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    • Jason Becker - Triumphant Hearts
    • Duncan Chisholm - Sandwood
    • Jawbone - Jawbone
    • Steve Perry - Traces
    • Sari Schorr - Never Say Never
    • Joe Bonamassa - Redemption
    • Ben Poole - Anytime You Need Me
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    • Rainbreakers - Face To Face
    • Frequency Drift - Letters to Maro
    • JCM - Heroes
    • Dana Fuchs - Love Lives On
    • Joe Bonamassa - British Blues Explosion Live
    • W.E.T. - Earthrage
    • The King Lot - A World Without Evil
    • 2017 Featured Album Reviews >
      • Quint Starkie - Ghost In My Heart
      • Downes Braide Association - Skyscraper Souls
      • Dirty Thrills - Heavy Living
      • King King - Exile & Grace
      • Steven Wilson - To The Bone
      • Robin Trower - Time and Emotion
      • Joe Bonamassa - Live at Carnegie Hall, an Acoustic Evening
      • Nikka Costa - Nikka & Strings, Underneath and In Between
      • The Mustangs - Just Passing Through
      • Simon Thacker & Justyna Jablonska - Karmana
      • Michael Schenker Fest Live
    • 2016 Featured Album Reviews... >
      • Glenn Hughes - Resonate
      • King King - Live
      • Aynsley Lister - Eyes Wide Open
      • Kansas - The Prelude Implicit
      • Joe Bonamassa - Live at the Greek Theatre
      • An Evening With Todd Rundgren - Live at The Ridgefield
      • Sari Schorr - A Force of Nature
      • Albany Down - The Outer Reach
      • Cheap Trick - Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello
      • Preacher - Aftermath
      • Ben Poole - Time Has Come
      • Stevie Nimmo - Sky Won't Fall
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  • Selected 2018 Gig Reviews...
    • Sensational Alex Harvey Experience DreadnougthRock, Bathgate
    • Uli Jon Roth - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • WinterStorm Rock Weekender III - Troon
    • Ben Poole - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Dan Reed Network - The Garage, Glasgow
    • Dapper, Paul Gemmell's Black Magic Blues Band - The Union, East Kilbride
    • Lifesigns - Backstage at The Green, Kinross
    • The Nimmo Brothers - Old Fire Station, Carlisle
    • Brian Downey's Alive And Dangerous - Cathouse, Glasgow
    • Chantel McGregor - Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow
    • Federal Charm and Bad Flowers, Classic Grand, Glasgow
    • Rainbreakers - Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
    • Hamilton Loomis, Mike Vernon & The Mighty Combo, Lights Out By Nine - Town Hall, Darvel
    • Kane'd - NR Rocks, DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • Zal Cleminson's /sin'dogs/ - Concert Hall, Troon
    • The King Lot (with Those Damn Crows and Fragile Things) Dreadnoughtrock, Bathgate
    • Arran Rock 'N' Blues Fest
    • Kasim Sulton - Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow
    • Danny Bryant - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Sari Schorr - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Bourbon Street 5 - Brig Below, Edinburgh,
    • Chris Glen & The Outfit - Concert Hall, Troon
    • Simon Thacker, Justyna Jablonska, Masha Natanson - Glad Cafe, Glasgow
    • The Greig Taylor Blues Combo - Dreadnoughtrock, Bathgate
    • King King - Town Hall, Darvel
  • Selected 2017 Gig Reviews...
    • Anchor Lane & Black King Cobra DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • JW-Jones - Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow
    • Burnt Out Wreck - Audio, Glasgow
    • Samantha Fish (w/ Melisa Kelly) - Stramash, Edinburgh
    • Winterstorm Rock Weekender II, Troon
    • Bad Touch & Mollie Marriott - Stereo, Glasgow
    • Mr. Big (w/ The Answer & Faster Pussycat) - O2 ABC, Glasgow
    • John Verity Band - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • Squeeze - The Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
    • Raintown - The Arts Centre, East Kilbride
    • Erja Lyytinen - The Caves, Edinburgh
    • Stevie Nimmo Trio - Town Hall, Darvel
    • The King Lot - NR Rocks, Dreadnoughtrock, Bathgate
    • Mason Hill, The Garage, Glasgow
    • Hamilton Loomis - Town Hall, Darvel
    • Blue Oyster Cult (and Jared James Nichols) - 02ABC, Glasgow
    • Dan Reed & The King Lot - Dreadnoughtrock, Bathgate
    • John Verity Band - Cottiers, Glasgow
    • Rebecca Downes - The Old Fire Station, Carlisle
    • Snakecharmer - 02 ABC2, Glasgow
    • Steve Hackett - Royal Concert Hall Glasgow
    • King King - 02 ABC Glasgow
    • Joe Bonamassa - Usher Hall, Edinburgh
    • Sari Schorr & The Engine Room - Aberdeen and Glasgow
    • Broken Witt Rebels & Bad Touch - O2 ABC2, Glasgow
    • Manny Charlton Band - Classic Grand, Glasgow
    • Dan Reed Network - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Glenn Hughes - The Garage, Glasgow
  • Muirsical Conversations...
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    • Dan Reed (November 2018)
    • Del Bromham (October 2018)
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    • Raintown - Paul Bain & Claire McArthur Bain (May 2018)
    • Hamilton Loomis (December 2017)
    • Alan Nimmo (October 2017)
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    • Suzi Quatro (September 2017)
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    • Duncan Chisholm (Aug 2010)
    • Barbara Rubin (July 2010)
    • Alan Reed (June 2010)
  • Muirsical Articles...
    • The Fool Guitar - The Fool Story
    • Alex Harvey - Framed in Words. And pictures
    • Journey - That Time Forgot
    • KISS - Elder Statesmen, Elder Statement?
    • Phil Lynott - Remembering Pt. 3
    • Freddie Mercury - The Days of His Life
    • Gary Moore - Last Exit
    • Mott - Without any of the Hoople-la
    • Muirsical Six of the Best
    • Music Town: A Decade of the Darvel Music Festival
    • Pat Travers - The Forgotten Power Trio
    • Playing Tribute
    • Gerry Rafferty - Humblebum to Multi-Million Seller
    • Cliff Richard - The Rock and Roll Juvenile
    • Slade - Thanks For the Memories
    • Talon - On Eagles Wings
    • The Sweet - A Cut Above the Rest
    • Wild Horses - Thoroughbreds or also-rans?
  • A Personal Journey: Definitive Edition (eBook)
  • Steve Perry (vocalist): One in a Million (eBook)
  • A Writer's Muirsings...
    • A Writer's Muirsings: Introduction
    • Superbowl XLVII MVP: Beyoncé (February 2013)
    • Michael Jackson: The Alternative Verdict (Nov 2011)
    • True Colours (November 2010)
    • It's a New Language, Old Bean (October 2010)
    • Finger Pointing (July 2010)
    • Suffer the Little Children (April 2010)
    • Hey 'Banker', can you spare a dime? (February 2010)
    • Earlier Muirsings... >
      • Muirsical Christmas #1's (December 09)
      • 3-D, or not 3-D, Avatar? (December 09)
      • Pains, Planes and Automobiles (November 09)
  • A Man of Letters...
    • A Man of Letters (Introduction)
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #1
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #2
    • Letter to The Catholic League
    • Letter to SKY #1
    • Letter to SKY #2
    • Letter to SKY #3
    • Letter to Leeds City Council Parking Services
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Merry Muirsical Christmas #1's

