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A+ for School of Seven Bells

Holy crud...you twos are so dang cute!

[24th February 2009, The Captain’s Rest, Glasgow]

Shrove Tuesday; a day of flavoursome frivolity and, for us, psychedelic and futuristic musical wonderment.
The night began, after carefully selecting superior, sartorial splendour, with an encounter with a coquettish young gentleman who had just escaped from the sleeve of The Beatles’ seminal 1967 work, ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.’ It was however, a close shave. Alison misread the tickets and we arrived at the bash a full hour tardy.
But never fear! An attractive taxi driver got us to the venue in time to catch the second half of fellow New Yorkers Apache Beat. A lot of rage. The keyboardist appeared to be gently massaging stress balls (later identified as spherical maracas.)
Whilst waiting and re-hydrating at the bar before Kyte came on, we spied the ‘belles’ worryingly avoiding each other’s glances whilst flogging tote bags and copies of their new (and quite excellent) album ‘Alpinisms.’ We tried to work up the courage to interview them, but even after an invigorating two vodka and cranberries, failed.
Next up were the ambient, Leicestershire melodies of Kyte; whose cover of Peter Gabriel’s Salisbury Hill… was pretty shocking. To add insult to injury, the bassist was wearing a cap. We retreated upstairs for yet another vodka cranberry.
SHOWTIME!! Normally we have a collective aversion to twins of the identical nature, but Alejandra and Claudia Deheza’s crazed eyes drew us in to their performance (with the help of a cracking fringe from Alejandra.) In our opinion, the ethereal, lucid fusion of harmonious voices and plinky-plonky sounds was an ocular and auricular feast.

If you want to see School of Seven Bells, check ‘em out at the QM supporting the equally splendid Bat for Lashes on 8th April.

...

Alex, an interview by Alison.

Alex is an eighteen year old student at Glasgow university studying French, Comparative literature and the magical History of art.

So Alex, what epitomises true beauty? Hmmmm….
What is your favourite book or fairytale? I always used to like the princess and the pea. Oh! And Vogue.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I would like to be a fashion journalista. Preferably for Paris Vogue.
What is your favourite flower? Flower? Peonies. I also like a tulip. And I have hyacinths in my room…but they are looking a bit bald.
What or who do you admire most of all? Audrey Hepburn. Because she looks like a pixie and has really big eyebrows like me. Oh! And Unicef.
How would you describe yourself? I draw a cracking pig.
Not really describing yourself though is it eh Alex? Well my fortune telling birthday book tells me that my ‘ideas are impractical and fantastic and I put sincerity and my best efforts into any undertaking’. Physically I am tall and lanky and rather clumsy. I have feet like monkeys hands. A kooky square.
Right… Oh, apparently I run like a dinosaur as well.
OK! How would you describe me Alex? Hmm. I think you are pretty kooky too with a cracking red scarf. The birthday book says ‘you are punctual and when you start things you like to see them move rapidly to completion. You are somewhat impatient, impulsive and argumentative. You have many true and steadfast friends’?
Yup. Me in a nutshell. Ok, What is your best or scariest Halloween costume? I’d say it would have to be circa Halloween 2008. Cruella De Vil.
It WAS fairly scary. My favourite text EVER was one from you that night around 8 pm saying ‘Cruella’s pissed already’. What would be on your mixtape?
-You’ve got that look- Marlene Dietrich. Because I feel it is ‘our song.’
-Girl from the North Country - Bob Dylan. For reasons I cannot disclose.
-Violin- Kate Bush. Because I do a cracking cover.
-The Fray- Joanna Newsom. Because I love a creepy voice.
- Leggy Blonde – Flight of the Concords. Because it’s always in my head.
-Comic Strip – Serge Gainsbourg. Any song with the lyrics Shabang, Plop, Pop and Wizz is a friend of mine.
-Bonjour Paris- As sung by Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire in the seminal musical Funny face.
Who is your favourite Harry Potter Character? Albus Dumbledore as portrayed by Sir Michael Gambon. Dumbledore is my personal saviour. I also like Trelawny’s glasses.
Thank you for your time Alex. Merci Beaucoup.

Alison, an interview by Alex.

Alison is similarly an eighteen year old student at Glasgow university studying English Literature, History and the miraculous History of art.

Good day to you, Alison. And to youuu.
OK, how would you describe your style? OOOH. At the moment, it is the style of a young lad. Possibly from the 1940’s.
I always like dressing up as a boy. What’s your favourite colour? Oooh. HAHHAHA. I would say, well, off the body probably purple but I like to wear maroon or bottle green which are actually the colours of my old school uniform but they are still relevant to today’s hectic life style.
I’d agree, there’s nothing more radiant than a good bit of bottle green. What is on the walls of your bedroom? At my home bedroom there are various historical postcards and a picture of Antony Costa for sentimental reasons. I once handed Antony Costa flyers out at school for kicks.
OK, riiight. I had a never-ending love affair with popular boy band Blue for much of my youth. What is your favourite book? It’s this little book by JRR Tolkein called Smith of Wootton Major. It is enchanting and so are the illustrations.
Sounds like a rollicking read. What makes you sad? Unfiltered water? Yes, that. And also cruelty.
Deep stuff – thank you. Where would you like to live eventually? Probably Venice, wearing a mask all year round.
I tried on a mask yesterday. Where? In Sean’s house. What was it like? Red and creepy. I looked like a minotaur. Excellent.
Who or what is your greatest love? That’s a difficult one. Can I come back to it?
Sure thang. What would be on your mixtape? That’s another difficult one. I’m not coming back to it. I didn’t expect you to.
-‘Our House’-Madness.
Really?
Nah Just jesting! Our House by Crosby Stills and Nash and possibly Young. I think it’s the nicest song.
Oh man this is too difficult. Deal with it.
-This must be the place- Talking Heads. I like to think of this song when I can’t sleep. That song used to be Sweet Dreams my LA Ex by Rachel Stevens, but it doesn’t soothe me any more.
-Venus- Television, because oh how I WISH I could play the guitar
-Modern Love- David Bowie, because I’ve had some fine times to this one.
-Night of Fear- The Move….
-Complainte Pour Ste Catherine- Kate and Anna McGarrigle- To make up for the delightfully pompous and overblown predeceasing track.
-Alison- Elvis Costello- obviously.
How would you describe yourself? A farce. A lovable farce.…I don’t think I can expand.
WONDEROUS. What’s your scariest Halloween costume? I have had so many good costumes but not all have appeared on Halloween. The best to fall on that particular night – the 31st October – would have been in 2006… a conjoined twin.
WOW, that sounds beautiful.
It was a ‘joint’ effort.
Cracking pun.
And finally, Alison, what epitomises true beauty?
NOOOO.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Don’t judge me Alex, but I really want to be the flute player in a Jethro Tull Tribute band.
I’d have no complaints about that…
Oh by the way, my greatest love is… to be loved.
OOOH SAUCY.

Some dancing peasants to brighten the place up...

Good evening Alex.