BIOGRAPHY:
Glasgow based
band formed in 1989 by ex-Hearts
& Minds vocalist / guitarist / keyboard player (and Falkirk lad) Davy
Scott. He recruited Australian drummer Jim Gash from his former act, and then
added Brian McAlpine (keyboards) & Mil Stricevic (bass, ex-Big Sur). With
the help of the Princes Trust Scott was able to set up his own label, My Dark
Star, and release three EP's in the early 1990's. These singles were playlisted
all over Scotland, and led to sessions on Radio Clyde & BBC Radio 1, all
of which helped the band build up a strong following north of the border.The first half of 1992 was spent playing an astonishing range of gigs, including the "Drum Beat" benefit at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall, a hugely successful spot on the main stage of the first Scottish Fleadh, support slots at Edinburgh's Usher Hall and the Aberdeen Capitol with Capercaillie, a headline at the SECC during Mayfest, and an open-air gig at Leith Links in Edinburgh with Deacon Blue.
May 1992 saw the start of sessions for the group's debut album at their own studio and at Glasgow's CaVa, featuring guest contributions from Capercaillie's Karen Matheson and Donald Shaw, and Deacon Blue's Graeme Kelling and Jim Prime. The sessions, which continued throughout the year, were only interrupted by the filming of ITV's 'The Gig' at the Tunnel Club in Glasgow (broadcast twice nationally), and an acoustic tour in December 1992.
Almost a year after the session started the final mixing at Palladium Studios in Edinburgh was completed. The Pearlfishers approached Scottish record label Iona who immediately agreed to license the release of the album and the preceding single. "Saint Francis Songs" emerged as the first choice single, followed by the album, "Za Za's Garden" in August 1993. A second single from the album was released in April 1994, entitled "Living In A Foreign Country".
From there the band started working with Scotland-loving German label Marina, who signed The Pearlfishers and were responsible for the next album, "The Strange Underworld Of The Tall Poppies" in 1997. The album was licensed for mainland Europe by Sony, who memorably flew a posse of French and German journalists over to Glasgow to see the band play a gig at CaVa Studio. The line-up for this album was Scott, McAlpine & Wilf Taylor (drums), with help from Charlie McKerron (violin). By then Scott was working at East Kilbride Arts Centre, and co-produced (with Bill Wells) an album for Andy Shanks & Jim Russell.
Jim Gash re-joined the band for the next album, "The Young Picnickers" in 1999, along with Deepak Bahl (bass), Amy Geddes (violin), Derek Star (drums) & Gabriel Telerman (guitar). Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub guested on backing vocals. In 1999 Scott, Gash & McAlpine also helped Robin Laing on his "Imaginary Lines" album, whilst Scott produced an album for Tannas.
2000 saw Scott producing The Gentle Waves, as well as a Brian Wilson tribute album for Marina.
The next album, two years later had guest spots from Johnny Cameron, Lindsay Cooper, Alison Lucas, Mick Slaven, Colin Steele & Wendy Wetherby. 2001 also saw the release of "Tiny Waves Mighty Sea", an album by Future Pilot A.K.A. produced by and featuring Scott.
2002 saw The Pearlfishers play at Big In Falkirk in Callendar Park, along with Bob Geldof & Snow Patrol. That year also saw Scott work with Amy Allison, The Bill Wells Trio, Ricky Ross, Space Kelly & John Miller.
2003 saw the band release the ambitious "Sky Meadows" album, taking their music to the outskirts and the byways in October with a short tour ("The Tallpop Sinfonia Tour") of provincial theatres and arts centres throughout central Scotland. The core band was augmented by a string quartet and brass and woodwind trio, enabling the sounds and textures of the album to be faithfully rendered.
2004 saw Scott working with ex-Belle & Sebastian member Isobel Campbell, The BMX Bandits, Amy Rigby Ally Kerr & the legendary Kim Fowley.
In 2005 Davy Scott helped to record an album of piping songs for 71 year old David Hamilton, entitled "Tunes From The Glen", as well as working in the studio with Ricky Ross, Amy Allison & Tom Clelland. The band played at the "Way To Blue" Festival in Falkirk in October.
2006 began well, with Scott completing a solo mini-tour of Japan supporting The B.M.X. Bandits (of whom he was also a member by this time), and producing material by Ally Kerr, David Heavenorr & Richard Anderson & YeonGene. By the end of the year he had begun work on the next album, being co-produced by Norman Blake (of Teenage Fanclub).
