Paul Quinn and Edwyn Collins -  Ain't That Always The Way (Richard Skinner Session 1984)

Paul Quinn and Edwyn Collins -  Ain't That Always The Way

Paul Quinn and Edwyn Collins -  It Had to Happen (Richard Skinner Session 1984)

Paul Quinn and Edwyn Collins - It Had to Happen

Paul Quinn and Edwyn Collins - Louise Louise

Paul Quinn and Edwyn Collins - Different Drum

Live at Kingston Polytechnic, 13 March 1984

Bourgie Bourgie: Breaking Point

Bourgie Bourgie: Apres-Ski

Bourgie Bourgie: Someone I Care About

Like seeing Al Green fronting The Clash...

Biography

The post punk music scene in Scotland was an absolute treasure trove of musical delights, early bands including The Scars, TV Art, The Nu Sonics paved the way for more successful artists including Josef K, The Fire Engines, James King and the Lone Wolves and of course the mighty Orange Juice. 

The UK punk scene sent out a very key message - "Just do it yourself" which is exactly what happened all over the country, influential independent labels also emerged north of the border including Fast Product and the legendary Postcard which launched the careers of many of the artists listed above. By the close of 1982 the post punk scene was essentially over, Orange Juice had signed to Polydor, Aztec Camera to Rough Trade, Josef K and The Fire Engines had long since split, however this is just a fraction of the story as several of the lesser successful artists had re-grouped, forming new bands and for a while rode on the crest of the mass singing of independent bands to major labels.

One such band were Jazzateers, the core of the band - Ian Burgoyne and Keith Band had originally recorded an album "Lee" circa 1981/1982 for the Postcard label, it was a low key country/jazzy affair with vocal contributions from a friend of Edwyn Collins - Paul Quinn, who had sung with The French Impressionists, he shared vocals on "Lee" with Alison Gourlay and the Rutowski sisters. The album contained 13 tracks but never saw the light of day. In 1983 Jazzateers followed Aztec Camera and signed to Rough Trade, releasing a fine self titled "debut album" with vocals provided by Grahame Skinner (who later fronted Hipsway). 

The album was not the breakthrough it should have been and a year later Ian and Keith were re-united with Paul forming Bourgie Bourgie. The band signed a major deal with MCA, the band promised much especially on the release of the epic debut single "Breaking point", a glorious full throttled heartbreaker bolstered by a powerful string section. It peaked at 48 in the charts, an absolute crime, the follow up single "Careless" didn't even make the top 75. 

Sadly the debut album, with proposed title, "Dinky Honey" did not materialise, although plenty of excellent demos were recorded, suggesting how much of a classic it would have been. Two such demos - "Here Comes That Feeling" and the absolutley astonishing "I Gave You Love" did make it onto a Peel session aired on 18/01/84. Anyone who knows "I Gave You Love" will know what I mean when I say this track is THAT GOOD, Quinn's silky soulful vocals over an incredible arrangement......Dusty should have sung this track!!!!!! 

After several TV appearances and several tours, by mid-1984 the band were sadly no more. Quinn went on to record some duets with Edwyn Collins, released on Alan Horne's new Swamplands label and Ian and Keith resurrected Jazzateers recruiting Mick Slaven, Douglas MacIntyre and yet another new vocalist - Matthew Wilcox. The band recorded another unreleased album "Blood is Sweeter Than Honey". 

Jazzateers finally disbanded a year later in 1987, yet another tale of Scottish greatness which somehow managed to pass too many by...

Bourgie Bourgie

Popular tracks