A SUPERGROUP of some of Scotland’s top musical talent is making its live debut at this year's Celtic Connections as they promise a memorable "high energy” performance.
For most bands, the idea of headlining a debut show at the famous Glasgow festival would be a daunting task, but for The Great Pleasure, they are relishing the opportunity to share the stage with some of Scotland’s best musicians.
The 12-piece band, who are playing Oran Mor on January 29, is a self-proclaimed rock n roll, punk, blues, jazz, surf-fusion that feels like an “Italian car chase in the roaring 20s”.
Founded by Marc Molloy and Gillian Christie, The Great Pleasure is packed full of creative talent including Glasvegas’s Christopher Dickie, BBC Radio Scotland Young Jazz Musician of the Year Timmy Allen and Tom McGuire of the Tom McGuire and the Brass Holes, just to name a few.
“It's like the old cliche of herding cats,” Molloy said, joking about how it can be difficult to get 12 musicians' schedules to line up for rehearsals.
He explained that one of the beautiful things about having so many “strong personalities” play together is there is a range of energies that when combined “make something beautiful”.
The Great Pleasure was forged following years of songwriting by Molloy and Christie (below) while they were on the road touring across the world “soaking up” all the different experiences they encountered.
Molloy explained they hadn’t planned on returning to the “murky world” of writing music after previously writing a bunch under a different guise.
However, after a few years of sitting on a bunch of material, the singing duo decided it was only natural to do something with it.
“We spent about two years going into the studio and throwing down a few tracks here and there,” Molloy said.
“We recruited some of the best musicians that we know, who we think are some of the best musicians in the country, just wonderful talents.
“Then I slowly pieced together a record that we're going to be kind of feeding over the next year.”
Vintage Explosion’s Richard Anderson, Quick’s Alex Hynes, Charlotte Marshall from the Charlotte Marshall & The 45s, Olivia Jane from Holy Ghost Town, and the Harry Weir trio from Corto Alto round out the supergroup.
The Great Pleasure will be joined by supporting acts The Niche Family, a four-piece country folk act, along with another Scottish supergroup The Black Denims as Molloy described both acts as “absolutely incredible”.
“Everyone's really excited and feeling really positive about it,” Molloy said.
“We're lucky as well that we've managed to get the whole studio band together essentially, which is not easy to do because some of the guys are involved in lots of different projects.
“So sometimes these kinds of things can be a little bit patchwork, but we've just been really fortunate this time where absolutely everyone that works in the studio with us on the record has been available for it.
He added: “There's just a great buzz.”
The Great Pleasure were able to secure the headline slot through Molloy and Christie playing at a regular country night in the Grosvenor on Ashton Lane in Glasgow when the The Oran Mor events manager came across an advance copy of the bands upcoming single Aaand... It’s Bitter.
The track, which launches on February 26, is a blend of jangly jazz guitar and a bouncy rock and roll rhythm with spirited gospel backing vocals.
“He really loved it,” Molloy said.
“He said, ‘I would love to have you guys be part of Celtic Connections, why don't you launch the project at Oran Mor’.”
Molloy recalled how he got all “starry-eyed” at the prospect of playing at the hugely popular festival and now the band is tasked with selling out the 500-capacity venue without anyone ever hearing them play live before.
However, it is a task Molloy and his team of talented musicians are relishing as he said: “Looking at the program across the festival, there's just so many amazing acts that it's, it's almost intimidating.
“There's a temptation to give in to anxiety over the whole event, but we're not doing that.”
