In 1987 I was fourteen years old. I lived in Glasgow. Raintown came out, I loved it then, and I love it still. Deacon Blue manage - perhaps more than anyone else but in the mould of Van Morrison, Brian Kennedy, Steely Dan, to evoke the world from which the come. A mix of blues, folk, and good good songs, Raintown defined the mood of a nation with Dignity, an anthem for ordinary folk, and When Will You ( Make My Phone Ring) the plea for the unloved. These songs are about love and politics; clever but not obtrusively so, deep but not pretentious. Different things in this album have defined my life as time has elapsed, but the songs are so rich in human life that something will always knaw at the heart. I'm getting older; the old songs are changing with me, but they're fresh and new too.
This edition includes songs from the special ed album Riches which, in its original format as a rare collectors item. Sometimes Deacon Dlue B sides are better than the record company pleasing singles, and Shifting Sands and Ribbons and Bows are tiny gems which dreams are made of. It's 2000 now and I'm still wating for an album I like as much as this one. I live in the south and hope for the north, and I think of the title track.
Youre in the suburbs waiting for somewhere to go/ I'm down here working on some dumb show. Raintown.
Dougie Vipond, come off of your travels. Ricky Ross, get the band together. Graeme, Lorraine, Jim, play for us. We'd love to see you now.