Local Musician Has Doves For Breakfast

Don't worry bird lovers out there, I havn't done an Ozzy Osbourne and bitten the heads of our fine two feathered friends. Doves are a great bunch of guys and musicians who fell into my house just before their T In The Park performance last Sunday and ate me out of house and home. Next week 'A Flock of Seagulls' are popping over for a shot in my jaccuzzi. Let's Rock

Rockers, You Rock

Good evening and welcome to 'Britains Got Toilets' Try not to slip on that piss on the floor. Rockers is a venue slap bang in the middle of Scotlands musical capital. Think CBGB's then think lower. I nearly never made it onstage as my feet were stuck to the 'dressing room' carpet, and guess what? We loved it. What, a great venue. Thanks to one and all for making the effort to come and support Jamie and myself in Glasgow. Especially Big Kenny from Blairgowrie. Kenny you are the guy that put me of jam for life. I did a bit of berry picking when I was young and the sight of a grown woman relieving herself into a bucket of berries just to make it heavier quite frankly gives me the boak. We both had a great evening and are looking forward to playing there next month with Dave and Miles.

Waking The Witch

‘Boys from the Abattoir’, the new CD from Waking the Witch will be released on Feb 1st 2007. This album, produced by Dave Creffield, (who also produced Embrace’s platinum selling album , "The Good Will Out"), brings a grittier, more urban Waking the Witch than has been heard before – still featuring the four girls trademark voices and acoustic guitars, but this time backed up throughout by a powerful rhythm section It will be available through HMV, Amazon and Play.com.

New Guitar Endorsement

Hi all here is a pic of me and my new acoustic guitar from Freshman. Big thanks to Sean and Duck from Guitar Guitar for sorting the deal out for me. She sounds fantastic and I have christened her Beryl. Whether gently fingered or given a damn good plucking she sounds the business. Blondes definately have more fun.
FA300JEMS, Cedar Creek, Electro Jumbo
The Top made from Canadian Sitka select Spruce. The Back and sides Quilted Canadian Maple. Fingerboard and Bridge Made of Rosewood.
The Electronics Schertler Onboard, Transducer Based pickup
Finish, Natural

Krozka Sharpe Pic's

By popular demand, here are some close up pics of my new Krozka Sharpe guitar. The only modification will be to move the volume pot, down and back, so that I can have better access to use the tremelo. Also new scratch plate with P90 pickup fitted, all hopefully done in the next few weeks. You will hear this guitar on future recordings with FOURGOODMEN.

The Evening I Got My Head Stuck Down Cleo's Cleavage

Another drunken evening at the London Rock Cafe. One minute I was chatting with Sandra Bernhardt about 'The King Of Comedy', the next I had my head down Cleo's lovely jubblies and all hell broke loose. It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.

New Guitar Debut

Here is the new guitar making it's debut with 4GM. As you can see by my face I have either hit the almightiest bum note or spotted the largest pair of breasts in the world on show at Glasgow Green.

Atum - Re Custom

Here is the finished guitar that Dave and Joe have built for me. The Krozka Sharpe made it's debut at the Four Good Men Gig on the green in Glasgow on Sunday. This is the first time I have used a guitar with a Bigsby trem so I am looking forward to having some fun with it.

A Day At The Seaside

The full band in action at the amphitheatre South Shields, Sat 10th June 06

Bruce playing the guitar as if it wasn't stolen
Mick tickling his ivorys


Ian dreams to sleep


Jane takes centrestage

Something has tickled Derek


Carrie steals the show.

