Wohl keine Band hat im letzten Vierteljahrhundert das Erbe der Byrds und von Big Star mir so viel Würde (und Erfolg) weitergetragen wie Teenage Fanclub. Die Band aus den Vororten von Glasgow spielt bereits seit 1989 zusammen und hat insbesondere in den 90ern, selbst im größten Brit-Pop- und Lad-Rock-Hype, einfach weiter gemacht mit ihren bittersüßen Melodien und himmlischen Harmonien.

Vielleicht weil ihr Sound schon immer mehr nach Westcoast als Nordsee klang, waren Teenage Fanclub auch überraschend groß in den Staaten – zum Beispiel wurde ihr zweites Album “Bandwagonesque” im renommierten US-Magazin Spin zum Album des Jahres gekürt (auf Platz 3: “Nevermind” von Nirvana).

Mit dem verlässlichen “Nothing Lasts Forever”, das mit dem sehr Byrds-esquen “Foreign Land” beginnt und in “See The Light” seinen Höhepunkt findet, veröffentlichen die Schotten nun ihr zweites Album seit dem Ausstieg von Gerard Love.

* Your three favourite Punk singles/songs?

Depends what is meant by “Punk” as it means different things to different people? Anyway, let’s go for
these:

** The Neon Boys – “That’s All I Know (Right Now)”.
Early 70s New York punk, pre-Television, from Richard Hell and Tom Verlaine.

** The Stooges – “I Wanna Be Your Dog”
From the dark end of the 60s, music doesn’t get much more “punk” than this.

** The Sex Pistols – “God Save The Queen”
I was in London visiting family when this came out. My cousin George played it at a street party celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s “Silver Jubilee”. Funny thing is I don’t remember anyone seeming too offended. Maybe people were a bit more tolerant of opposing viewpoints back then…

* A record that will make you dance?

I have to say, I’m not much of a dancer, so I’ll go literal on the word “dance” and say “Waltz #1” by Elliott Smith

* The best “new” artist / band right now?

I hear new music all the time that I like, but very little that I make a connection with that’s enough for me to think of it as “best”.

* Your favourite song about rebellion/revolution?           

Off the top of my head I’ll go for “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who.

* Your favourite song this year so far?

A favourite song from this year? Ask me again in about ten years from now. I’m still catching up with music from a lifetime ago.

* Your favourite song lyrics?

I don’t really have a favourite anything, so I’ll have to make this up as I go along. First thing that
comes to mind is the line “I’m as puzzled as the newborn child” from Tim Buckley’s “Song To The Siren”. The funny thing about that is that Larry Beckett who wrote the lyrics to the song considered that Tim Buckley ruined that line by changing the original lyric “oyster” to “newborn child”. Personally I think it was a massive improvement.

* Your favourite movie about music – and why?

“This Is Spinal Tap” is hard to beat. So much truth in it. All musicians / bands have had times when their “appeal has become more selective”.

* The Byrds, Big Star or Love – which one do you prefer and why?

All those band are great but if forced to choose I’ll say Love. “Forever Changes” is just such a powerful record with so much individual character.

* Your favourite scottish artist /band ever?

Bert Jansch.

* The best song you’ve ever written / recorded?

To me that is an unanswerable question!

* Your favourite german song/record?

I don’t have one particular favourite but right now the album “Deluxe” by Harmonia comes to mind. I was lucky enough to see them play in Glasgow about 15 years ago.

* Your favourite record of all time?

No one favourite but I always find myself coming back to “Scott 4” by Scott Walker.

(Antworten: Raymond McGinley / Leadgitarre, Gesang)

“Nothing Lasts Forever”, das neue Album von Teenage Fanclub, ist bereits erschienen