An interview with the lead singer of Glasvegas, prior to their Ironworks, Inverness gig on the 5th of December 2012.
James Donoghue of Glasvegas is a busy boy. The band is in the studio just now rehearsing for an 8 date UK “Crying Onion” tour in December. I managed to snatch a few words about the tour, the new CD, why they love playing in Kirkwall and having a pint with superstar celebs.
First things first, I asked how they helped establish their “new” drummer (Jonna Lofgren) of two years given that James, Rob (Allan) and Paul (Douglas) have been friends since childhood, in fact James and Rob are cousins. James laughed and said she settled in really quickly and can now even speak Glaswegian – a far cry from her native Swedish.
The tour will help preview and promote material from their forthcoming CD, due to be released in the Spring of 2013. This will be the band’s third CD. After the frankly magnificent self-titled debut, the second offering, although warmly received in was not the world dominating CD that one might have expected, given the former’s exalted reviews.
On the CD, James admitted that it doesn’t yet have a name but confirmed that thankfully it will not be named after the tour! The CD is still Glasvegas, but “an evolved Glasvegas” rather than wholesale change for the sake of it – so expect more menacing, angst ridden anthemic soundscapes.
This is the second year in succession that Glasvegas have come north to test their material. James acknowledged that the band plays all over the world but that they still love the more intimate gigs “like you’re in someone’s living room” hence the previous year’s visits to Elgin, Kirkwall and more. The band deserves massive respect for keeping to their roots.
A straw poll on Facebook suggested I ask about Geraldine and whether she was a real person. James put the record straight by telling me that Geraldine was a friend of the band who gave up her job as a Social Worker to work for the band.
It’s not every young lad from Glasgow who can schmooze with celeb royalty. James is a pal of Lisa Marie Pressley. They met when she heard and liked one of their songs. After a swift introduction and a pint in Edinburgh, they became friends. Now “whenever I’m in LA I meet up with her”. She is just a “normal friendly person” says James.
Glasvegas are in the Inverness Ironworks on Wednesday 5 December with support from The Amazing Snakeheads and KOBI. You know it makes sense.
Tickets are available via www.IronworksVenue.com .
Incidentally, Glasvegas need a street team to hand out flyers, collect email addresses, etc. If that sounds like you and fancy some signed merchandise contact Ross on ross@glasvegas.net