God why is Smiley so miserable

George Shites His Pants

Left to right, Piper, Eric, Fish and George. It has been my great privilege over the past twenty odd years to be involved in many projects with my good pal 'Fish'. I first met the big man way back in eighty-five where we both attended 'Live Aid'. At the time he was still singing with 'Marrillion' who were doing great business in Europe. He was talking about moving back up to the Edinburgh area and as I was still living in Dunfermline we spoke about getting together to do some recording or gigs together. Years later I got a call from him asking if I would like to take part in a benefit gig for the people of Lockerbie. I told him I was more than happy to participate and I ended up playing in the same band as Hal Lindes from 'Dire Straits', Janick Gers from 'Iron Maiden' and John Keeble from 'Spandau Ballet'. We played a blistering set at Lockerbie Rex Cinema and Bingo Hall, made some great new pals and managed to raise a little money for what was one of the twentieth century's worst air disasters. One of the most memorable times I spent with him was when we recorded an unofficial Scotland world cup song and appeared on the late night Channel 4 programme, 'Under the moon'. The song 'Scotland by our side' was written by ex con Eric Rowan. I never actually met the other musicians at the recording as my guitar and mandolin were the last instruments to be over dubbed so it was great to actually meet up with the guys at Waverley station. The first guy Eric introduced to me was Big George. Big George is a legendary figure in Glasgow. Weighing in at around Six stone, approximately six and a half-foot in height, cowboy hat and dressed from head to foot in Black rock god garb, He looked like a really thin version of Johnny Winter. I was unlucky enough to share a table with George for the entirety of the train journey. Most of the other guys produced the usual tins of beer but George was a different style of drinker altogether. He pulled a bottle of Gordons gin from a co-op bag and started slugging it down like it was 'Irn Bru'. Eric's partner Abigail had hired in a suitcase full of tartan gear and traditional Scottish dress, as we would be appearing on stage with a couple of guys from the Wallace Clan Trust. These guys were heavy-duty Scots men who wore traditional Scottish clothes all the time. They had been involved in the making of 'Braveheart', 'Rob Roy' and a host of other Scottish movies that were becoming popular at the time. I can honestly say that I have never seen so much drink going down peoples necks, and I have been in rock 'n' roll for twenty years. George who was now on his second bottle kept accidentally flicking his fag ash into my tin of beer. I would open another one and again he would flick his ash into it, apologising every time. I was relieved when he lapsed into a coma as we passed through Doncaster. Our accommodation for the evening was to be spent at the old rock 'n' roll favourite, 'The Columbia'. We checked into the hotel and sorted out a rooming list. I was in with Fish, Eric was in with Abigail and there was a toss up between the other five members to see who would be sharing with George. As Fish and myself started to unpack there came an almighty mighty scream from next door. I went out to investigate and Eric rushed past me wearing only a towel, he then proceeded to throw up into our toilet. Abigail was still screaming as she ran out into the corridor.
'Bruce don't go in there 'she shouted.
I cautiously entered the room and then the smell hit me. It was one of the most repulsive smells I have ever came across and there standing in the middle of the floor was Big George, bollock naked and covered in shit from the waist down. Two minutes earlier Abigail had asked George to come into the room for a clothes fitting as Eric was having a shower. George, still under the effect of the alcohol started to strip of in front of Abigail and as he cocked his leg to get his trousers of, his bowels exploded and pebble dashed the entire suit case full of clothes. I kid you not there was shit every where, on the carpet, down the walls and on the bed.
'You filthy fuckin' bastard' screamed Abigail
George sheepishly apologised and proceeded to wipe himself clean with Abigail's bathrobe. By now everyone on the whole floor were coming out of their rooms to investigate.
'What's that fucking smell?' being the most commonly asked question.
George got himself cleaned up but came downstairs wearing the same shitty trousers as he hadn't brought a change of clothing with him. He was rancid and completely stunk out one of the limo's that Channel 4 had sent round to take us to the studio. As we entered the make up room, the make up lady nearly fainted as George walked passed her.
'Are you all right Sir?' she enquired.
'Apart from the fact that I've just shat myself I feel sound as a pound hen' he replied.
George disappeared of to the green room and came back with a crate of Becks that he had liberated from the fridge. He then stripped to the waste and asked the make up lady to paint a big blue 'Zorro' scar across his chest. She was so scared of him that she did. The wardrobe lady then entered the room to see if any body needed any ironing done. George stripped of his shitty trousers and told her not to put a middle crease in them.
All I can say is thank god we were miming that night .I was so pissed I couldn't even speak in tune, never mind sing.

