BEST-SELLING novelist Ian Rankin is hoping his band’s first ever Glasgow gig isn’t a crime against music. Best Picture have been booked to support comedian Al Murray’s band on August 14 but have not had much chance to practise as Rankin said Murray had “nicked” their two guitarists.
The pair, Bluebells frontman Bobby Bluebell and journalist Euan McColm, are still in Best Picture but have been touring with Murray’s band Fat Cops.
“We’ve not had a practice this year so we will be going on stage having had one practice beforehand,” said Rankin. “It could be very shambolic or very exciting.”
He added that anyone coming to the gig at the Admiral Bar should be there sharp as Best Picture only has five songs, including their debut single Isabelle. It’s described as a “raucous, sweaty rock ‘n’ roll three minute wonder”.
“We will be on and off that stage before you have time to get to the bar,” said Rankin.
Formed by McColm and journalist Kenny Farquharson, Rankin was asked to join Best Picture a couple of years ago. Bluebell was already a member having become friends with McColm through Twitter discussions on Scottish independence, although they were on opposite sides. The band still needed a vocalist however.
“As I’m gallus I said I’d do it,” Rankin said.
It started off as a six-piece band but then became five after their keyboard player left to join Fat Cops.
The line-up is now Bluebell, who wrote the hit song Young At Heart and penned tunes for Scots charttoppers Texas, as well as McColm, Rankin, Stuart Ritchie on bass and Farquharson on drums.
While Glasgow is the band’s first ever pub gig they have played Kendall Calling festival and at the end of Rankin’s book launch last year in Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall.
Rankin said he was nervous about the Glasgow gig but pointed out that, on the bright side, “nobody has bottled us off” yet. “So far so good but we’ve still to play Glasgow,” he said.
Rankin had sung in public before joining the band, notably at his sister’s wedding in Cardenden when he was 12. His choice was The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel.
“When I got to the line, ‘Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue,’ my aunty spat her advocaat across the room,” said Rankin.
At university, he was in a band called the Dancing Pigs.
“We rehearsed in the YWCA in Cowdenbeath. We had four fans. Two were Hells Angels and two were underage girls.”
A few more than four should turn up on August 14.
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