Kings Live Lounge: Calgacus album launch in front of invited audience

By John Murray
Published 27th Mar 2023, 22:49 BST
Updated 27th Mar 2023, 22:57 BST
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Launching a new record in town this week to a specially invited audience was Calgacus a new project from Garry Stanton with his guest musicians.

These included local vocalists Susan Broadfoot and Sandy Power from Cornfield Chase plus The Boswall Body Washers, Michael Henderson and BBC radio presenter, panto villain and now River City TV star, Grant Stott who adds an eerie spoken word on The Wheel It Turns.

The album was produced with help from Creative Scotland by Dominic Hardy at Gracenote Studios in Dunfermline and released as a limited edition CD and online downloads.

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Assisting with instrumentation known as a carnyx, an Iron Age wind instrument, Professor John Kenny became involved and provided stories while Neil Clark played whistle on two of the tracks.

Garry Stanton launched his new album at the Kings Live Lounge, which included an interview with Allan Crow, editor of the Fife Free Press (Pic: Allan Crow)Garry Stanton launched his new album at the Kings Live Lounge, which included an interview with Allan Crow, editor of the Fife Free Press (Pic: Allan Crow)
Garry Stanton launched his new album at the Kings Live Lounge, which included an interview with Allan Crow, editor of the Fife Free Press (Pic: Allan Crow)

The album launch involved a playback in full and the first time heard by many of the musicians present. The afternoon was hosted by Fife Free Press editor Allan Crow, and he interviewed composer Garry Stanton as he introduced the music.

Garry is a versatile musician and when he is not hosting pub quizzes or teaching guitar he plays as a soloist, in a duo and in a tribute band Abbfab or with covers band Suited & Booted. We heard of his musical journey and of this concept, developed during lockdown then recorded and overdubbed in Fife as it grew into a full album.

Dark, supernatural and atmospheric with unearthly sounds and digging noises it owes a bit to Nick Cave or Frank Zappa rather than Benny & Bjorn. After a dark poetry opening (The Blackened Stumps) we hear the single Elemental and we immediately explore the pre-Christian There is a hidden sting in the tail after the last song and uncredited. That leaves us with a rocking finale, up-tempo and in full contrast to all that came before. I put it to him that it would make a great stage show as one piece and an ideal length as a Fringe production. Given finance who knows where it could go?