass), he contributed two tracks to the One Records compilation album. The act played live in 1994, and then disappeared.

The HOUSE OF LOVE:  Four piece indie act formed in 1986 by Guy Chadwick (vocals/guitar, ex-Kingdoms), Andrea Heukamp (guitar), Chris Groothizen (bass), Pete Evans (drums) & Laurieston born Terry Bickers (guitar, ex-Colenso Parade). Signing to Creation Records, the act released three aclaimed singles during 1987 - 1988, before delivering their debut self-titled album. By that time Heukamp had left, returning to her native Germany, and after one more single, they signed to Fontana. The major label were able to then steer them just outside the charts with the next two singles, until Bickers was thrown out of the band dramatically at the end of 1989. A single and album recorded with him ("Shine On"/"Fontana") then broke through into the charts, but by then it was all over. The band continued on for another two albums, finally splitting in 1997. Bickers, meanwhile, formed his own act Levitation.
RELEASES:
"Shine On" (12 inch vinyl single, Creation Records, 1987)
"Real Animal" (12 inch vinyl single, Creation Records, 1987)
"Christine" (7 inch vinyl single, Creation Records, 1988)
"The House Of Love" (vinyl/CD album, Creation Records, 1988)
"Destroy The Heart" (7 inch vinyl single, Creation Records, 1988)
"Never" (7 inch vinyl/12 inch vinyl/CD single, Fontana Records, 1989, UK charts #41)
"I Don't Know Why I Love You" (7 inch vinyl/12 inch vinyl/CD/cassette single, Fontana Records, 1989, UK charts # 41)
"Shine On" (7 inch vinyl/12 inch vinyl/CD/cassette single, Fontana Records, 1990, UK charts #20)
"Fontana" (vinyl/cassette/CD album, Fontana Records, 1990, UK charts #8)
"The Beatles & The Stones" (7 inch vinyl/12 inch vinyl/CD single, Fontana Records, 1990, UK charts #36)
"Spy In The House Of Love (Rare & Unreleased material)" (vinyl/cassette/CD album, Fontana Records, 1990, UK charts # 49).

I.D. PARADE:  Kincardine based band formed in 1985.

INFERIORITY COMPLEX:  Started off called Complex, before changing their name in 1982. Inferiority Complex were based around Jim Corbett (vocals/guitar), "Big Man" Paterson (bass), Jim Schofield (drums) & Alan (?) Cruikshanks. Schofield was later replaced by Pete Pacetti (drums, ex-Social Abuse). They continued to play until 1985, after which Paterson joined The Gallery. Frontman Jim Corbett later formed The Invisible Sheep, whilst Pacetti turned up in Captain Trips.

The INFLUX:  Larbert High School band formed in December 1985 by Stuart Corbett (vocals/guitar), Kenny McColl (bass, ex-Dark Entries), Stephen Suttie (guitar) & Gary Walker (drums/vocals). After a couple of dates at their local school, the band played at the Grangemouth Rock Festival in August 1986, and indeed were the only act to play at the next two annual affairs. In summer 1987 they recorded a cassette single entitled "Ralf", produced by Eddie McKenzie, and used this to arrange a Scottish tour in the autumn. By this time, the four members had left school, and were split between Edinburgh, Falkirk & Glasgow, making rehearsals difficult. The band continued to play live until 1989, when their interest fizzled out. McColl joined The Diesel Kings, before moving to New York and working under the name Subverse, whilst Walker later turned up in The Grassharps. Suttie was later re-united with McColl in The Tartan Specials.
RELEASES:
"Ralf" (cassette single, 1987)
WEBSITE:
http://www.myspace.com/influx.

The INNOCENT THIEVES:  Larbert High School band formed in June 1987 by Ross Cunningham (bass/vocals), Gordon McCulloch (guitar), David Rourke (drums / vocals) & Kenny Walker (vocals), all of whom had been in Obsession. Upon splitting later in the year, Cunningham & Rourke fomred Shotgun Religion, whilst McCulloch formed The Big Trees.