Escape From Colditz

'It's not just a job, it's an adventure'. So the brochure says. Travelling on the Rolling Stones 'Voodoo lounge' tour we found our selves 'bored out of our skulls and out of welding rods' between Leipzig and Berlin. High on yonder hill there stood a castle that looked a bit familiar. As usual, being the global nosy bastards that we are, we decided to investigate. It turns out that 'yonder castle' is none other than 'Colditz' castle, world famous for being the castle that is known as Colditz, slap bang in the middle of a small town, known locally as Colditz. We made our way into the 'bad boys camp' and found ourselves in the imposing courtyard. What a fucking grim place to be incarcerated in I thought. It was a glorious sunny day on the outside of the Castle walls but inside, the high walls ensured that no light got in. A scruffy looking chap approached us and in his best English told us that we could wander free around the court yard but to be reasonably quiet as the former POW camp was now in use as a mental hospital. 'Home at last I thought' this would be the perfect place to spend an afternoon that would usually entail sitting on a tour bus with the same people that one has spent the last fifteen years sitting on a tour bus with. I decided to leave the group to get a smoke then some shut-eye. I wandered of into this room which I found out later was where they kept the Dutch prisoners. I don't know if it was the effect of the 'welding rods' or maybe I was just too tired but I was awakened an hour later by our scruffy friend. Seemingly I had wandered into another part of the castle and got my self locked in a wine cellar. The only way out was through one of the ill-fated tunnels that were partially concrete'd up. I was told that luckily I was still in the non-hospital side of the castle because if I was caught in the working part they would have kept me in thinking I was a patient trying to go 'walkies'.

Brzezicki Out Redgrave In

Big Country’s latest tour of the Balkans was thrown into chaos when drummer and flamboyant bachelor Mark Brzezicki pulled out due to a groin injury. Ginger Baker, Phil Collins and Steve Gadd were all in the frame for the gig but were pipped to the post by Vanessa Redgrave. On her return from the tour, a tired and emotional Redgrave stated that the boys were fuckin’ great.

Country Boys In Knighthood Shocker

Ladies and Gentlemen, An act of unspeakable vulgarity, The worlds tallest drummer bows down to the worlds smallest Queen. After a fleeting visit to the opening of the new Coronation Street set, our local heroes stepped into the Rover's for a pint of Newton and Ridley's finest. Little did they realize that outside was a very special guest cutting the ribbon. The inebriated pair spotted Her Maj' and decided to get in on the act. Tour stories were retold by both parties but the gag about getting 'stuck into Betty's hotpot' was definitely most frowned upon.
We are not amused!

Country Boys 'Stoned' In Grudge Game

Well into their late 30’s but still able to play a significant role at the top level of snooker, Big Country made what they described as the best comeback of their career at the 1995 Gallaher 'Park Drive' World Championship.
After a nail-biting 10-9 defeat of Keith 'Ricochet' Richards in the first round at the Voodoo Lounge, Watson recovered an 8-2 deficit against Charles 'Charlie' Watts to win 13-10 and reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1990.
The match was thrown in to chaos when a urine sample for a random drug test accidentally got mistaken for apple juice.

