Peter Capaldi: I've come back to music again after 40 years
You would think the star of Doctor Who and The Devil's Hour would be used to time looping back upon itself.But as Peter Capaldi prepares to launch his first album with indie label Last Night From Glasgow, it's hard not to hear the echoes of the music he played in the city in the late 70s and early 80s.As a student at Glasgow School of Art, he fronted punk band The Dreamboys in a line-up which included another actor on drums, Craig Ferguson."Like a lot of kids in the 70s, I was in a band," he says.
"As long as you were committed to the idea, it was quite easy to do. You borrowed instruments, you borrowed an amp, recorded yourself live and took a cassette round local pubs to persuade them to listen, and give you a gig."Glasgow was a great city to be in, full of places to play and there were so many great bands around. I remember seeing Simple Minds but we were never that successful and we all went our separate ways."
Music was always a passion but it was acting which took precedence as Capaldi moved to London and appeared in a string of films including Local Hero, The Lair of the White Worm, Dangerous Liaisons, and television shows such as The Thick of It and Dr Who, where he famously launched into a guitar solo in his first episode as the Time Lord."I was never a great player, I didn't spend all that time writing and I wasn't the guy who brought a guitar to a party and got everyone to sing songs but I was always keen on it," he says.But that changed a few years ago when he met Robert Howard - aka Dr Robert of the 80s band The Blow Monkeys."He's fantastic, he IS the guy at the party with the guitar," he says."He has a beautiful voice and he can play anything and he encouraged me to play, and then to start writing stuff, just to see where that would go."The result was Capaldi's first album St Christopher, released in 2021, and that set in motion a return to Glasgow for the latest release, Sweet Illusions.
Dr Robert had signed to a small Glasgow indie label which was set up by Ian Smith in 2016.Last Night From Glasgow takes its name from a line in ABBA's song Super Trouper – "I was sick and tired of everything, when I called you last night from Glasgow."Ian, despite not working in the industry before then, was similarly fed-up with the way musicians were treated."The music industry doesn't care about musicians, it's all about making a profit. We wanted to change that," he says.He enlisted 60 friends to give £50 each to establish a not-for-profit business. Their focus was primarily unsigned artists who were paid fairly and retained their intellectual rights.They've since added a strand called Past Night From Glasgow, which reissues older albums. Their first was Glasgow band The Bluebells' 1984 debut album Sisters.They now have around 100 artists signed to the label, with a turnover of half a million pounds a year."We're not commercial, we don't pursue profit and any money we do make is put back into grassroots talent," Ian says.
Peter Capaldi may not be a grass-roots performer but his music has intrigued customers in LNFG's headquarters and shop in the Hidden Lane quarter in the Finnieston area of Glasgow."We've been playing it in the shop most days," Capaldi says. "People seem to recognise the voice, but they can't place the singer. I say, if you can guess, you can have a free copy. Someone guessed Bob Dylan, but no-one has got it right so far."Capaldi is happy for his music to be enjoyed, without fuss.The album cover for Sweet Illusions - from which Bin Night will be the first single - features Peter at a bus stop in London, thinking about home."I've come back to music again after 40 years, so it seems apt that's in Glasgow.""I'm not doing this to become a pop star. I'm not hoping to change my career. It's just something that I really enjoy. I take it seriously in the sense that I work at it and try and develop it as a craft but I don't expect to be at the Emmys, or to be in the charts."He may not have any say in that. Sweet Illusions is due for release on 28 March and with the first run of 1,200 albums already earmarked, it's likely to score highly in both the UK vinyl and Scottish charts. The Tranent pressing plant is on standby for another order.
