They Walk, They Talk, They Rock!

This coming Saturday the clocks are going to be turned back and Scotland will once again be plunged into a pitch black winter abyss of eternal darkness, doom and constant p#ssing rain, closely followed by the pessimistic outlook and greetin’-faced disposition of its native citizens. (And you wonder why we have a drink problem?) Fortunately though, I appear to be completely immune to this seasonal “malaise” (from the French “ma” meaning “mother..” and “laise” meaning “..f#cker, where’s the sun gone?”) and always go about my daily business whistling a happy tune with a song in my heart, a smile for everyone and a little bluebird perched on my shoulder. In case I get hungry.

Next week I’m going to tell you more about a little project I’m about to undertake (I don’t want to reveal too much at the moment but let’s just say it involves the phrases “smoking” and “quitting”) which I’m sure will improve my already jovial temperament tenfold. But meantime, for those less fortunate than I (me?), here’s a little gift (a gift that’ll keep on giving) to help get you through the next few long, endless, dreary, tiresome, debilitating, soul destroying months.

Below is an old grainy vhs video recording (and don’t get me started on how f#cking long it took me to convert and compress this for the interweb) of The Signals, greatest pub rock ‘n roll band ever. From Falkirk. Shot at Grangemouth’s O2 Arena (formerly the Town Hall) in May of 1994, it showcases the band at their creative and physical peak, just before the pizza addictions and botched surgeries sent us spiralling downwards.

If you like this (if?), you can find some additional footage of other songs from the same gig at the band’s MySpace site by clicking all these words in red that are underlined. If you really, REALLY like this and are now reaching for fresh underwear at the thought of perhaps someday seeing us perform live in the flesh, then come back next week when I will have news of a rare concert outing taking place next month.

Meantime, kick back, relax and prepare your sensitive areas for bit of shudderin’ as you experience the full (but in no way ‘Hi-Def’) rockin’ majesty of The Signals performing ‘Ballroom of Romance’. For those of you too young to remember 1994, please note that the t-shirt-tucked-in-high-waist-jeans-fat-ass look was all the rage back then. But no, I have no idea what the hell was going on with my hair…