A couple of years back a good friend asked me whether or not the Trashcans had been immortalised in print.
At the time I had no idea, but after a wee bit of research, I found they’d been mentioned in various books over the years – short stories, novels and the like. You can see the results in this previous post.
‘How To Disappear Completely’ by Troy Nethercott is another book where the Trashcans are given an honorary mention in a short story called ‘A Day In the Life of Martin Wilson’.
Martin writes screenplays in Los Angeles and the story revolves around how his life is affected by those around him, but in particular by the death of his friend, John. Both shared a passion of cult bands like Violent Femmes, Housemartins, Milo Binder and The Trashcan Sinatras.
So there ye go – immortal once again.
2007
…Kate Bush, is the fifth in a series where musicians and writers tell of their experiences on first hearing a particular band or artist. Other artists included in the series so far include Cocteau Twins, The Smiths, Joy Division/New Order and David Bowie.
Contributors to the Kate Bush edition include John Grant (The Czars), Ryan King (My Latest Novel), Simon Phipps (Engineers) and the Trashcans’ Paul Livingston.
The series is available for your Kindle/iPad via Amazon.
Here’s Paul’s contribution…
Paul Livingston plays guitar and writes songs in The Trashcan Sinatras, and has done for the past twenty-five years. He is Scottish, but lives with his wife and cats in Los Angeles.
She was always there, in the background of my youth, was Kate. Swooning on the moor on Top of the Pops, spinning on the Kenny Everett Show, talking Cockney on Razzamatazz. A gypsy woman with a high voice and big mouth, right? But I didn’t appreciate the beauty of what I was seeing and hearing at the time, because it wasn’t heavy metal (I was nine). It just wasn’t on my radar.
Well, all that changed, thanks to my Uncle John, Everyone has an Uncle like him, don’t they? Always obsessing over some new musical treasure, trying to get the we’uns into it. In his room after school, all red shiny wallpaper and bright flashing lights on the record player, I first heard The Dreaming. I was floored. What on earth is that?
Every song blew my mind. It was just so bizarre to me. “Why’d she do that? And how did she know it would work?”
I remember being a wee bit frightened. It was all so… witchy!
It was on a cassette, so had no lyrics, but the words I could hear filled my head with possibilities. Then there’s that “EYAWWW!” craziness at the end!
I treasured that tape, and from that moment on, I have loved Kate Bush. But she never topped this album, in my opinion. How could she?
September 2012
Filed under: Related | Tags: Noel Hudson, The Band Name Book, Trashcan Sinatras
Ever wondered how your favourite band got their name?
Well pop-pickers, look no further. ‘The Band Name Book’ has all the answers. From And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead through to ZZ Top, this book is a fascinating read and explains where the best-named bands got their names.
It does of course include yours and my favourite band, the Trashcan Sinatras. I remember when Paul told me he was going to join them. I thought ‘strange name’, but anything was better than The Shock Club or Hectic Circus (right Paul?).
Anyhow, the photograph below explains how the band came up with their name, but you knew that anyway didn’t you?
2008 The Boston Mills Press
Filed under: Related | Tags: Boo Hewerdine, Brooks Williams, Eddi Reader, Trashcan Sinatras
Boo Hewerdine is not really someone I was familiar with until he’d written and co-written a fair number of songs for/with Eddi Reader. From there I discovered that he’s released a dozen albums or so throughout his career. A career which didn’t really get serious until he formed The Bible in the mid-Eighties. I’d heard the band name before but never made the connection. However, a quick look through the old CD collection, and there at the back of the cupboard, was Graceland – probably their best known single.
As well as writing for Eddi Reader, Boo has written for a number of musicians over the years including Natalie Imbruglia, Marti Pellow, Spice Girl Mel C, David McAlmont, Suggs from Madness and kd lang.
What’s all that got to do with the Trashcans though?
Well, on Boo’s last studio release, God Bless The Pretty Things, both John and Stephen Douglas appeared on half-a-dozen songs or so. John on electric guitar and Stephen on drums and percussion. The album shuffles along at a steady pace with acoustic finger-picking taking the lead on most songs over accordion, banjo, double bass and strings. Track 5, Rags, with Del Amitri’s Justin Currie, is a particular favourite.
Recently, Boo has collaborated with American singer/songwriter, Brooks Williams to form State Of The Union and John got in on the act by filming some videos of Boo and Brooks on his trusty old Super8. Watch them here.
Anyway, I’m going off now to discover some more Boo.
2009 Navigator Records Navigator11
Filed under: Related
…with the cat till three, looking at my cat and I’m half-past catting, in the cat of luxury it comes to mind, is this headboard hard, am I a cat behind.
So sang Frank at the Casbah, San Diego in 2005.
Anyhow, I’m patiently waiting for something worthwhile to come along that I can post on the archive, but in the meantime, here’s a picture of a cat…
Five Hungry Joes - A pictorial archive of the Trashcan Sinatras. Legendary Scottish Band 