The INVISIBLE SHEEP:  Act from 1986 formed by ex-Inferiority Complex member Jim Corbet (vocals/guitar), who changed their name briefly to That Purple Bus the following year. The name came from Corbett's description of the audience at a Siouxsie & The Banshees concert.


JOHNNY WAS:  Falkirk act formed in April 1986 from the remains of Chainsaw Dance by Michael Davidson (drums), Eddie McKenzie (bass/vocals) & Willie Moffat (guitar/vocals). They recruited a vocalist called Zander Johnston, and the band rehearsed for a couple of months before Davidson, McKenzie & Moffat reverted to a previous name, The Swinging Curtises.

KALLISTI:  Graeme High School band formed in early 1987 by a name change from A Death In The Family by Derek Brown (vocals/guitar), Greg Robertson (keyboards) & Sandy Mitchell (drums). The trio continued to play until 1989, despite two of them moving to Glasgow for studies. Mitchell now contributes sound and light to top cabaret night, The Rick Sheehan Show.

KYRO GASBAH:  Glasgow based act from around 1986 who featured local vocalist Craig Anderson (ex-Europe After The Rain). Once they split Anderson formed The Fugitive Kind.

LAMPSHADES & FLOWERPOTS:  Indie act formed in 1989 by Neil Campbell (vocals/guitar), Jobick Carlysle (drums) & Jock Miller (bass). Campbell & Miller later formed Consider The Mass.

LESSON ONE:  The closest thing to a "supergroup" from the 1980's, Lesson One were formed and existed only in 1987. They were David Binnie (guitar), Alan Burns (bass, ex-Blackout/Breakfast Boyz), David Hendry (keyboards, ex-Breakfast Boyz), Mike Schoffield (vocals, ex-24 Hours) & Ian Wallace (drums, ex-Blackout). After the band split Schoffield went on to sing with Burn, whilst Wallace joined Dragonfly later that year. In 1988 Burns joined Cahn & Cahn.

LEVITATION:  Indie act formed 1989 by Laurieston born Terry Bickers (vocals/guitar, ex-House Of Love), Christian Hayes (guitar, ex-Cardiacs), Bob White (keyboards), Joe Allen (bass) & Dave Francollini (drums, ex-Something Pretty Beautiful). After signing to Ultimate Records, they delivered a couple of singles in 1991, follwed by an aclaimed debut album in 1992. Switching to Rough Trade, the band delivered their second album, "Need For Not" in 1992, by which time Allen had been replaced by Laurence O'Keefe (ex-Jazz Butcher). Bickers announced that he was leaving the following year, just after their final single for new label Chrysalis.
RELEASES:
"Nadine" (7 inch vinyl/12 inch vinyl/CD EP, Ultimate Records, 1991)
"After Ever Be" (7 inch vinyl/12 inch vinyl/CD EP, Ultimate Records, 1991)
"Squirrel" (7 inch vinyl single, Rough Trade, 1991)
"The Cotterie Album (vinyl/CD album, Ultimate Records, 1992)
"World Around" (CD EP, Rough Trade, 1992)
"Need Not For" (vinyl/cassette/CD album, Rough Trade, 1992, UK charts # 45)
"Even When Your Eyes Are Open" (12 inch vinyl / CD EP, Chrysalis Records, 1993).

LIFE IN A SACK:  Local rock act formed from 1988.

