Photo by Rach McHaffie
The back bar and merch area of St Michael’s affords a good overview of the room: This former church, now bathed in lush – even sacrilegious – red light still has the raised stage, the alter. And it forms the perfect environment for this latest meeting of the Mull Historical Society.
But do not be beguiled… this is not the actual Mull Historical Society – that loose assemblage of no doubt grey-bearded, round-tummied, Arran-jumpered men – but the band, named after their association. Even then, like Tame Impala or Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly… even Badly Drawn Boy… the name is really the cover for one person, in this case Colin MacIntyre. But he is from Mull… and he did name himself after the island’s genuine society. His references back to the Hebridean island, and particularly Aros hall in Tobermory where he himself started to play music (supporting his uncle’s cover band) makes this church hall feel like the perfect place for this acoustic liturgy.
Photo by Rach McHaffie
The room fills gracefully with a respectful congregation partly formed… now I look around… of grey-bearded, round-tummied men. Myself included. First up is Paper Beat Scissors, a son of Burnley returned to the north with a frankly gorgeous acoustic set of songs, his voice ethereal amongst this reverent setting. After his set, PBS takes his seat in the makeshift pew-like rows, to wait for the headliner. And the Society has evidently evolved in recent years. Colin MacIntyre is also a poet and novelist, with two Mull Mysteries under his belt. So I can now say I have been to Deep Purple gig where I collapsed a lung… and to a gig in a church hall that starts with a book reading (not from the Good Book, you understand… although I’ve not read Colin’s novels so can’t comment on that).
Book down, guitar up, and the MHS society takes us through a fabulous overview of his music, the likes of ‘I Tried’, ‘Barcode Bypass’ and ‘Paper Houses’ from his debut Loss, through the beautiful ‘5 More Minutes’ and the irrepressible ‘Final Arrears’ from the follow-up Us. Music is, of course, incredibly personal, and yet has that wonderful power to connect. MacIntyre is generous in his explanatory narratives between songs and explains how ‘5 More Minutes’ was about losing his father. I remember buying MHS’s first two albums on CD back in the day, and getting one signed by him in a Manchester HMV in-store appearance because I was always taken by his songwriting – gentle, beautiful – and because of the connection to Mull. My Dad holidayed on Mull every year as a kid, and took me there as an adult, and I was able to tune my Dad into Colin’s music as much as my Dad tuned me into Mull, before he, too, passed away. If you’ve never been to Mull, I can thoroughly recommend it.
Photo by Rach McHaffie
It’s interesting how some of MHS’s songs come in pairs … for instance ‘Barcode Bypass’ answered by ‘The Supermarket Strikes Back’ from the next album. All of the songs in fact, benefit by their explanation. The poems too, come with context. An interesting concept arrives with the newest album In My Mind There’s A Photograph, in which characters like Irvine Welsh sent MacIntye photographs that meant something to them. The album is formed of songs MacIntyre composed to tell the stories of those photographs, including the song of Welsh’s photo – ‘Dopamine Eyes’ – and also ‘Gaza On My Back’. Another reading is followed by more tracks from across the MHS discography, including a request for the track ‘Asylum’ -generously fulfilled – building up to the eponymous ‘Mull Historical Society’ that ends the evening. Sermon over, MacIntyre – personable, smiley – is happy to hang at the back of the room, talking Mull, signing merch.
And importantly, he points out that – perhaps to distinguish themselves – the actual Mull Historical Society has changed their name. They are now “The Mull Historical and Archeology Society”… so don’t expect to crash their meetings expecting lush songs of love and supermarkets.
Simon is a writer, broadcaster and countercultural investigator. Over the last 15 years he has written for everyone from The Guardian to Loaded magazine, presented television for Rapture TV and hosted radio programs for the likes of Galaxy. He has also found time to earn a Masters Degree in Novel Writing and write three books (a collection of journalism, a guidebook to Ibiza and one on financial planning for young people – the most varied publishing career it’s possible to have) and establish and run a PR company, Pad Communications, looking after a range of leisure and lifestyle clients.He currently splits his time between researching his PhD at Leeds University, looking into various countercultural movements; consulting freelance for PR clients; writing for the likes of Marie Claire in Australia, The Big Issue and the Manchester Evening News, where he reviews concerts, theatre and is their Pub & Bar Editor. He is also broadcaster, appearing regularly on Tony Livesey’s late night 5Live show for the BBC, and also for BBC Radio Manchester Gourmet Night food and drink show.Simon’s main focus has been music and travel. His career has included editing Ministry of Sound’s magazine in Ibiza for two summers and also writing two long-running columns for DJmagazine – ”Around The World in 80 Clubs” (which took him everywhere from Beijing to Brazil, Moscow to Marrakech) and “Dispatches From The Wrong Side”. A collection of the latter was published in the UK and US as the book Discombobulated, including tales as varied as gatecrashing Kylie Minogue’s birthday party, getting deported from Russia, having a gun held to his head by celebrity gangster Dave Courtney and going raving in Ibiza with Judith Chalmers. He has recently written for the likes of Red magazine, Hotline, Clash, Tilllate, Shortlist and the Manchester Evening News. Pad Communications has recently consulted for clients as varied as Manchester nightclubs and New Zealand toy companies.On a personal note, Simon is a Londoner who left the capital at the age of 18 and never looked back. He sees himself as a citizen of the global dancefloor having lived in Sydney, Los Angeles, Ibiza and Amsterdam. However his life is now rather more sedentary. After all his adventures he bumped into and subsequently married his highschool sweetheart from their North London Grammar. They now live in Stockport with their four children and four chickens, trying to live the good life. Simon recently turned 40 and is steadfastly refusing to have a midlife crisis – as in, growing a ponytail and buying a shiny red sports car.OK, maybe he’ll buy the sports car…
