Killer Queen
Temperance Movement’s Phil Campbell jokes he’ll be waiting in wings if heroes’ frontman Adam Lambert comes a cropper
QUEEN were THE band for Glasgow singer Phil Campbell when he was a boy.
So, it’s no surprise the lead singer of retro rockers The Temperance Movement is planning to lock Adam Lambert in his dressing room so he can front the legendary band at TRNSMT tonight.
The Temps will appear on the Main Stage today before headliners Queen, who have continued to rock around the world since the death of original singer Freddie Mercury in 1991.
Phil said: “Freddie was my hero as a boy. I used a short metal rod from my wardrobe as his wee microphone stand and paraded around in front of the mirror in my bedroom. Door locked, Greatest Hits 1 blasting.
“I’ll lock Lambert in his dressing room. What’s that? ‘Adam’s gone missing? It’s five minutes to show time and you need a singer?’”
Phil, of course, is joking and can’t wait to see Adam front his favourite band and won’t cover a Queen song in his own group’s set. He said: “I wouldn’t touch Queen. That’s Adam’s thing, man. Let the boy get on with it. Got a wee Zeppelin number up our sleeves though.”
The Temperance Movement have got some crackers in their own repertoire – songs like Caught in the Middle, Built-In Forgetter and Backwater Zoo, his ode to Glasgow.
The second weekend of the Glasgow Green festival will today feature performances by Texas, The Darkness and Gun, while tomorrow the likes of the Killers, Chvrches and Franz Ferdinand will round off five days of fun.
Today’s Main Stage is a rockfest with a touch of tartan. Alabama 3 will open followed by The Temperance Movement, The Darkness, who include Scots bassist Frankie Poullain, Glasgow band Texas, who are fronted by Sharleen Spiteri, and Queen + Adam Lambert.
Phil said: “I was at high school when Texas brought out I Don’t Want A Lover. Their album Southside was killer for them.
“The Darkness are a laugh, that’s what’s cool
I miss T in the Park, everyone does, but TRNSMT does seem more accessible PHIL CAMPBELL
about them. I like Black Shuck and I Believe In A Thing Called Love.” The Temperance Movement include Phil, guitarist Paul Sayer and bassist Nicky Fyffe, who were joined by guitarist Matt White in 2016 and drummer Simon Lea last year. Their third album, A Deeper Cut, was released in February and went to No6 in the UK charts and No2 in Scotland. They were touring last year so missed out on TRNSMT but watched Gerry Cinnamon on YouTube. As a Glaswegian, Phil is happy to have TRNSMT on his doorstep. He said: “I miss T in the Park, everyone does, but TRNSMT does seem a little more accessible for everyone.” The band are named after the movement which criticised getting drunk and promoted teetotalism. Phil has had his own battle with drink and drugs and has some advice for TRNSMT fans this weekend: “Look after your pals and drink loads of water.”