Mötley Crüe – Saints Of Los Angeles
(206 words)
Fame is said to have its downsides, and there are few bands whose careers support this idea as much as those of the four individuals who make up Mötley Crüe. Their 27-year career has seen Vince Neil, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee endure long-term addiction, prison sentences, troubled relationships with family and friends, and even death. Although the fearsome four are arguably known more for their substance abuse than their musical substance, they have overcome the odds and unleashed ‘Saints Of Los Angeles’ – their ninth studio album – upon the world. Reverting back to the melodic, accessible sound of their classic ‘Dr. Feelgood’ album but incorporating a more dangerous heavy metal edge, the band recall stories of their rise and fall through aptly named tracks such as ‘Chicks = Trouble’, ‘The Animal In Me’ and ‘Face Down In The Dirt’, all of which feature instantly memorable hooks and the Crüe’s trademark sassy lyrics. Glam metal is often – and probably always will be – accused of superficiality and smirked at for its attempted audacity, but there is no denying that here, Mötley Crüe have produced a heartfelt album with more integrity than many current popular bands half their age could ever hope to.

The Surrogate Pink Floyd Show
Clydebank Town Hall, December 2007
(224 words)
One could be forgiven for thinking that Clydebank had been paid a visit by rock legends Pink Floyd after witnessing the performance in the town hall on the first of the month. In actual fact it was a Glasgow-based tribute act who go by the name of The Surrogate Pink Floyd Show, and who stop at nothing to recreate the legendary live spectacle of their heroes. Strobe lights flash and dry ice fills the stage as the band power through Floyd classics such as ‘Money’, ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ (dedicated to the late Syd Barrett) and of course, ‘Another Brick In The Wall’. Lead singer Jer emulates David Gilmour’s vocals extremely well, while his bandmates prove themselves to be exceptional musicians, in particular guitarist Joe who flawlessly performs the guitar pieces of Gimour and Waters note-for-note. Each song is met with tremendous applause from the relatively small audience, which the band feed off of; ‘Are all Clydebank people this nice?’ they ask, before launching into songs from Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ album, also suggesting that everyone buys two copies of the Post when they are featured. The future of the real Pink Floyd is uncertain at the moment, but while tributes as authentic as The Surrogate Pink Floyd Show are around, little is left to be desired.