THE SUNDAY CORRESPONDENTS

THE VASELINES (Bongo Club, Edinburgh, 15 September)

When you can dispense something as good as Molly’s Lips only two songs in, then you know you’re going to be in for a good night.

So it came to pass, as Young Al and I squeezed into the Bongo Club to see the first night of the first ever headlining UK tour by The Vaselines. Not a bad achievement for a band formed 24 years ago.

If you’re reading Vinyl Villain then you probably know the back story but just in case (and this is only selected highlights)…

Songwriters Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee first came together in 1986. James Seenan and Charlie Kelly (yes, brother) were recruited and the Vaselines signed to Edinburgh indie label 53rd and 3rd. A couple of seminal EPs came and went, then in 1989, what should have been their finest moment, the release of their first album, Dum Dum. Slight problem – the band had split. The story goes that it happened on the actual day the album was released, but then the Vaselines were always slightly mythical. And things were to take an even stranger twist.

As Eugene and Frances ploughed separate musical furrows, Planet Nirvana had taken hold. Kurt Cobain proclaimed the Vaselines among his favourite bands of all time and proceeded to cover three of their songs during his (painfully short) career. There’s even a theory that Kurt and Courtney’s child, Frances Bean, was named after Ms McKee, though it may be that the American actress Frances Farmer (now there’s another story worth tracking down) was the actual inspiration. Suitably deified by association with Nirvana, the Vaselines became a legend destined never to reform. But time seems to be a great healer and come 2008 Eugene and Frances had settled their differences and reformed to do the odd show.

The odd show became let’s bring in a few other musicians and do another album, and so was born this week, Sex with an X. And the aforementioned UK (and US) tour. Not to mention the first ever Vaselines promo, which I’m sure JC will link to.



Back at the Bongo, we’re enjoying possibly the best sound I’ve heard at a gig ever. For me, the perfect balance between guitars and vocals. And we all managed to cope without filming the band’s every move on stage through our mobile phones.

Let’s be clear, I’m not a Vaselines Devotee (though that may be changing). I don’t think, surprisingly in retrospect, I even saw them live first time round, preferring the likes of (Buba and) the Shop Assistants and The Pastels.

But tonight what a set. A heady mix of old and new. My highlights from the main set include the aforementioned Molly’s Lips, Monsterpussy, Rory Rides Me Raw, Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam and the new single Sex with an X. Young Al, who was probably playing hide and seek in a Fife playground when the band were originally around, nominates Molly, Jesus, Sex and newie I Hate the 80s. Given how long it’s been and this the first night with “Vaselines virgins” in the band, the music was fast, fuzzy and fantastic. I would say “tight”, but given much of the between song banter, that might be misconstrued as a reference to the aforementioned monsterpussy. Truly a brilliant set and nary a song longer than three and a half minutes. No need for noodling guitar solos here thanks very much.

The call of the curfew caught up with us and we blasted out with the Vaselines’ tribute to another genius now sadly no longer with us, Divine - You Think You’re A Man, and old, old favourite Son Of A Gun.

As the band headed for signing duties at the ‘merch’ stall where about half those present were now queuing, we headed to a pub, astonished by what we’d just witnessed. Probably the best gig I’ll see this year. And, if the band are to believed, by the time they get to Glasgow, they’ll actually be quite good at this playing live lark.

mp3 : The Vaselines - Molly's Lips
mp3 : The Vaselines - Son Of A Gun

Go see. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Jacques the Kipper, Sunday 19 September 2010