Scars – TV21 – Malcolm Ross @ HMV Picture House 29th December

As part of our celebrations for moving to the Grassmarket Avalanche is promoting this rather special gig at the HMV Picture House. Nobody was more surprised than myself when Paul Research was dropping off yet another batch of Scars CDs and I asked if he fancied doing a gig to get the answer that not only would he like to do something but so might his felow band members. I had always assumed that of all the bands from that era the Scars would be a band I would never see perform again if for no other reason than they all seemed to live in different countries these days. When a couple of weeks later Paul confirmed the guys were up for it the line-up was complete.

I tried to make it a rule not to go and see the bands I grew to love when I first came to Edinburgh in the late seventies if they reformed just in case they were shit and my memories were tarnished. No matter how good I was told the more recent Rezillos gigs were I steadfastly refused to go. However when TV21 asked to do an in-store I drew the line at actively avoiding them and then was pleasantly surprised to find them even better than before. When the new album came out and that too was as good as anything they had done before I became a convert to the notion that these bands could return and teach the current crop of Edinburgh / Scottish bands a thing or two.

As a founder member of Josef K, Malcolm’s reputation was already assured. To then join Orange Juice, writing songs for both Rip It Up and Texas Fever would surely be enough for any man but Malcolm then completed the hat-trick and joined Roddy Frame in Aztec Camera for the album Knife. It was an absolute pleasure last year to have Malcolm play in the shop with the Low Miffs to support their album and he completes what is an amazing triple bill. 

Tickets are on sale in the shop and from all the usual ticket outlets and will of course make the perfect Christmas present !