LOWLIFE:  Formed in late 1985 by Stuart Everest (guitar), Will Heggie (bass), Craig Lorenston (vocals) & Grant McDowall (drums), all of whom had built up a local following under the name Dead Neighbours. Taking their name from a PIL song, they signed to Brian Guthrie's "Nightshift" label, then released their debut mini-album, "Rain", that year. This was soon followed by the first album proper, "Permanent Sleep" the following year. Lowlife were predominately a studio band, taking two to three months recording each album. Touring was very rare, however the few times they did it was with bands like Johnny Thunders and the Go-Betweens and it was only to promote a release. In 1990 Everest & McDowall were replaced by Hugh Dougie (guitar) & Calum MacLean (programming/guitar/bass), and the band released their fifth album, "San Antorium".  By 1994 MacLean had gone, and they were joined byJennifer Bachen (backing vocals) & Jason Taylor (vocals/guitar, also with Bay), who helped them put together their last album, "Gush".
Nowadays Heggie & McDowell are busy with large families and day jobs. Heggie works as a Process Operative & McDowell is a detective with the Scotland Police. Lorenston is a scaffolder, and Everest is around the Falkirk area working in the audio/visual field.
RELEASES:
"Rain" (vinyl mini-album, Nightshift Records, 1985)
"Permanent Sleep" (vinyl/CD album, Nighshift Records, 1986)
"Vain Delights" (12 inch single, Nightshift Records, 1986)
"Swirl, It Swings" (12 inch single, Nightshift Records, 1987)
"Eternity Road" (7/12 inch single, Nightshift records, 1987)
"Diminuendo" (vinyl/CD album, Nightshift Records, 1987)
"The Black Sessions & Demos" (cassette album, Nightshift Records, 1988)
"Godhead" (CD/vinyl album, Nightshift Records, 1989)
"From A Whisper To A Scream" (CD/vinyl album, Nightshift Records, 1990)
"San Antorium" (CD/vinyl album, Nightshift Records, 1991)
"Gush" (CD album, Nighshift Records, 1995)
WEBSITE:
http://www.permanentsleep.com/

LOW PROFILE:  Band formed at Graeme High School in late 1983 by Ali Wilson (vocals/bass), Derek Wilson (bass/vocals), Andy Scott (guitar) & David Hunter (keyboards). The band used a drum machine until Martin Andrews (drums) joined in 1985. Their first gig was at Reddingmuirhead's Prison Officers' Club, and played most of the venues in Falkirk at the time. The band changed their name to The Fun Section in 1985 after another group called Low Profile appeared on a Saturday morning TV show.

MAGICIAN:  Rock act formed by guitarist Thomas Clark in 1986. Clark later formed Dreamscene.

The MAGIC RABBITS:  Act formed in 1988 by two people called John & Alistair.

The MATTER BABIES:  Grangemouth based band formed in 1989 by Elfin Waiflike (vocals), Dog Bite (guitar), Millicent (bass) & Rose (drums), who signed to Brian Guthrie's Nighshift label and released their only album "Skinny Dipping" the following year.
RELEASES:
"Skinny Dipping" (vinyl mini-album, Nightshift Records, 1990).

Brian McNEILL:  A career spanning 46 years has established Brian McNeill as one of the most acclaimed forces in Scottish music. Brian was born in 1950 in Falkirk and has been described as ‘Scotland’s most meaningful contemporary songwriter’ (The Scotsman); add to that his work and influence as performer, composer, producer, teacher, musical director, band leader, novelist and interpreter of Scotland’s past, present and future and you have a man who has never stood still. He has performed around the globe, both as a soloist and with some of the era’s most influential bands, including Battlefield Band, which he founded in 1969. He left the band in 1990 to concentrate on solo projects. Brian performs and teaches regularly at many of the world’s major festivals and is a core member of  the UK fiddle phenomenon, Feast of Fiddles. He is the longest running booked artist at Cambridge Folk Festival.
 
Brian is a multi instrumentalist – chiefly fiddle, bouzouki, mandocello, guitars and concertina – and the importance of his songwriting has long been recognised with such songs as The Yew Tree, The Lads O' The Fair, The Snows of France and Holland,  Strong  Women Rule Us All With Their Tears, Any Mick'll  Do and No Gods and Precious Few Heroes.
 
Brian was especially proud when two lines from The Lads O' The Fair were carved into a viewpoint above his home town of Falkirk, as part of the renovation of the Policy Bing  - an old pit spoil heap - by Falkirk Council and local charities.  His connection with his home town continued with The Falkirk Music Pot project, for which he was commissioned to write, produce, direct and perform music for Falkirk’s 2014 Creative Place Award. The year long project involved local schools, music groups and individuals and culminated in a double CD on Greentrax.
 
