Edwyn Collins was at the forefront of the early ’80s indie scene with bands like the Nu-Sonicds and Orange Juice (‘Rip It Up And Start Again’, Simon Reynold’s history of the post-punk movement, took it’s name from Orange Juice’s biggest hit). After that came the worldwide genuine mega-hit ‘Girl Like You’. An Ivor Novello award followed, and with an increasing number of bands looking to the Orange Juice sound over the past decade, Edwyn had already become a legend of sorts.
Then, whilst recording comeback album ‘Home Again’, he suffered a massive brain haemmorhage. Much to everybody’s delight, he managed to return to the studio in order to mix the recordings, and in 2007, the album was released to critical acclaim and, in all honesty, relief. Since then, he’s released ‘Losing Sleep’, one of last year’s sleeper hits and a record that made it onto plenty of Album of the Year lists, and featured members of Johnny Marr, Roddy Frame and members of Teenage Fanclub, The Cribs, Franz Ferdinand, The Magic Numbers and The Drums.
Late last year, he also toured the act, and if reports of people dancing and crying in equal measure are to be believed, he’ll be bringing the house down come Saturday.
(photograph - Lawrence Watson)