The Boy In The Bat Suit

The surgeon removed the festering gauze bandage from my swollen face. Memories from the horrific incident with those genetically modified guppies came flooding back. ‘Mr Watson’ he said. I could here his words circling around my head. I was in a dream like state and was convinced I was holding my entire bodyweight whilst hanging upside down. ‘Mr Watson’ he said again, my name becoming clearer as the anaesthetic wore off. ‘You may feel a little discomfort for a while, but the sensation will wear off and we will have you up and about in no time’. The fat nurse ushered me to the bathroom for toilet training and that is where I saw the extent of my horrific facial injuries for the first time. Christ! I made the singing detective look like fucking Narcissus. My mother wept, screaming ‘ My Boy, My beautiful son, what have they done to him’. From that day on I wasn’t allowed out in public with out the costume. The kids in the street knew me simply as ‘The Boy in the Bat suit’

The Horror....

Dunfermline Carnegie Hall 21/10/78

Here is an early picture of myself playing with The Delinquents. The gig was Carnegie Hall Annexe in Dunfermline (now a dance school) where we were supporting The Simple Minds. The Minds were unsigned at the time and from memory they had 2 guitar players on stage. In fact Derek Forbes remembers the gig well saying that they got signed to Zoom records straight after the concert and that the other guitarist was called Duncan Barnwell.The picture was taken by Mike (SKIDS) Baillie's wife Jill.

The Day I Evacuated Liverpool Airport

Here is an email to my manager Ian Grant.

Hi Ian. You are never going to believe this, but today I inadvertently evacuated John Lennon airport in Liverpool. I arrived at Edinburgh airport to discover that my briefcase that holds my guitar effects pedals was missing. I was on my way to report this to service air when I heard the message ‘ Would Bruce Watson please contact Service air desk immediately’. I was a bit shaken by this so anyway I went to the desk where the nice lady behind the counter handed me a mobile phone. The voice on the other end said that he was A DCI with the airport police and that they had found my case and wanted to know urgently what was in it. The case was locked and they couldn’t open the combination lock. I said jokingly to him” you haven’t blown it up have you’ to which he replied ‘not yet but we are just about to’. I told him that the case contained guitar effects pedals a power supply and a battery operated guitar tuner which were all linked together with cables. I then gave him the combination code. He said to wait 5 minutes and then he would get back to me. True to his word he got back in touch and told me that the case and its contents were safe. The security people had noticed that my case was going round on the carousel long after everybody else’s had been picked up. They tried to open it but couldn’t so they had a customs guy put it through the X ray machine. The DCI’s exact words to me were that the guy who put the case through the X ray took one look at it and shit himself. They immediately evacuated the whole airport thinking it was a bomb in a case. All this trouble was caused because a baggage handler in Amsterdam put my case on the Liverpool flight instead of the Edinburgh one. Now they are sending my case back to Amsterdam tonight then flying it over to Edinburgh tomorrow.Apart from that I had a great weekend.

Cheers

Bruce

Two Good Men and One Hot Chick

4GM go into demo mode this week. We have around ten brand new songs to get through. Ian is working on the lyrics for the first 3 songs and we shall be preparing drum loops and pulses for Smiley to play drums along with. These will be done at Derek’s home studio. The real drums will be recorded at Ivory Blacks night-club in Glasgow and the overdubs done at Mick’s and in a local recording studio. We hope to have the tracks mastered by the third week in March and the results will be sent to various radio stations in the UK and USA. So far we have 3 USA stations interested. We will probably have edited versions of these songs as downloads on our myspace sites
The group had hoped to be playing some dates in Israel but these have been postponed by the promoters who cannot guarantee our safety at this time. The South Shields date has been confirmed for the 24th of June and there are half a dozen other shows in Scotland being pencilled in over the next few months. We should have our electronic press kit finalised by the end of this week and everybody has been working hard behind the scenes on this. On a different note I went to see Nazareth last night at the Exchange in Edinburgh. They are still the best rock ‘n roll band in the world in my opinion. They had to rush offstage and drive up to the north of Scotland to catch the ferry to the Orkneys where they are playing tonight. Where do they get their stamina?

