Lugworm | nl

Glasgow band, Lugworm initially began life in 1992 as a duo of Graham Gavin (Ganger) and Richie Dempsey (Stretchheads/DeSalvo). The original intention was to emulate the sounds of rhythm-heavy bands similar to Ruins, The Ex and No Means No.

To expand their line-up with vocals, the bass and drum duo were swiftly joined by Jane McKeown (Lungleg/Peter Parker). This line-up dissolved almost as quickly as it had begun (never having left the rehearsal room). Undeterred, Gavin and McKeown expanded on the original line-up idea and recruited Andy McFarlane (Jerry Krishna/The Hormonauts) on drums and Dep Downie (Monorail Music) on guitar. The group quickly developed a short set list and found themselves, as part of a small collective, offering an antidote to the swathes of anodyne jangly pop that littered Glasgow’s then underground music scene.

The group shared gigs with the likes of Lungleg and The Yummy Fur, as well as a host of others (often closely associated with the then Glasgow Music Collective). During this timeline, the group played loudly and frenetically. Noticeable influences ranged from Rapeman to Dog Faced Hermans. These influences were often married with memorable riffs stolen from all and sundry, or more specifically: Glasgow’s Dawson, disco’s Donna Summer and meta-blowin’-jazzer, Roland Kirk. Around 1994 McFarlane vacated his drum stool to become a member of the subversive art movement, The Mutoid Waste Company. The group replaced him with Steven Dunbar who had been playing with both The Yummy Fur and the legendary bIG Flame/Mackenzies’ sound-alikes, Porno Coyote.

Another re-shuffle took place when McKeown left to pursue musical/cosmetic matters with the group she’d been moonlighting with; Lungleg. McKeown’s position was filled by Sunni Caro (Hello Skinny) aka Buster Spunk. With this settled line-up, the group, in 1995, recorded four tracks for a compilation titled Prole Life: A Souvenir From Glasgow on The Cherry Red Label (CD Kred001). A lack of distribution and promotion resulted in these recordings falling on unavailable ears. In 1997 the same four songs would emerge as the Te Lo Dir’o E.P (Sketch 002), on Bis’ independent label, Teen-C Recordingz. The E.P, which took its title from an exchange between Gregory and his Italian teacher in Bill Forsyth’s, Gregory’s Girl (1980), was picked up by John Peel and received the single of the week moniker in The Melody Maker. It was described as, “a charming new seven-inch from Glasgow resonating with all the charm of old school indie i.e: Ron Johnson Records, bIG Flame, Bogshed, Delta 5.....you’d have a brilliant time trying dancing to this.” Later in 1997 the group recorded three songs for The Guided Missile Label. Two were used for a split single with Pink Kross/Bis (Guide 11) whilst the other would later emerge on the labels Hits and Missiles compilation in 1999 (Guide 34).

Coming full circle, these three songs had Richie Dempsey on drumming/engineering duties. These three songs were released after the group’s demise. Lugworm were never the most ambitious of groups, nor were they the most prolific, set-lists rarely exceeded seven songs. Live, the group were commonly shambolic. However, during their final show with El Hombre Trajeado and Cylinder at Glasgow’s Art School, they dumbfounded their audience by performing an unexpectedly tight and varied set of songs. .