Capaldi says he's already working on another album, carving time in his acting career to write songs."When I was making the film The Suicide Squad in Atlanta I was there for three-and-a-half months so with all that down time, I just wrote songs," he says. "And they were all terrible but it gave me a start and while I was there, I was able to go to Nashville and that was brilliant. It was like coming home."I think I just picked up where I left off 40 years ago. I often have visions of these characters in this rain-drenched, neon-lit city where there are proto Goths hanging on street corners looking for something to do. It's clearly inspired by the Glasgow I knew 40 years ago."And while he's a reluctant pop star, he is enjoying performing live again."We did a gig about a month ago because I hadn't done a gig for 40 years. I just wanted to see what that was like, if I could still do it, if I could even do it."Stand in front of a band, play in time, stay in tune. But it seemed to work, we enjoyed it."We were asked to play at the Belladrum Festival at the end of July, and I hope we can do a few other gigs too."He adds: "I know I confound people in the music business."I've been approached by a few record companies once they know someone off the telly is making music, but there are obligations attached to that which I don't want to have."I want to do what I want to do, and I want to be true to whatever my music is and that's about keeping it in a certain controllable scale."I don't want to be a pop star. If people like the record, I'm thrilled and that's a reward because it's something I never expected to happen to be making music."Sweet Illusions is due for release on 28 March
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The Herald Scotland
14 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
The new book capturing Glasgow's 21st century transformation
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Ms Menon, who teaches at the Mackintosh School of Architecture at Glasgow School of Art, had previously published Fragments of Glasgow, a book exploring the city's architectural heritage, which focused mainly on Victorian-era buildings. She told The Herald: 'I wanted to follow that up with another book capturing a more holistic view of Glasgow as a 21st century city as it has changed dramatically over the last 25 years. "There has been a lot of investment in the re-use of historic buildings and a lot of new-build developments, particularly over the last decade. The new photography book Glasgow From Above explores the modern-day transformation of Glasgow. (Image: Alistair Leith) 'I thought the best way to capture that would be with aerial photography. I follow quite a few drone photographers on Instagram, which is where I came across Alistair. 'I could see from the images that he was posting that he was involved in the construction industry. "I initially thought that I would buy some of his photographs, but then realised it would work quite well as a creative collaboration because he could provide quite a lot of insight into the new-build market in Glasgow.' The new Sighthill Bridge over the M8 motorway is featured in the book Glasgow From Above. (Image: Alistair Leith) Mr Leith, a licensed drone operator in Glasgow, said: "The city has changed massively over the last 25 years. "I've been very lucky to have been involved with quite a few big projects, like Buchanan Wharf, Candleriggs and Central Quay. I feel a very personal connection to the buildings I've been involved with myself.' 'I absolutely love working in the construction industry. I know about most of the new buildings that have gone up in Glasgow, who built them and the architects who worked on them." The book traces the origins of the city's 21st century transformation back to the early 1980s, when the city was still suffering from the decline of traditional industries like shipbuilding and engineering, but decided to mount a 'Glasgow's Miles Better' marketing campaign which gained worldwide recognition. Key moments in the run-up to the millennium highlighted include the staging of the Glasgow Garden Festival on the south bank of the River Clyde in 1988, Glasgow's year-long spell in the limelight in 1990 as the UK's first European Capital of Culture, and its designation as the UK's City of Architecture and Design in 1999. Alistair Leith and Rosalie Menon worked together on the book. (Image: Supplied) The book credits the city's Scotland With Style campaign, which was unveiled in 2004, and its successor, People Make Glasgow, launched nine years later, with helping to change Glasgow's image since the turn of the century. 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With that came a notable rise in social and cultural diversity, reinforcing Glasgow's identity as a modern, inclusive city. 'Many of the city's disused industrial buildings found new life as galleries, studios and performance spaces, symbolising the broader cultural regeneration taking place.' The changes in the Candleriggs area are explored. (Image: Alistair Leith) Glasgow From Above examines the impact of new developments in the Gorbals, Sighthill, Maryhill, Laurieston and Govan, the transformation of the Merchant City, Charing Cross, Candleriggs, the Broomielaw and Finnieston, and debates over the future of Sauchiehall Street and the Buchanan Galleries shopping centre. Also featured are the conversion of religious buildings into cultural venues like Cottiers and Oran Mor, new bridges connecting Finnieston with Govan, Partick with Govan, and Sighthill with the centre, and new office developments for the likes of Barclays, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley. The book explores the key role played by the city's universities and colleges in shaping 21st century Glasgow, including the evolution of a 'knowledge quarter' near Glasgow Cathedral and George Square. The Hydro and the Armadillo are among the venues featured. (Image: Alistair Leith) Ms Menon writes: 'New biomedical and technological research centres, alongside a growing ecosystem of university spin-outs – particularly from Strathclyde and Glasgow universities – have helped establish Glasgow as a leading player in the knowledge economy. 