The day Sleepy Eyes Nelson and James Apollo made me leave the house twice in one day.
Firstly at Stereo to see Sleepy Eyes Nelson. If you’ve been to Hooverville before you know I’m a fan of Nelson’s simple, straight talking Clyde Delta Blues. Among Glasgow’s heavily oversubscribed and under qualified music scene Sleepy Eyes is a beacon for all rational, dignified and cool as fuck music fans like what I am. It was certainly going to be a test for him as he had to follow a very fresh faced band who among many, many other things were VERY LOUD. A lesser bluesman may have balked at this, but our hero took it all in his stride after sinking his 8th, or maybe 14th, beer. The few times I’ve been in stereo the sound has been terrific and Sleepy Eyes benefited from it tonight as his solitary guitar really filled the room. I won’t bullshit you, the crowd wasn’t huge. But they all enjoyed his set especially You Don’t Steal From Me and Dying Rodent Blues, and he sold quite a few Cd’s which I take to be a sign of his increasing popularity. Sleepy’s marchin’ on, baby.
So from Stereo to The Bay to see James Apollo. It’s nigh on five years since i first ran into James and I always make sure to catch him when he’s in town (‘cept that one time i was on holiday) He’s got a certain je ne sais quoi about him, has James. A rakish and likable young fella, he has been slowly gathering pace over the last few years with ace reviews in the press and invites to radio stations galore. What has James got that the others don’t? Style, baby. And vision. Anyone can do songs about heartbreak and loneliness but James Apollo wraps them in a dramatic, cinematic fur coat. His live show has always been entertaining and tonight was no exception. The sound was a little muddy but he held strong for the likes of Happiness and Call Off The Violins, and the closer of Bad Old Buzzard was excellent.
So two gigs in one night, and two different crowds. When I got home my wife asked if i enjoyed myself. I said Yes. Yes I did. Thanks Sleepy, James.
Out the window cars roll over, the undone streets so quickly…
I should hate James Apollo. He’s younger than me, is effortlessly debonair and my girlfriend has the hots for him. But damnit Mabel, this guy is just too good to allow my petty jealousy get in the way.
Born in Libertyville, Arkansas Apollo fled the coop at 16 and has been riding the range ever since. A 49er with no mine, Apollo writes of heartbreak, loss and desolation and couches his words in vaudeville velvet. He takes aesthetics seriously, does James and his records have a fine hand crafted feel to them, which is also transferred to his live show. I first saw him play at the Ryman auditorium of Europe: Darvel Town Hall. As he took to the stage I was aware that something different and unique was afoot. Not only did Apollo and his band look different, like a prom group dragged through a hedge backwards, but they sounded different. (So different I don’t have a cheap and dirty analogy) It was very dramatic, even cinematic with Apollo switching between a normal mic and a retro style one full of feedback. He dipped, bobbed, weaved and stamped his way through the then current album ‘Good Grief’ I snagged a copy of said album that night and have been hooked ever since.
Good Grief is a nightmarish tumble through the America of Steinbeck and Fante. Harking back to the Civil War with ‘The Alamo’ and ‘All the Pretty’ Apollo shows he aint your normal hack. The follow up ‘Hide Your Heart In a Hive’ built and expanded on this splintered vision, check out the video for my favourite track, ‘Bad Old Buzzard’, below. He has recently released an EP ‘Angels we have grown apart’ and will be back this way in early October
I’d like to say Glasgow has been kind to James Apollo, but other than providing some interesting road tales, Scotland’s premier city has been a lonely furrow for our hero. I detect a change in the air though, and hopefully Apollo will see a difference on his forthcoming tour.