Postcards from Scotland: Scottish Independent Music 1983-1995

by Grant McPhee

By 1983, many of Scotland’s post-punk bands had broken up or moved south to chase the major labels in London. That vacuum was filled by an influx of young musicians who were determined to remake the scene in their own image.

In this compelling and dynamic oral history, Grant McPhee chronicles the radical transformation of Scotland’s independent music scene from 1983-1995. Including archival photos and drawing from over 100 interviews with the key players of the time, Grant McPhee allows them to set the scene in their own words; including the Cocteau Twins, Shop Assistants, Teenage Fanclub, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream and many more.

Postcards from Scotland is the definitive story of the radicals, misfits and experimentalists who made independent music what it is today.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

466 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2024

About the author

Grant McPhee is a Scottish film director, cinematographer and writer. His films include the music documentaries Big Gold Dream, Teenage Superstars and the drama, Far From the Apple Tree starring Sorcha Groundsell. He won the prestigious audience choice award in 2015 for his film Big Gold Dream at the 2015 edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival. In television, he worked as a second unit director and cinematographer on Outlander.

He has written articles for The National, I News, Clash Music, Caught by the River, Louder Than War, Bella Caledonia and the books Hungry Beat (as co-writer) published by White Rabbit Books, Postcards From Scotland published by Omnibus Books and a soon to be released book on Glasgow’s 1990’s underground music scene. In 2022, he co-wrote the book, Hungry Beat, an oral history of Scottish Post-Punk music which was published by White Rabbit Books. This was followed by Postcards from Scotland 1980's and 1990's independent music scene. A second volume is planned which will explore Scotland's late 80s and 90's underground music scene, focussing on the 13th Note Club, Glasgow Music Collective and Belle and Sebastian.

Reviews

[Colm Mccrory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, comprehensive and I finally know what happened to Jesse Garon & the Desperadoes & Motorcycle Boy.

[Jo_Scho_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

By 1983, many of Scotland’s post-punk bands had broken up or moved south to chase the major labels in London. That left a vacuum back up North, which was filled by an influx of young musicians who were determined to remake the scene in their own image.

Given the above description and as a huge music fan, I was delighted to receive this book. It’s a hefty tome, coming in at over 450 pages, but I found it to be a real page turner and I’d finished the book within a few weeks, a very good sign for me.

The subject matter of the book might be somewhat niche but as a self confessed eighties indie kid it was right up my street. The book comprises of a number of interviews with people who were members of the groups that were part of the Scottish indie music scene over that period, and while I was pretty familiar with the backstory of most of the “big hitters”, i.e. JAMC, Primal Scream, Soup Dragons it was the in depth accounts from some of the lesser known acts, particularly those on the 53 1/3 rd label that I found fascinating.

I loved the film of the Glasgow scene, Teenage Superstars, that the author directed and this book was the perfect accompaniment. A brilliant read and highly recommended for the (now ancient) indie kids among us.

[Mads · Rating 3 out of 5]

did not expect to discover 2/3 of the cocteau twins at one point lived mere streets from my house when i opened this book, but there you go

[Jcrandspace · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are only familiar with Jesus and the Mary Chain, Primal Scream, Teenage Fanclub, and The Vaselines this will open your eyes to some lesser known Scottish artists like The Shop Assistants and The Wake. If you have no knowledge of the first four, buy or stream them, read Bobby Gillespie's highly entertaining Tenement Kid, the brand spanking new Jesus and the Mary Chain memoir (which I haven't read), and then get to this book, after which you just might want to make a pilgrimage to Monorail Music which is owned by Stephen from The Pastels (also the site of a great vegetarian cafe).

[Blane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was familiar with some of the bands in this sort-of oral history...many of them I was not. No matter, McPhee does a great job of weaving together countless interviews with most of the principals of the Scottish indie scene to create a highly readable and coherent history of an under-appreciated place/period of rock music's ongoing evolution.

[Don McKinlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s pretty niche
But then again….
If you like Nirvana then you should 100% read this book - so maybe it’s not niche at all
It’s beautifully obsessive and if you went to shows in Glasgow in the 80s (like I say - niche) you’ll recognise bits and pieces as you go.
Overall it was a joy to read 😊

[Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

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