Four Good Men South Shields Festival

FOUR GOOD MEN
Saturday 24th June 2006Venue:
The Amphitheatre
Sea Road, South Shields, NE33
Website: www.southtyneside.info
Enquiries: South Shields Tourist Information 0191 4546612

Too much to drink please barman 2006

Just thought I would share this picture of 3 amazingly different shaped heids. On the left we have the one and only Tony 'The Bison' Butler ,The greatest rock 'n' roll bassist in the band.
In the middle 'playing the drums as though they weren't on hire purchase, Mark 'The King Of The Soft Shoe Shuffle' Brzezicki.
And signing in for the criminally insane on the right, my goodself Bruce 'Hotlips' Watson.
Picture by Ian ' Show them the door' Grant

AFGM mini tour

Thanks to all the BC, SM and H2o fans for supporting us at the past 3 gigs, Callander was a roaring success and the School got their white board. Port Patrick was a bit different with us playing in what resembled a fishermen's refuge to a very enthusiastic audience. Ian treated us all to some of his favourite whaling songs but I wont divulge who was caught sucking a fisherman's friend. Tried to get Mick to play some sea shanties on his squeeze box but he politely declined. Hotel was fantastic and there was laughter in the air as the English contingent were introduced to some Chewin' The Fat DVD's. It was great going back to Belfast, a place I always love going to. The Spring And Airbrake is a lovely new club right next door to The Limelight. Much fun was had at the hotel with Jane and Carrie taking on the boys at pool. Highlight of the night was the young lady with the tattooed breasts. From a distance they resembled two lumps of blue veined cheese and Derek renamed her Stilton tits

Stirling Observer article

Here is the article from the Stirling Observer. The concert is a charity affair in a bid to raise cash for Port of Mentieth primary school.

Eggle Guitar Pictures

Here are some shots of my Patrick Eggle guitar. Big thanks to Gordon for taking these pictures

The headstock and bridge was modified by Dave Grant from Strings in Dunfermline

Blast From The Past

Just found this advert from the Dunfermline Press in the attic. It shows what we were all up to back in 1978/79. Ray and myself had to change the name of the band from The Delinquents to The Delinx as no one would book us. Great to see The Damned and Skids up there but I can't remember Cissy Stone. The band we supported wasn't the great guitarist from U2. The Edge was actually John Moss and Lu from The Damned. I actually worked for the Ballroom and was part of the load in/out crew for The Damned and Ruts gig. The Captain was in top form wearing his budgie suit and highlight of the night was Rat doing 'Shakin' All Over' nude on top of PA stack. The guitarist in Activan was called Graham Bell (Bellsy) and he went on to be part of the Sound Control empire, now is part of the Guitar Guitar empire. Great days.

In The Beginning

1. MY WATER TIGHT ALIBI.
On the 22nd of November 1963 rifle shots exploded around Dallas Texas sending the brains of the 35th President of the USA all over the back of a 61 Lincoln convertible. Fortunately I was on the Queen Mary sailing home from Canada to Scotland as my father had been gold mining in Timmins, Ontario. Apart from the fact that I was only 2 years old at the time, this gives me a great alibi. Since the combined forces of the CIA and the FBI haven't pursued me I have been free to live out my life at the business end of a loud guitar.As you can see by my height deficit at this time there is no way I could have reached up to the sniper’s window in the Texas School book Depository.

Big Country At Number 4

Top 10 Best Scottish Music Acts of all time

On Burns Day Radio Clyde celebrated the Top Tartan Talent with a countdown of the Top 10 Best Scottish Music Acts of all time as voted by Radio Clyde listeners. Wet Wet Wet 22.17% Texas 12.77% Runrig 10.87% Big Country 8.05% The Sensational Alex Harvey Band 7.91% Simple Minds 4.49% Deacon Blue 3.15% The Proclaimers 2.96% The Average White Band 2.92% Midge Ure/Ultravox 2.50%

Guitars In Progress

Well here are the pics of new guitars in progress. They will be built by Dave and Joe in Newcastle so they should sound hard as****. The body is made from the highly poisenous Korina (same as a flying V), 'get those masks on guys'. The neck pickup is a tri sonic and the bridge a humbucker made in Aberdeen. Hope to debut them at the next AFGM shows in Feb.

