5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
The Bluebells to make Glastonbury debut after more than 40 years
In the 80s, Bobby Bluebell and other band members, including singer Ken McCluskey and his brother and drummer David McCluskey, graced the covers of teen magazines such as Smash Hits.
Scots pop legends The Bluebells are to make their Glastonbury debut more than 40 years after they first shot to fame.
In the 80s, Bobby Bluebell and other band members, including singer Ken McCluskey and his brother and drummer David McCluskey, graced the covers of teen magazines such as Smash Hits.
They also regularly appeared on Top of the Pops.
But it's only now as they hit state pension age they'll finally play the iconic music festival alongside the likes of Neil Young and Alanis Morissette.
Bobby, 66, said: 'We are doing Glastonbury and we've never played Glastonbury before. So it's a real shock to be doing it. It's a great festival and a great crowd. It's something that's been on our bucket list.
'I'm 66. This is mental, but Paul McCartney is in his 80s, so there is no end to it.
'I'm way better than I was in 1984 and Ken's a better singer.
'It's our Indian summer and it's great to be back in the spotlight.'
The Bluebells became an integral part of the Scottish pop scene in the early 1980s alongside the likes of Orange Juice, Aztec Camera, Del Amitri, Texas and Simple Minds.
The city was awash with record label A&R men from London seeking the next big thing when Young at Heart charted at No8 in 1984.
The song also shot to No1 in 1993 after it featured in a Volkswagen TV ad.
Bobby, whose real name is Robert Hodgens, had co-written the hit with his girlfriend, Bananarama's Siobhan Fahey.
The couple lived in London and regularly hung out at trendy nightclubs despite Bobby's geeky appearance and lack of fashion sense.
Of the relationship, Bobby said: 'When I met Siobhan she was a shy person and I helped her come out of her shell.
'At that time, it was the New Romantic era, but I was walking about in a duffle coat and national health glasses.
'We were good together. We were a showbiz couple.
'The first song we wrote was Young At Heart so we obviously got off to a good start.'
He added: 'My biggest introduction to London was when I left home and moved in with Siobhan.
'People like Kevin Rowland and Bananarama and Elvis Costello were all great friends. We'd go out together.
'But Glasgow had a better scene than London.
' The club music scene in Glasgow was as good as anywhere in the world, if not better.
'You couldn't be a wallflower in Glasgow. You'd get trampled on.
'I had gone to clubs when I was 13 or 14 on my own which was quite scary because there was a big gang scene in Glasgow and I looked quite geeky.
'I had to learn to overcome being shy.
'Siobhan and everybody I've met in a band has had to overcome their shyness. 'You've had no choice but to stand up on the stage and project.'
Bobby said: 'I spoke to Siobhan last week. We are still great friends. I'd like to work with her again because I think, why are we not doing anything? I'll meet up with her again.'
The Bluebells will be performing hit after hit at Glastonbury including Cath and I'm Falling.
Also part of today's line-up is Belfast band Kneecap who will perform at 4pm on the West Holt stage.
The trio are being welcomed by festival organiser Michael Eavis despite an Prime Minister, Keir Starmer claiming their appearance is 'problematic'.
Bobby believes there aren't enough political acts in pop music who are willing to stand up and be counted for what they believe in, if anything.
'I'm not a fan of Kneecap's music but it is a dangerous path people are taking by trying to silence them because it is part of their act,' he said.
'Some rappers sing about the life they live and you have heavy metal bands with bats and blood.
'Kneecap have a point of view that is from their background of being a section of society that were oppressed and rebelling against their government.
'What is happening in Gaza is inexcusable and Kneecap are being pulled up simply for the fact that they are not agreeing with the status quo.
'Imagine that had been the other way around and we were speaking out in favour of innocent people being bombed.
'If you're telling me the most extreme thing in politics is Kneecap you should give up.'
Though Kneecap were dropped from the TRNMT line-up, Bobby added: 'Why should the person who runs TRNSMT be the one to judge? What are they so frightened of?
'Is being anti-something enough to get you kicked off. I'd like to see the list of what is allowed and what isn't.
'They are saying the public can't make their own mind and will be brainwashed by it.
'I hate to say it but if you go to Ibrox or Parkhead every week you'll be charging half the population because people are singing songs that are much worse.'
