We are pleased to announce that further blogging about music in Glasgow has caught our attention.

With over 30,000 views of their MySpace page, their web presence is by no means newly formed. Presently an unsigned band in central Scotland, with their music being described as “Alternative / Electro / Indie”, they are releasing a debut single on Friday 4 February in Stereo in Glasgow. Their latest blog post gives further details. In terms of tips for expanding web presence, I would suggest use of relevant tags via the blogging platform, which does currently look nice and professional – tags will expand the site’s size and make it more accessible via search engines. For an example, see what I’ve done at the foot of this blog post, which I shoud add is replicated in the meta data for this post via a WordPress SEO plugin.

Having listened to their sample music, I’d say that Elle Diablo is my favourite piece so far:-

If you can make it to Stereo for the launch of their debut single, please do so.

Music still sounds good in Stereo!
As we approach our debut single launch which will be held in @StereoGlasgow this Friday, 4th Feb it’s apparent that we have been ready for this for some time. There is an eagerness surrounding all 6 of us, if not the lucky bunch of patient fans who are choking to hear the single SY:NC because as some of you already know, we had to postpone the launch due to adverse weather conditions in November, which resulted in a change of venue and more importantly, a change of city.

Using a well known Kevin Bridges term, some of you “Edinburgers” out there who were keen to check us out at the original launch venue, Voodoo Rooms, should fear not as we will be heading to our lovely capital during the subsequent tour – we love playing Edinburgh.

So Glasgow it is then – that old chestnut, and you would be nuts to miss out on what will be a truly amazing night with plenty of booze, tunes and merch to buy and potentially a few well known Scottish faces dotted around the room as well.

The night begins at 7 with our special guest playing a special set exclusively for you guys before being followed by Wishaw boys – Vigo Thieves. These lads are sharp and they look pretty sharp too – let’s hope they don’t show us up on the night! And then, when your livers begin to fail and vocal chords begin to crumble and the thought of tomorrow morning’s hangover kicks in and begins the biggest fear-sesh ever . . . We will take to the stage and all that will be forgotten for 45 minutes as we play an extended set with new tracks and new tricks and hopefully enough synth to make you cry and enough strobe to make you die!!. . No. Really. Half the crowd will think Lazer Quest had re-opened and the other half will think they are in an Ultrabeat video! Member them???

The night will be rounded off (or begun) by our aftershow party at Firewater Glasgow where you can meet the band (and their maw’s) fill yer bladders with thick, chunky alcohol and watch as JK slowly slips into his Jagerbomb bubble chopping off another year of his dwindling life-expectancy!

Can’t wait to see you all there

JATG

Johnny and the Giros

All the best guys,
G

Waking to a Google Doodle celebrating Robert Burns Day and Burns Nicht was quite a treat this morning for many across the planet.

Robert Burns Google Doodle

As many prepare for a Burns Supper to mark the birth of Robert Burns in my hometown of Ayr in Scotland way back in 25 January 1759, I thought it would be useful to mark the occasion with some Burns (social) media.

Burns Suppers are usually commenced with the Selkirk Grace:-

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae let the Lord be thankit.

…followed by the Address to a Haggis when the Haggis is brought in:-

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin’-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang’s my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
‘Bethankit’ hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect sconner,
Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit:
Thro bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He’ll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.

Ye Pow’rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!

For helpful translations, given that Google Translator cannot perform Burns to English, see this Rabbie Burns Tribute Page.

For more information on procedure, see this Robert Burns Wikipedia article.

Aside from the lyrical content above, there are two rather interesting pieces of news about Burns released recently.

First, the Scottish government released a new free iPhone app for fans of Burns, whereby Burns’ poetry can be searched for free; and

Second, an unpublished letter by Burns was found in a Borders castle recently. It is supposedly a 222 year old letter, which was discovered in Floors Castle in Kelso. As the Aberdeen Press and Journal reports, it is dated May 13, 1789, and is addressed to James Gregory, professor of medicine at Edinburgh University and head of the city’s medical school.

As for me, I’m off to have a Haggis Supper from the chippy. I leave you with a Burns classic, which may be more familiar to international readers on Hogmanay (for international readers, that’s 31st December )

Burns Monument by Brig O'Doon Ayr

Background photos from Edinburgh, Scotland and Istanbul and Bursa, Turkey. Track by James Horner & The London Symphony Orchestra – The Ludlows (Legends of the Fall).

Taking a look through the latest trending videos on YouTube, I noticed this gem from an interview with a homeless man who has a stunning voice. The video now has over 4 million views. Someone please give him a job.

For further info and updates, Ritchey, the non-profit and activism poster, writes on his YouTube page under his post “Homeless man w/golden radio voice in Columbus, OH (Update-FINAL)” :-

Throwing this video from the Columbus Dispatch out there, hoping we can find this talent a place to call home.

