Eighties indie stalwarts JASMINE MINKS have teamed up with maverick Scots politician TOMMY SHERIDAN – who is about to begin a prison sentence after taking part in an anti-nuclear demonstration – on their comeback single, ‘DADDY DOG’.
The band had to bring forward recording of the song, which was inspired by Bobby Gillespie, so that Sheridan – convenor of the Scottish Socialist Party and their first member to be elected to the Scottish Parliament – could sing on it. He begins a two-week prison sentence on December 12 for refusing to pay a fine after was arrested at an anti-nuclear demonstration at Faslane naval base in Scotland.
Wattie Duncan of the Minks – who were contemporaries and friends of Primal Scream, helping out on their first single – told NME.COM: “I wrote the rant that Tommy does inspired by Bobby. He was saying some brilliant things when he was talking about ‘Exterminator’, and it struck a chord with how I was feeling at the time. It’s been described as a rant about the class war, but it’s more just about standing up for yourself. Politics should be how you live your life.”
Alan McGee, who has made ‘Daddy Dog’ available as a free MP3 on Poptones website [url=]www.poptones.co.uk, suggested Gillespie sing it, but Wattie refused: “We said no because folk would see us jumping on the bandwagon with your pop star supporter mates. Tommy has a very distinctive voice, and we wanted someone who could rant from the heart.”
The band, who released five albums on Creation before splitting in 1989, recently started writing together again and have completed 12 songs for an as-yet untitled album, slated for release through Poptones next year. ‘Daddy Dog’ should be released early in the New Year.
They are also gearing up to return to the live arena, and have been mooted for a possible appearance at a Scottish Socialist Party gig, which Super Furry Animals are also expected to be approached to play.