SIMPLE MINDS & TOM WALKER HOMECOMING AT SCOTTISH MUSIC AWARDS

Beverley Lyons 
SIMPLE Minds celebrated their homecoming as they picked up an award for Outstanding Contribution to Music at The Specsavers Scottish Music Awards. 
Jim Kerr and Charlie Birchill joined Brit award winner Tom Walker, The Incredible String Band, Be Charlotte,  Twin Atlantic, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers and Joesef on the red carpet at Glasgow’s Fruitmarket to raise awareness for Nordoff Robins music therapy charity. 
And Jim reminisced: “This is a mile from where we were born. We’ve been working on new songs and it’s a nice homecoming.”
Referring to the passing of his father, he added: “Unfortunately I’ve got no family here tonight but they will definitely be here in spirit.”

Mike Heron accepted the Living Legend award for the Incredible String Band in a neck brace, revealing that he had fallen down the stairs at home.
He said: “In the late 60s Bob Dylan had an accident on his motorbike and damaged a couple of bits of his neck and I had the same thing but it was falling downstairs in my house. It was hard to play guitar but I can do it again now.”

Brit award winner Tom Walker who picked up a gong for Best Album made it a family affair. He said: “It’s lovely to be back. I remember coming here two years ago and I was so frightened doing the red carpet.  I have my granny, my mum, my dad, three uncles, my auntie here tonight. I’m not wearing a kilt because it’s too itchy.”
Other award winners who sent Thankyou s included Best UK Artist Liam Gallagher and Song Writing Award winner Lewis Capaldi. 

CORRIE’S HELEN FLANAGAN ON RICHARD MADDEN

CORRIE actress Helen Flanagan was disappointed to miss Richard Madden at the BAFTA Scotland awards. 
Helen who said she was having a rare night off with footballer hubby Scot Sinclair admitted she had been hoping to catch a glimpse of the star at the bash. 
Richard was a no show on the night but Helen said: “I’m a massive fan of the Bodyguard and I love it. I think everybody did. I don’t think I’d say anything to him but I just like watching him. It’ll be nice for me and Scott to have a night off.”
Helen’s two young children were being babysat for the night so she could relax with Scott. The couple chose stay at the nearby Blythswood hotel was they enjoyed some cocktails ahead of the ceremony. 
As she stunned in an Isabel Kristensen gown chosen by her stylist Kelvin sam he said:  “I feel really settled here. Whenever I’m away and in Manchester I miss here. Because I have two children my family tend to visit me here too.”
From Scotland with Love

US BOYBAND 5WEST HAPPY TO TAKE OVER FROM BOYZONE AFTER RECENT TOUR SUPPORT

US Boyband 5West reckon they’ve been handed the baton by Boyzone to carry on their pop legacy after supporting the Irish lads on their last ever tour. 

Theshowbizlion.com recently caught up with the four funny lads during their visit to Scotland to chat about their music and new single The Stars About You. 

‘Fun and poppy’ are how the four amigos describe their music and they are keen to bring a new energy to the stage. 

Luke , 17, Owen, 19, Jon Paul, 21 and Peet, 29 had to audition for a place in the band and they admit they are lucky to all get on. 

The band, who initially began as a five piece,  made their first live performance as a group in South Africa at The President’s Ball before headlining Cape Town’s Mr Gay World 2019. An invitation to perform at Grand Canaria Pride (supporting Eurovision’s Conchita) was followed by spots at Pride Festivals in the UK where the group then hit the road to perform at county shows, holiday resorts, high profile charity events (including a tribute for England legend Duncan Edwards), under 18 nights, and their own school tour.

Linguist Luke who used to live in Monaco and is described by the other lads as seventeen going on forty eight said: “We auditioned in LA and we met in Nashville in February and that afternoon we recorded our first single. Every day it feels like we are fine tuning this so its pretty cool.”

Peet, the loveable redhead in the band couldn’t wait to come to Scotland to explore his ancestry. 

He said: “My great grandma was from Scotland and I’m really into finding out more.”

The boys have been learning a lot from their elders including Ronan Keating who they describe as a father figure. 

Charmer Jon Paul explained: “We met Ronan just  before we went on stage and he was in flip flops with a sweater on. We had fifteen seconds before we sang and were shaking and he just was so casual and said good luck.  He was looking like a dad and he’s a living legend.”

Owen, who was keen to try the haggis on his trip and loves fast cars, can’t wait to come back to Scotland with the rest of the band and make some new Scottish friends.  

He said: “We’ve really enjoyed and appreciated all the shows we’ve done so far this year. We aren’t expecting things to fall into our laps and are prepared to work really hard, to get out there and perform wherever we can and to as many people as possible. It’s been so encouraging to see the reaction from the audiences to our songs and our shows.”

 The boys new single ‘Stars About You’ is out now co-written with Grammy Award winning producer Bryan Todd (Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus). 

