Recently- reformed 80s popstars head to Killie
Irvine’s top music team are gearing up for the biggest night of their year so far.
The Freckfest team are delighted to bring the recently reformed Hipsway to Kilmarnock’s Grand Hall on Friday, August 11.
The Kilmarnock gig will act as a bit of a warm up for the band’s sell- out show at the Kelvingrove bandstand the following night.
Superfan Craig McAllister from Freckfest caught up with Hipsway frontman Grahame Skinner this week to go over the band’s history.
Said Grahame: “Around 1983 I started off as a singer in Jazzateers. I developed a soulful singing style as a direct reaction to the band’s skittering punkish tendencies. Orange Juice and The Fire Engines were our inspirations.
“They were local bands who we saw play regularly. They were able to release singles and showed us all that anyone could do it. Just as we were on the verge of stardom with Jazzateers, as many stupid bands have done before and since, we broke up.”
Unfazed, Grahame sought new musicians to collaborate with and after a few line- up shuffles, Hipsway came to be.
“We signed the big record contract and got to do all the things we’d wished for. We were in the best studios with the best producers.
“What I remember most about it though was that it was really hard work! When we played Top Of the Pops my abiding memory of it is that I was really sick and couldn’t enjoy it.
“We got to play the Old Grey Whistle Test, which was amazing for us considering all the bands that had been on before.”
Hipsway formed in 1984 and released their debut album in 1985. The single ‘ The Honeythief’, arguably the band’s most famous song, was a top 20 hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
And a second single from the album ‘ Tinder’ was hugely well- known in Scotland after it featured in a McEwan’s beer commerical.
Fast- approaching sell- out status, a few tickets still remain via seetickets. com