'The expansion of the higher education sector has brought profound changes to Glasgow's social dynamics, most notably through the influx of a large international student population. To accommodate this growth, institutions invested heavily in new research centres, teaching facilities and infrastructure – contributions that not only supported academic excellence but also injected substantial capital into the local economy. 'Accompanying this academic expansion was a rapid surge in demand for student accommodation. The city's skyline has been increasingly defined by high-density, purpose-built student housing developments, which have become a hallmark of 21st century Glasgow.' Glasgow's transformation is celebrated in the new book. (Image: Alistair Leith) The book, which features images of vast construction sites, describes Glasgow as 'a city in flux' and constantly evolving 'heal the scars of its post-industrial past.' Ms Menon said: 'We talk in the book about Glasgow being a 'work in progress and the phrase that got banded about for many years, that Glasgow would be 'great when it is finished.' That is still applicable to elements of the city. 'There is a lot of criticism of Glasgow at the moment, especially around Sauchiehall Street. 'It marketed itself for a long time as a retail destination, but the retail sector was really significantly hit by Covid and the industry going online. 'That has coincided with the Avenues programme in the city centre, which has gone at quite a slow pace and has meant that some people just see disruption. 'One of the aims of the book is to show Glasgow in a new light. 'It doesn't try to be a glossy marketing thing. But I think it really lifts Glasgow, not just in terms of the city centre, but in the way it acknowledges the investment that has gone into residential neighbourhoods like Dalmarnock, Sighthill, Laurieston and the Gorbals. 'One of the key elements of the book is how it looks at the new routes and connections that have recently been created in the city. The drone photography can really identify where these have been made, and how communities and regenerated area are now connected to the city centre.' Read more: Glasgow From Above is optimistic about the impact of a new 'tall building' policy which could see skyscrapers emerge from areas like Charing Cross, Anderston Quay, the Trongate and Cowcaddens. Ms Menon said: 'From an economic point of view, tall buildings have to happen to make a lot of sites work. I would rather see that happening than sites lying empty or derelict for long periods of time. 'It is probably better that they are clustered in particular areas of the city, rather than take an interspersed approach which might potentially block existing vistas or be to the detriment of the skyline. I would generally see them as a positive thing. Mr Leith said: 'Glasgow needs to change. The very worst thing would be to have big, empty gap sites in the city for the next 20 years. It would be an absolute tragedy. 'It wouldn't do Glasgow any good and it wouldn't do the people of Glasgow any good.' It is hoped that the book will persuade Glaswegians to venture into parts of the city they have never previously visited. Ms Menon added: 'I think we tend to live and work in our own little bubbles, and commute using the same routes. 'People may have preconceptions about places, but when they visit they will see that there are hidden gems there.'
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Bromyard sci-fi museum to auction Doctor Who and Red Dwarf props
A museum holding a "lifetime collection" of Doctor Who memorabilia, along with Star Wars and Red Dwarf props, is putting its entire collection up for Time Machine Museum of Science Fiction holds props and costumes from both the early and revived series of the BBC auctioneers, Heritage Auctions, described it as "one of the most comprehensive Doctor Who archives ever assembled".Items from the museum, in Bromyard, Herefordshire, were also used in other classic sci-fi films and programmes, including from Star Trek: Voyager, will also be going under the hammer next month. The museum opened its doors in 2007 and closed in March when the owner, Andy Glazzard, decided to retire."We are naturally sorry to part with such a wonderful collection after so many years curating the items in our museum," he said. "But time goes on."About 85% of the 75 pieces in the museum are related to Doctor Who, which was first shown on BBC television more than 60 years them are a Tardis used by Third Doctor Jon Pertwee in a fan-made serial thought to be one of his final filmed has a starting estimate of £3,500.A reproduction of the Doctor's robotic dog, K9, dating from 2005, is listed at £1,500.A full-length cape worn by the Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, is expected to fetch at least £740, as is a costume worn by companion Rose Tyler, played by Billie up for sale are an original model miniature of Starbug 1, the craft used by the crew of Red Dwarf in the series of the same name, and a costume worn by the robotic humanoid Kryten. "This is a landmark auction for all Doctor Who, Star Trek and Red Dwarf fans (amongst others) and all those passionate about science fiction," said Alastair McCrea from Heritage Auctions."The breadth of the collection and the care taken to preserve it, makes it unprecedented and we anticipate huge interest from around the globe for these pieces.""We wish the successful bidders of our items all the best for the future, hoping that they will enjoy their purchases as much as we have," added Mr sale is due to take place from 16-18 July. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Pretty UK beach compared to Portugal and California named one of the best in the world
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