Brian’s audio visual shows, The Back O' The North Wind, about Scottish emigration to America, and the sequel, The Baltic Tae Byzantium, exploring the influence of the Scots in Europe, have won wide critical acclaim. His continuing connection with America's Lone Star State led to him being created an honorary Texan by the then Governor George W Bush.
 
Brian is increasingly in demand for his production skills and his credits include albums by The Paul McKenna Band, Lorne MacDougall, Rua Macmillan, Eric Bogle and John Munro, Drones and Bellows and The John Wright Band.
 
Brian is a voracious reader of crime fiction and also writes crime and mystery fiction involving his hero, busker Alex Fraser and his heroine, private sleuth Sammy Knox. His third novel ‘… In The Grass’ was published last year and has just been published in German, along with some of his short stories.
 
For six years Brian was Head of Scottish Music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
 
www.brianmcneill.co.uk/     Photograph courtesy of Daniel Coston.
RELEASES:
Solo:
"Monksgate" (vinyl album, Escalibur Records, 1978)
"Unstrung Hero" (vinyl album, Temple Records, 1985)
"The Busker & The Devil's Only Daughter" (CD/cassette album, Temple Records, 1990)
"The Back O' The North Wind" (CD/cassette album, Greentrax Records, 1991)
"No Gods" (CD/cassette album, Greentrax Records, 1995)
Collaborations:
Brian McNeill & Alan Reid, "Sidetracks" (vinyl album, Topic Records, 1981)
Brian McNeill & Tom McDonagh, "Horses For Courses" (CD/cassette album, Greentrax Records, 1994)
Brian McNeill & Iain Mackintosh, "Stage By Stage" (CD/cassette album, Greentrax Records, 1995)
Guest performances:
Heather Heywood, "Some Kind Of Love" (vinyl/cassette album, Greentrax Records, 1978)
Dick Gaughan, "Handful Of Earth" (vinyl album, Topic Records, 1981)
Iain MacKintosh, "Gentle Persuasion" (CD/vinyl album, Greentrax Records, 1988)
Horse, "The Same Sky" (CD/cassette/vinyl album, Capitol Records, 1990)
Robin Laing, "Walking In Time" (CD/cassette album, Greentrax Records, 1994)
Tony McManus, "Tony McManus" (CD/cassette album, Greentrax Records, 1995)
Jock Duncan, "Ye Shine Whar Ye Stan!" (CD/cassette album, Springthyme Records, 1997)
Danny Kyle, "Danny Kyle" (CD album, Iona Records, 1998)
Tequila Mockingbird, "Agora Mesmo" (CD album, Tequila Mockingbird Records, 2001)
Wolfstone, "Live - Not Enough Shouting" (CD album, Once Bitten Records, 2001).

METHOD IN MADNESS:  Grangemouth based band formed initially in early 1986 by John Crone (vocals), Simon Glenn (guitar), Charles Kemp (bass) & Norman Phillips (drums/vocals). After a debut date at Laurieston Community Centre the band recruited vocalist Stephanie Reid for some further dates during the summer (including the Grangemouth Rock Festival). By early 1988 the band had been reduced to Glen, Kemp & Phillips, and later that year split, with Phillips going on to form Gun Crazy.

MIDAS TOUCH:  This band were in great demand during this period, holding down three residencies across Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian clubs! Till early-1986 the band members were: Roy Leask (vocals), Duncan Leask (guitar/vocals), Bill Ritchie (bass/vocals) and Davy Lowe (drums/vocals). On the departure of Lowe the remaining members reverted to a Trio.  Over the following years there were numerous changes of personnel!  The four-named musicians also played in Natural Harmony, Topaz and Solitaire while Ritchie played lead guitar in the Stirling-based beat group The Trespassers in the 1960's.

