the paperback cover - garish, huh?

Shamless self-promotion time.

The Ossians is coming out in paperback on Thursday 26th February, so to celebrate I’m strapping on the old six-string and playing a few shows. Come along and say hello. Please. 

26 Feb Word Power, West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, 7pm, FREE – Edinburgh launch party for the paperback. A few tunes, some words, maybe even free beer if you get there early enough. Then across the road to The Pear Tree for the rest of the night.

28 Feb Pages of Hackney, Lower Clapton Road, London, 7pm, £3 – London launch party for the paperback. Join Doug on the murder mile (not really, it’s safe!) for tunes, words, wine, then nip next door to Biddle Bros for the rest of the night.

7 Mar Old St Paul’s Church Hall, Edinburgh, from 2pm – Fence Homegame Pre-season Friendly 1 with The Red Well, Player Piano, Found and others. What a line up.

12 Mar Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, 7pm, FREE – Cheap booze as part of their Duty Free series, a night of words and music, with Edward and the McCalls and Al Shields.

19 Mar 13th Note, Glasgow – with Le Reno Amps launching their album and more music courtesy of Is This Music? fanzine.

19 Apr Fence Homegame, Anstruther – with all sorts of cracking bands and musicians over a weekend of seaside silliness. And awesome fish suppers.

30 Apr Leith Tape Club, Iso-Bar, Edinburgh – with Gummi Bako, Iona Marshall and others as part of Little Pebble’s new intimate monthly club night.

9 May Ullapool Book Festival – w Alan Bissett on the Saturday night. Doug will be playing tunes and reading, if he can get a word in edgeways (only joking Alan!)

 Also, the mini-album The Macpherson Tapes by The Ossians is still available to buy from either the Fence Records website (www.fencerecords.com) or the Northern Alliance website (www.lowfidelity.com). You’ll also be able to buy it at any of the above shows. £5 – bargain. 

Lastly, just a reminder of what some sexy authors and reviewers had to say about The Ossians the first time round:

‘A drug-fuelled, counter-clockwise state-of-the-nation rock n roll tour which captures where we’re at better than any modern novel I’ve read.’ Irvine Welsh

‘A powerful and moving commentary on the country and its defining myths.’ Ian Rankin

‘A gripping, compelling road trip around modern Scotland in the company of a drug-ravaged, untamed visionary.’ Niall Griffiths

‘A rock odyssey so exhilaratingly authentic, you can hear the chords and smell the vomit.’ Christopher Brookmyre

‘This is This Is Spinal Tap for Scotland’s lost generation. Johnstone has taken a small story of a small band lost in a small country and created an epic.’ Ewan Morrison

‘Packed with seedy, sticky bars, sullen punters and morose reflections in deteriorating weather, this is an atmospheric beauty to The Ossians.’ Independent on Sunday

‘The authentic ring of a man who’s been there.’ Guardian

‘Johnstone is good at describing the excitement, boredom, sniping and bonhomie of a touring band at the transit-van end of the career arc.’ The Times

‘A blast.’ Scotland on Sunday