UPDATE-1: Many thanks go out to all of you who have been tossing phone numbers and e-mails my way for Ted’s sake. I went up to Hudson/I-71 (Columbus) today, but Ted wasn’t there. He is going to be on air tomorrow morning on radio station WNCI. I’ve left my contact info w/WNCI to call/e-mail me on a way to get your enormous opportunities over to him.

I’m going to give him a Trac phone (w/ample minutes) so that he can return calls to all of you.

Hopefully, in some way I’ll get in contact w/him. Peace.

UPDATE-2: To all those who have been writing me (as one of Ted’s only means of contact), I have learned that the radio station interviewing him tomorrow (1-5-11) a.m. is going to make him a formal offer. Whether true or not, we’ll see.

Hope it works out well for him. That was the whole point of me posting this video. I cannot thank enough everyone who was willing to do their part in offering Ted their helping hand.

Whoever lands him is certainly getting much more than a memorable personality; they’re getting a great human being as part of their team.

My best to all.

UPDATE-FINAL: Well everyone. You can give yourselves and Ted a high-five. He’s being given offers hand-over-fist over the air. He’ll be set for life.

My request to all. Whenever you run across a story such as this, don’t assume it’ll take a life of its own, on its own. It won’t. It can’t. There are too many other stories that drown out the one before it.

You need to spend time to get that story and its word out to many. If you care, you’ll do it.

Keep the faith, pay forward and always lend a hand; even if you’re the one who needs it.

God bless Mr. Williams. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of him for sometime to come.

Shayne Ward singing “Gotta be Somebody”. WardblawG approves (except for the shirtless scenes…)

This time I wonder what it feels like
To find the one in this life
The one we all dream of
But dreams just aren’t enough
So I´ll be waiting for the real thing.
I’ll know it by the feeling.
The moment when we´re meeting
Will play out like a scene straight off the silver screen
So I`ll be holdin’ my own breath
Right up to the end
Until that moment when
I find the one that I’ll spend forever with

`Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
‘Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There`s gotta be somebody for me like that.

`Cause nobody wants to do it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
There’s somebody else that feels the same somewhere.
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.

Tonight, out on the street out in the moonlight
And dammit this feels too right
It´s just like Déjà Vu
Me standin’ here with you
So I´ll be holdin`my own breath
Could this be the end?
Is it that moment when
I find the one that I’ll spend forever with?

‘Cause nobody wants to be the last one there
‘Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There´s gotta be somebody for me like that.

`Cause nobody wants to do it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
There’s somebody else that feels the same somewhere
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.

You can´t give up!
Lookin´ for that diamond in the rough
You never know but when it shows up
Make sure you´re holdin` on
‘Cause it could be the one, the one you´re waiting on

‘Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There has gotta be somebody for me
Ohhhhhh.

Nobody wants to do it on their own
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there.

Nobody wants to be the last one there
‘Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?
There has gotta be somebody for me out there.

We See Lights: A Safer Sound

WardblawG’s good friend Stephen Bogle in the centre here. One of We See Lights’ best tunes imo.

Favourite lyics:-

“And illuminates the distance between my hand and your waist”

So say what you will
And I will love you still
Even if the silence burns in my throat
We stand alone on Christmas Day

Amy MacDonald singing Flower O’ Scotland then shouting “Come on Scotland”. Very awesome.

Lyrics are as follows:-

“O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
Your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward’s Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

The Hills are bare now,
And Autumn leaves
lie thick and still,
O’er land that is lost now,
Which those so dearly held,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward’s Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

Those days are past now,
And in the past
they must remain,
But we can still rise now,
And be the nation again,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward’s Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

0 Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward’s Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again…

Come on the Scotland!”

http://wardblawg.com/musicblawg This is the intro for Beyonce’s song ‘Halo’
Do you think you can play it after watching this video just once?

I aim to teach the chords for the song here both transposed and natural

If you raise the pitch 2 keys, you can play it with chords G Am Em C
or naturally you can play it with chords A Bm F#m D

For more great video tutorials of your favourite tunes on piano, please visit:

http://musicblawg.com

http://twitter.com/musicblawg

http://twitter.com/gavward

Anthem details

The song is entitled simply “Champions League” by Tony Britten who adapted George Frideric Handel’s “Zadok the Priest” from the Coronation Anthems. If anyone know the name of the Glasgow Rangers song that is chanted please comment to let us know.

Lyrics

Ce sont les meilleures équipes
Sie sind die allerbesten Mannschaften
The main event!

Die Meister
Die Besten
Les meilleures Équipes
The Champions!

Une grande réunion
Eine große sportliche Veranstaltung
The main event!

Ils sont les meilleurs
Sie sind die Besten
These are the champions!

Die Meister
Die Besten
Les meilleures Équipes
The Champions!

Die Meister
Die Besten
Les meilleures Équipes
The Champions!

The Best
The Great Teams
The Champions!