The next album, "Up With The Larks" was released in September 2007, and featured Scott, Jim Gash, Deepak Bahl, Norman Blake, Stuart Kidd, Derek Star, Margaret, Michael & Shaun Daly and the Tallpop Sinfonia. The album would go on to be the Daily Record's "Scottish Album Of The Year". Scott completed a solo European tour with Norman Blake in October, and then began 2008 with a date at Celtic Connections.
Influenced most obviously by Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney and Jimmy Webb, there are also traces of The Byrds, Burt Bacharach and even the much maligned Gilbert O'Sullivan in The Pearlfishers mix.
RELEASES:
"Sacred" (CD / 12 inch EP, My Dark Star, 1991)
"Hurt" (CD / 12 inch ED, My Dark Star, 1991)
"Woodenwire" (cassette EP, My Dark Star, 1992)
"Saint Francis Songs" (CD EP, Iona Gold, 1993)
"Za's Za's Garden" (CD / cassette album, Iona Gold, 1993)
"Living In A Foreign Country" (CD EP, Iona Gold, 1994)
"The Strange Underworld Of The Tall Poppies" (CD album, Marina Records, 1997)
"Even On A Sunday Afternoon" (CD EP, Marina Records, 1997)
"Banana Sandwich" (CD EP, Marina Records, 1998)
"The Young Picnickers" (CD album, Marina Records, 1999)
"Across The Milky Way" (CD album, Marina Records, 2001)
"Sky Meadows" (CD / vinyl album, Marina Records, 2003)
"A Sunflower At Christmas" (CD album, Marina Records, 2004)
"Up With The Larks" (CD album, Marina Records, 2007)
"The Umbrellas Of Shibuya" (7 inch single, Marina Records, 2007)
GUEST APPEARANCES:
Andy Shanks & Jim Russell, "Diamonds In The Night" (CD / cassette album, Culburnie Records, 1997)
Bill Wells Vs Future Pilot AKA, "Bill Wells Vs Future Pilot AKA" (CD album, Domino, 1998, engineer)
Various Artists, "Songs For Marshmallow Lovers" (CD album, Marina, 1998)
Duglas T. Stewart, "Frankenstein" (CD album, Vinyl Japan Records, 1998)
Robin Laing, "Imaginary Lines" (CD album, Greentrax Records, 1999)
Tannas, "Suilean Dubh" (CD album, Lochshore Records, 1999)
Various Artists, "Caroline Now! - the songs of Brian Wilson" (CD album, Marina, 2000)
The Gentle Waves, "E.P." (CD EP, Jeepster Records, 2000, engineer)
John Herrald, "Roll On, John" (CD album, Spit And Polish, 2000, engineer /
co-producer)
Future Pilot A.K.A. "Tiny Waves, Mighty Sea" (CD album, Geographic Records, 2001)
The Bill Wells Trio, "Incorrect Practice" (album, Geographic, 2001, engineer /
co-producer)
Tom Clelland, "Little Stories" (album, Spit And Polish, 2001)
Various Artists, "You Don't Need Darkness..." (album, Geographic / Trattoria, 2001)
Amy Allison, "No Frills Friend" (album, Diesel Only, 2002)
The Bill Wells Trio, "Also In White" (album, Geographic, 2002, engineer and mix)
Space Kelly, "Space Kelly Fanclub" (album, Syft Japan, 2002)
Ricky Ross, "This Is The Life" (album, Papillon, 2002)
John Miller, "Those Old Country Songs" (album, Shoeshine, 2002)
Isobel Campbell, "Amorino"(album, Snow Storm Records, 2004)
Ally Kerr, "Calling Out To You" (album, Neon Tetra, 2004)
The BMX Bandits, "Down At The Hop"(album, Spit And Polish, 2004, engineer / musician, 2004)
Kim Fowley, "Fantasy World" (album, Spit And Polish, 2004, engineer)
Maher Shalal Hash Baz, "Blues Du Jour" (album, Geographic Records, 2004, engineer)
Amy Rigby, "Till The Wheels Fall Off" (album, Signature Sounds, 2004)
Amy Allison, Everything And Nothing Too" (album, Spit & Polish Records, 2005)
David Hamilton, "Tunes From The Glen" (album, 2005, featuring Davy Scott on guitar & piano)
Tom Clelland, "Life Goes On" (album, Whistleberry Records, 2005)
Ricky Ross, "Pale Rider" (album, P3, 2005, producer / musician)
YeonGene, "Me & My Burt" (CD album, Beatball Records, 2006, producer)
The B.M.X. Bandits, "Bee Stings" (CD album, Poppydisc, 2007, musician)
The B.M.X. Bandits, "Take Me To Heaven" (Internet single, 2007, musician)
WEBSITES:
http://www.pearlfishers.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/thepearlfishers