Since their formation in 1989, the thumbnail sketch of Teenage Fanclub has been a band for the good times, trading in blissed-out, beatific, Byrdsian jangle, with vocal harmonies so close you couldn’t fit a plectrum between them. But the Glaswegian group once dubbed “the best band in the world” by Kurt Cobain would never have sustained a three-decade career, nor commanded such a loyal army of fans, without the brains and bite that temper those innately optimistic chord voicings.
Tracked live at Hamburg’s Clouds Hill Recordings, eleventh album, Endless Arcade, finds the band walking the same tightrope, with co-founding guitarists and songwriters Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley evoking autumn sunshine from their instruments, on songs that are touched by sorrow, loss and the hand of mortality. “You go through life,” says McGinley, “and everything is going to fall apart. But it’s not so bad.”
Endless Arcade is such an evocative album title. What made you choose it?
Norman Blake: “I just liked the sound of those two words together, and also the song Endless Arcade, by Raymond, which talks about our journey through life. I think we’ve always shied away from pretentious album titles. Even when we started the band, we were looking for the dumbest or least pretentious name we could come up with up. Ironically, none of us were teenagers when we started Teenage Fanclub. I think I was 22.”
What themes came up for you on this album?
Denne historien er fra September 2021-utgaven av Guitarist.
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Denne historien er fra September 2021-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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QUICK CHANGE
As Gibson finally adds some Quick Connect pickups to its Pickup Shop line-up, Dave Burrluck revisits this simple no-solder method to mod your Modern guitar
Return Of The Rack
A revered rackmount digital delay makes a welcome comeback in pedal form.
Pure Filth
This all-analogue preamp pedal based on Blues Saraceno's amp is a flexible powerhouse with a variety of roles.
Reptile Royalty
From Queen to King - there's another Electro-Harmonix royal vying for the crown of octave distortion
Tradition Revisited
Line 6 refreshes its Helix-based modelling amp range by doubling the number of available amp voicings - and more
Ramble On
Furch's travel guitar folds down so you can transport it in its own custom backpack and, the company claims, it returns to pitch when you reassemble it. Innovation or gimmick?
Redrawing The 'Bird
A fascinating reimagining of one of Gibson's more out-there designs, the Gravitas sticks with vintage vibe and mojo. Oh, and that sound...
1965 Fender Jazz Bass
\"They made them later on, but it's not something I've ever seen this early.
Boss Cube Street II
Regular readers will know that the last time I took the Boss Cube Street II out, I was in rehearsal for a debut gig in London.
STILL CRAZY
One of the most creative yet reliably great-sounding effects makers out there, Crazy Tube Circuits grew out of a fetish for old valve amps. We meet founder Christos Ntaifotis to find out more
