A guest posting by flimflamfan
Edinburgh School for the Deaf – New Youth Bible
Re-issue : Absolutely Kosher Records 25th Anniversary
I’ve written much in these pages about the emotional response to music, my own included – sometimes bordering on the spiritual (all the while jabbing at any thought of religion with a long-armed stick). Phrases to describe such experiences can include ‘the hairs on the back of my neck stood up’. Remember that phrase.
I’ve listened to ‘a lot’ of records, saw more than my fair share of live bands, and some – I’ve no idea why – affect me more than others. I’ll not list bands / songs – it could prove to be an unhelpful construct although I might, just might, make one or two references here and there.
Imagine the Star Wars intro text title screen… It was a long time ago…
I was asked to assist with a ‘battle of the bands’. I was incredibly proud to be asked to do so by Sandy, the man behind the event, but was ambushed by Imposter Syndrome. Sandy had arranged to host one of Alan McGee nights, in Perth, in which a lucky recipient would be ‘signed’ to McGee’s new label – who was I to judge? Although I do think I’d look quite dashing adorned in powdered wig, gown and wielding a gavel. Sorry, I digressed, with what was an unrealistic TV adaptation of a UK court scene.
Off I popped to Perth full of excitement and trepidation on an overnight stay with my bag packed full of social anxieties.
I think it’s fair to say that I’m not the most gregarious person you’ll ever meet – certainly not initially. If I feel comfortable, or have had a wee drink, I can be quite the chatterbox. I say, quite the chatterbox. I’ve never liked to be seen – even as a kid. It’s a peculiar thing to say – even after all these years – but it makes me feel uncomfortable. Every interaction is stage-managed internally by skilled ‘imaginary’ puppeteers pulling every string to make my interactions seem natural.
I arrived in Perth. I arrived at the venue.
Neither of these things seem like big deals, yet both are to me, especially entering the venue on my own. This is something I have done so rarely it could be referred to as a rare occasion.
Sandy was there to greet me, bands were sound checking – it was noisy but with few folk milling around. I was introduced to Mr McGee and then Sandy began to outline how the night would pan out. It seemed quite straight forward and something that could be enhanced by a dark rum and green ginger. I was right. That dark rum and green ginger, they should bottle that. Oh, hang on…
I’m ashamed to say that I don’t recall all of the bands that played. I could go and look at information from that time, but that doesn’t seem terribly honest. Suffice to say, only two bands stood out. The soon to be ‘band in first place’ and ‘band in second place’. The band in first place were damn good. Young. Fiery. Full of fight and ambition. I liked them. Mr McGee announced them as winners. In a brief comment to me later, he uttered ‘it would have been too obvious for me to pick the other band’. The words “too obvious” are a direct quote and remain etched forever in my reminiscences of that night.
The other band? The band in second place? That band provided me with one of the most spiritual musical experiences I have ever encountered. Known for a short time as Deserters Deserve Death, but soon to be known as Edinburgh School for the Deaf, that band destroyed every social anxiety I had. They pummelled any and every doubt. They raised me to a point of spiritual ecstasy. They made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up – a physical response to music that I’ll never forget. They made me dance (swaying really) to music I was unfamiliar with – it was unadulterated joy. Anxieties? What anxieties?
As much as I was pleased for the band that came in first, and I was pleased for them, Edinburgh School for the Deaf was robbed.
How a band can create and sustain such chaos, yet exude a calm presence, still confounds me. It was akin to watching three maniacs tethered to their jailer. Was there a single space in that bar that Kieran had not jumped on, or jumped from, all the while playing note perfect? Each band member seemingly in their own space, unaware of the other band members at all, then coming together triumphantly as a sonic force that made you want to cry. I did cry. It was a powerful, moving performance, and they are by definition of this event the second-best band in the world (as far as I am concerned).
Throughout the gig I was plagued by a sense of familiarity but couldn’t place it? It transpired that Edinburgh School for the Death rose from the ashes of another much-loved band, St Jude’s Infirmary.
Soon after the gig the band ‘signed’ to Glasgow label, Bubblegum Records with which they released the single Orpheus Descending / Orpheus Ascending and their sole LP New Youth Bible (on CD) back in 2011.
I am delighted to say that thanks to Absolutely Kosher Records (California) enjoying a 25th anniversary, it has decided to reissue the LP on limited edition silver vinyl (20th October).
The LP captures the mood of the band perfectly. Of Scottish Blood and Sympathies overwhelms the senses with it’s glorious wall of noise that carries a fragile vocal to where we know not.
mp3: Edinburgh School for the Deaf – Of Scottish Blood and Sympathies
Love is Terminal is the epitome of a post-punk classic that brandishes its pop sensibilities with a sharpened knife. I’ll allow you, dear reader, to go through each song and come to your own conclusions. Suffice to say, my limited-edition silver vinyl is secured. I’ll be thrilled to teeny tiny bits when it arrives.
This is an LP for those that enjoy: The Velvet Underground, The Fall, Joy Division, The Jesus and Mary Chain et al. It is by far one of the most important LPs in my collection. It was a once lost but now re-found Scottish classic, thanks to Absolutely Kosher Records.
The LP can be purchased via bandcamp. It’s also currently on pre-order from the likes of Assai Records, Juno Records, Norman Records and Rough Trade, with no doubt many other similar stores likely to add it to their impending arrivals over the coming days.
flimflamfan
JC adds
The write-up today is not mere hyperbole. It’s a record that I wasn’t entirely sure of back in the day, but it has very much grown on me over the years, and I have long come to the conclusion that I wasn’t quite ready, back in 2011, for its sonic magnificence. Surely we’ve all got much-loved albums that took a long time to worm their way into our affections???
Smarter folk like Mike over at Manic Pop Thrills got it right away, with a tremendous review back in 2011 (click here), and in one short phrase he captured it perfectly.
“thrilling proof that rock music can be exciting and beautiful at the same time”.
Jacques the Kipper also raved about it at the time, and included one of the tracks from the album on a homemade ‘best of 2011 compilation CD’ he gifted to me.
Like fff, I’ve got my order in for the vinyl.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 