So ‘Killing in The Name’ by Rage Against The Machine was the 2009 Christmas #1 in the U.K. thanks to huge download numbers on the back of the campaign to scupper the previously inevitable 'X Factor' winners annual Crimble climb to the top of the charts.
Splendid.

Well done to everyone involved for not just getting an un-manufactured and non-conformist artist up there at this time of year, but one with a very different song, and the name of the band tells you why they were picked as the challenger to the X Factor’s Crown of Yawns.
As regards Rage’s success though, I can only hope and trust it put Cheryl Cole’s nose seriously out of joint…

X Factor judge Cole, who was the mentorof this years X Factor winner Joe McElderry, has commented on how she feels it is a “mean campaign” and that she “…would be devastated to see Joe lose…”
Splendid.

American band Rage however were so jazzed about it, and the publicity it has brought them, that they later confirmed they would come over to the UK to perform a free show sometime in 2010.

Millions may be disappointed that their new hero on the block (until next year's bigger and even better model) has been knocked into second place by some angry punk metal band shouting and swearing (although he was predictably #1 the week after, but the campaign did what it set out to do), but those millions are so tuned in to the X Factor shows and their marketing-over-music mentalities that they forget one thing…
On average 14 million people watch the X Factor in the U.K. which means that, on average, 46 million don’t.

Now, it has to be stated that a percentage of that 46 million don't watch because they are statistically too young or too old, but a larger percentage don't watch because they are genuinely uninterested, ambivalent, or could care less.

For every person voting there will be another who detests this sort of programme where we are told what’s good and why we should vote for the shiny people with the best haircuts and most fashionable attire.

As regards 'Killing in The Name' I don’t like the song and I don't think it’s a particularly clever piece of anti-establishment observation.
But as regards the efforts of those that pushed it to the top of the charts, not because they necessarily felt it deserved to be there, but because it would hopefully stop the X Factor getting to #1?
I couldn't get the smile off my face.
 
And on the other side of the marketing coin, the wee Scot with the big voice, Susan Boyle (runner up in the 2009 series of 'Britain’s Got Talent') predictably got to #1 in the albums chart within a week of her debut release ‘I Dreamed a Dream’. But not just in the U.K. - it hit top spot in many countries including the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia and has sold over a million copies at home while going Platinum in the States.
Personally I feel 'I Dreamed a Dream' was a little rushed (in time for Santa?) and each song has a similar arrangement, although that may be because Miss Boyle only has one vocal gear (at least at this stage).

As regards Susan’s success though, I can only hope and trust it put Lily Allen’s nose seriously out of joint…

Lily, bless ‘er, is a singer that has been critical of Susan Boyle, seeing her as “…so overrated” and having timing and control issues vocally.
Actually, she’s right - Susan Boyle does need some vocal tuning, especially if she is going to perform live more often, but she has those issues because she isn’t a professional singer, doesn’t constantly perform and, up until last year, was more likely to be seen down the local shops picking up her groceries than singing live on TV.

And let's not forget Miss Allen, if it wasn’t for your ability to write catchy pop tunes along with your quirky singing style (including your accent intentionally exaggerated for vocal effect), you probably wouldn’t be the name you are.
Because as regards the true definition of singing - and by that I mean musically pleasing tonality, intelligent phrasing, sympathetic lyrical interpretation and an ability to take on and deliver various song types and styles - you, love, can "sing nane," as we say up here.
 
However Merry Christmas to both Cheryl and Lily - I hope Santa brought you both a copy of Susan Boyle’s album and the Christmas #1 single.
Because, as those wise philosophers Peter Sinfield and Gregory Lake once wrote and stated, “The Christmas we get, we deserve.”
Ho. Ho. Ho.

Ross Muir
December 2009
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