EXCLUSIVE PICS OF TRAINSPOTTING STAR EWEN BREMNER IN NEW CREATION MOVIE

THESE are the first on set pictures in Glasgow of Alan McGee’s new Creation Stories movie about his life and signing of Britain’s biggest Rock band of all time Oasis.
The film which documents the story of how East Kilbride born former British Rail store clerk Alan, now 58, rose to fame as  Scotland’s most successful music mogul working with bands like Jesus and The Mary Chain and Primal Scream began shooting its famous scenes in Glasgow this week with Trainspotting actor Ewen Bremner in the lead role of McGee. 
As well as filming at music venue King Tuts Wah Wah Hut where Alan first discovered Manchester lads Liam and Noel Gallagher in May 1993 after they demanded to be added to the line up alongside the band Alan was meant to be seeing, scenes also took place at Glasgow’s Necropolis graveyard and the city centre’s Hope Street. 
The biopic produced by Danny Boyle with a script by Irvine Welsh will follow the life of Alan and the highs and lows of a career that took him to 10 Downing Street as an ambassador for Cool Britannia but also saw him nearly die from a drugs overdose.
It will also tell of his bemusement at having US President Bill Clinton staying over at his home – and his encounter with disgraced DJ Jimmy Savile at the Chequers residence of the Prime Minister.
Far from portraying a sanitised version of his life, the new film depicts beatings McGee received from his father as well as his preoccupation with the occult.
In scenes shot in the Necropolis this week Ewen Bremner can be seen carrying a book of rituals after performing a ceremony in his cloak and hat at the graveyard. 
Alan has long had a fixation with occultist Alistair Crowley and said: ”It’s like religion to me. Everyone told me not to get into him. And then I went away and read the books and found he was a genius. I started doing magic and it started working for me. So I was like: F*ck, this is amazing.”
It also sees a young McGee played by former Waterloo actor Leo Flannigan strolling through the graveyard alongside his young wife to be played by Irish actress Seana Kerslake. 
Later scenes also see Ewen outside King Tuts embroiled in deep conversation following his discovery of Oasis. 
Jason Isaac's, Ed Byrne, Paul Kaye, Perry Benson and Suki Waterhouse also feature in the movie. 

STRICTLY STARS CELEBRATE KATYA JONES BIRTHDAY IN EDINBURGH

Beverley Lyons
STRICTLY star Katya Jones was on a high as she celebrated her thirtieth birthday with dancer husband Neil Jones, Karen Clifton and her boyfriend David Webb, and fellow pro dancers  Diane Buswell, and Oti Mabuse  on the tour bus as they travelled from Edinburgh to Aberdeen.
Katya who earlier performed at the Playhouse in Edinburgh with the Strictly Professional Tour joked ‘I expected a proper singer to sing for me’ and was then serenaded by opera singer David as she and the rest of the performers drank and played games on their private bus.
Beer and fizzy drinks were aplenty and the poker chips were out as the dancers laughed while David, who cosied up at the back of the coach alongside Karen, sang an operatic version of Happy Birthday to a delighted Katya who stood up to hear him.
Neil told Katya that thirty was the new twenty as he and the team sat around the bus amidst whistles and cheers.
Oti commented online: “And the bus explodes in joy”
Gorka Marquez who had earlier posted a picture of himself on social media exploring Edinburgh’s sites enjoyed the evening while AJ Pritchard opted to try and get some sleep by wearing an eye mask.
When the crew reached Aberdeen they even had a laugh by trying out a new Snapchat filter which transforms your face into the opposite sex - and Katya and Karen Clifton both looked amused as they checked themselves out as men.
Diane Buswell had celebrated her thirtieth birthday with boyfriend Joe Sugg, 27, just last week on May 6 a day ahead of the Nottingham leg of the tour.
The two even put up a YouTube video of themselves in bed as they joked that Diane, who taught Joe to dance on the telly show before they fell for one another, was a cougar.
Joe didn’t manage to catch up with Diane while she was in Scotland because he was so busy attending the BAFTA TV awards last night.
Strictly’s Shirley Ballas causes blushes all round as she flirted with the blogger.
Joe did however visit Scotland earlier in the week as a guest at Dumfries House where he met up with Prince Charles. Looking smooth in his suit, Joe mingled with the Prince and guests as he learned all about the craft courses on offer with the Prince's Foundation  - and as Joe used to be a thatcher himself, he also went back to his roots by taking part in a thatching workshop.
As he posed with some pipers, he said of his experience: “Pleased to announce that I’ve joined a new band. I’m at Dumfries House finding out about the traditional craft skills run by the  Princes  Foundation.

SUSAN BOYLE GEARING UP FOR BIG 2019

THE incredible Susan Boyle cannot wait until her performance on America’s Got Talent airs in January. 

Susan said: “I received a phone call from Simon Cowell and flew over to the States for the show.”

The singing star from West Lothian who made her mark on judges including Heidi Klum who I’m told was a massive fan, was on sparkling form at the Scottish Music Awards on Saturday night at Glasgow’s SECC.

I’ve had the privilege of her company a number of times now and she’s looking better than ever.

Before singing at the bash to raise funds and awareness for Nordoff Robbins music therapy charity, Susan who has been working on a brand new album told me: “You do get nervous on nights like these but it’s good nerves, exciting. It’s a very special night for Nordoff Robbins too -the 25th anniversary so congratulations to them.”

After seeing a clip of herself on stage with Elaine Paige Susan who sang Wild Horses beautifully and was wearing a Frox of Falkirk fuchsia dress commented: “I’ve come a long way and I didn’t realise I’d done so much so I was very humbled.”

We will be seeing a lot more of the star next year when her new album comes out. She told me to expect a mix of classic and new songs on it and that she has had some fun making it in the studio.