Tony Blair link to Big Country

I was watching the hilarious documentary on Tony Blair's attempt to be a rock star in the early seventies when a face and name from over 20 years filled my screen, Adam Sieff. Adam produced our second demo's at CBS studio in London. I seem to remember a story about him having to have 24 hour security as his father was the president of Marks and Spencers.
Before becoming Head of Jazz at Sony Music UK in 1995, Adam Sieff had already spent two decades on the other side of the music business as musician, producer and CD retailer.
In the early seventies, Adam began his musical career as guitarist in Jaded, a rock band who for a short time were promoted by future prime minister Tony Blair.
During the eighties, Adam produced records and recorded with a wide variety of artists including blues legend Alexis Korner, Italian rock superstar Edoardo Bennato,reggae band Matumbi and rockers Big Country.

New Recruit

Backstage shenanigens from Oran Mor with Malky, Myself, Ian ,Derek, Jane, Mick and latest recruit (Scottish Footballing legend) Ally Mc Coist.Zoom in on my T Shirt and discover that I am crushing your head.

Electronic press kit

AFGM have been working with Rob Mulholland on creating an electronic press kit.Rob is an established artist and designer based in Stirlingshire.He exhibits his work widely throughout Scotland and the UK. Please check his website out at http://www.robmulholland.co.uk/

Oran Mor Set List

Thanks to everyone who attended the Oran Mor concert. Great meeting up with Ally McCoist again. Hopefully have some great pictures to share soon. Here is the setlist for the evening.
Someone Somewhere In Summertime - Simple MindsBoys Keep Swinging - David BowieChance - Big CountryDuel - PropagandaEverybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For FearsDream To Sleep - H20Waterfront - Simple MindsReal Gone Kid - Deacon BlueDont Get Me Wrong - PretendersStarman - David BowieFields Of Fire - Big CountryLove Song - Simple MindsIn A Big Country - Big CountryFairytale Of New York - PoguesDont You Forget About Me - Simple Minds

Field Of Crows - Rockahead review

FISH. Field Of Crows
Chocolate Frog Records CFVP017CD
Field Of Crows is the latest album from Fish and the follow up to the successful Felinni Days album. The album was recorded as ever in Fish's own studio and sees the return of a number of key musicians such as Frank Usher on guitar and Bruce Watson and Mark Brzezicki both of whom were previously in Big Country and of course worked with Fish on his debut solo album Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors.Field Of Crows is sometimes lyrically very dark and personally I feel this album to be one of the best of Fish's solo career. The material ranges from the commercial Zoo Class, which has already proved to be a popular song via it's limited live performances through to the darker, Moving Targets and the quite chilling final track Scattering Crows. I feel that this album could quite easily be as big as Misplaced Childhood and that is no idle boast having lived with this album over a month I can quite honestly say that the album becomes stronger the more times I play it and in terms of a cohesive piece of music. Whilst Field Of Crows may not be a concept album in the accepted sense its themes and consistency of feel gives this album an aura of greatness which I am convinced will make this album a very strong piece of work onstage. With this in mind I would urge anyone to buy this album and also buy tickets to catch this tour as Fish will be touring the Field Of Crows album across Europe during the spring of 2004 and his band will feature the band that recorded the album. It is bound to be an excellent concert experience Field Of Crows is available from http://www.the-company.com/ For more details on the making of the album go to http://www.fieldofcrows.com/

News Of The World

Here is yesterdays News Of The World article about Fish

New String Deal

I have recently strated using these krozka - sharpe strings. They have made a big difference and seem to last longer than my other brands. Check them out at http://www.krozka-sharpe.com/