MIRROR MIRROR:  Band from Denny?Bonnybridge formed in 1985 by Richard Burgoyne (keyboards/vocals), David McEwan (guitar/vocals, ex-Throbbing Nudgers), Thomas McKenna (bass), Jim Ridley (keyboards) & Gordon Watt (drums). Upon splitting McKenna joined Boo Radley, whilst McEwan later formed Throb.

MONITOR LIZARD:  Denny rock band formed in 1989 by Callum Daymeat, Greig Duncan, Gerard D'Ambrosia & ex-Ad Finem drummer Ronnie Horner. The band continued to play live into 1990, when they won the Falkirk College "Battle Of The Bands". At the end of that year, however they changed their name to Exceed. By May 1991 they were called Monitor Lizard again. The band continued to play live, adding a second guitarist Jim McMillan in October 1992. Alex Pollock (guitar, ex-No Dice) joined the band in 1996, though we are unsure who he replaced, and the band continued into 1997. The following year they changed their name to Exit.

The MOSCARDINI BROTHERS:  Short lived act from 1986 by Sandy Sneddon (vocals/guitar, ex-Bosch), Eric Easton (bass, ex-Bosch) & Eddie McKenzie (guitar, also with Outlaw Tribe). The rehearsed a couple of times before folding.

The MUNCHY COUSINS:  Falkirk act formed from the remains of The Swinging Curtises in January 1986 by Eddie McKenzie (bass/vocals) & Willie Moffat (guitar/vocals). They were joined by Grangemouth drummer Michael Davidson & vocalist Debbie Daisley, but soon evolved into Chainsaw Dance without playing live.

NATIVE SON:  Rehearsal band formed in 1987 by ex-Helm's Deep members Graham Roy (guitar) & David Young (vocals/bass), along with German keyboard player Cyrus Alimi and Grangemouth drummer Greg Drysdale (ex-Scream). Drysdale was soon to join One Over The Eight, whilst Young later worked as a scriptwriter for "Brookside", and is now one of the chief writers of "River City".

NEW GERMANY:  Three piece Industrial band formed in 1984 by Graeme Bryson (percussion), Greg Corbett (bass) & a vocalist (possibly called Spizz?). In 1985 they changed their name to Fear Of Sex.
RELEASES:
"Need" (cassette single, 1984).

NIRVANA:  No, it's not the Seattle grunge act. Cobain was not from Falkirk! Instead, Nirvana were a Denny rock act formed in 1988 by ex-Starfleet Command members John Fallon (bass) & Robert McGlone (guitar), along with ex-Dragonfly drummer Ian Wallace. Wallace moved onto Boxing Clever soon after. Almost 20 years later Fallon opened NebulaSounds Recording Studio and still plays the bass, producing his own music which has had airplay on the former Beat106 in Glasgow, Radiomagnetic and Radio Mega in France. He later formed Sahara Wolf. McGlone moved to Bremen in Germany where he plays guitar with a local act.

NO SHARP OBJECTS:  Act from 1985/86 support act once for Two Helens at The Leapark Hotel, Grangemouth.

NOISE ANNOYS:  Bonnybridge punk act formed in 1983 by Tam Winter (bass), John Eaglesham (guitar), Tony McGrandles (vocals) & Brian McAllister (drums). The band played locally until 1985 when McGrandles left to join the Navy. Winters switched to vocals and guitar, and Danny Coyle joined on bass. After a few more dates, Eaglesham left in early 1986 to join That Purple Bus, and was replaced by Paul Mann (guitar).This line-up played extensively locally, and moved from Ramones style punk to a more alternative punk/metal sound until November 1987 when Coyle left (later turning up in Fat Davey & The Denny Brass). Winter switched to bass (again) and Tony McGrandles re-joined on vocals, allowing live work continue until 1991 when McAllister left. In 1992 Mann & Winter formed Nepenthe.
RELEASES:
"When The Box Is Open" (cassette single, 1989).

 
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