I was away from the shop and my mobile telephone rang.
“Do we have the new Randolph Sleep album? A customer is asking.” It was a VoxBox employee that will remain un-named.
Randolph Sleep is of course Wayne Sleep’s musically talented younger brother. Heeheehee.
No, I didn’t joke at all…
“It’s really a band called Randolph’s Leap you silly sausage! Yes we have a few… on the shelf on the left… and so on…”
It’s easy to get confused of course. One is a prominent leaping man prone to a beauty spot. The other is a prone and sleepy band named after a prominent beauty spot.
Adam points to Wayne’s Leap on top. Randolph’s (more lackadaisical) Leap on the bottom.
The Leap are an 8 piece band and not one of them is called Randolph and I’d wager a quid. One whole poond that they don’t know a Randy between them.
I just wanted to mention them as they are never far from my stereo. The band had a tape release of B-sides and outtakes for Record Store Day the other year. Then a Cassette Store Day release last year AND a Record Store Day live album this year too.
In fact they are not lackadaisical or sleepy at all; The output is quite amazing! The band founder and songwriter Adam Ross is the Scottish Prince. Albeit specialising in rhyming couplets and a clever turn of phrase last seen with Ray Davies rather than Sexy M-FUNKYness. I was tickled by their twitter description. –Quantity, not quality.
I took a while to get around to seeing them play but it was a special and uplifting show. For me, the great thing about the band is the way they seem to play for each other and manage to have lots of fun too. On stage they break into a wee dance at the drop of a hat. Although they are all really bound to hate each other after playing together for so long; they hide this extremely well. An acoustic guitar, electric guitar, trombone, trumpet, violin, bass, drums and… Casio keyboard with the pre-programmed songs too. That’s how they roll. It’s a brilliant, cacophonic, superfun and catchy set up. They also have the best merch stand I’ve ever seen. -I blame the stall for the fact that I now own 3 t-shirts and a mug (more on band merch in a later post). -AND they have the nicest manager in the business -unless you don’t pay him- as one record shop found out. He’s not wide at all but check out his shoes!
Olive Grove man and green shoe wearing band manager Lloyd!
The last time I saw the full band, I think it cost £8, which would be 100 pence to see each band-member. They are worth a whole lot more. But that also highlights the problems faced by musicians in bands these days. That the more people in your band, the less you get paid. As you can imagine, touring becomes prohibitively expensive too. Apparently Adam keeps everyone happy by doing the dishes of the other band members once or twice per month. Bands like this need and deserve our cultural support and certainly more radio play. Email the radio… ask that they play your favourite songs. It all helps.
Adam played a wee solo set at our place on Record Store Day to help plug the band’s new live album that came out on RSD. Their previous album, Clumsy Knot, released in 2014, never made the SAY Award longlist but I feel was a worthy contender for Scottish Album of the Year. Mrs VoxBox plays (the download) in the car and we played it lots on the VoxBox Vinyl Show too.
Here’s Hermit played live on RSD.
I’m happy to say that Randolph’s Leap have a brand new album coming out later in the year on the superb Lost Map Records [Tuff Love Pictish Trail, Rozi Plain, Kid Canaveral, eagleowl, Seamus Forgerty etc]. They play the Electric Fields Festival on April 29th too. (Have a look at the line up!) If you’re in Glasgow, check out their incredibly popular anti-dancing night for dancing -I Can’t Dance To This Music Anymore.
If you just fancy a holiday, look up the original Randolph’s Leap and you’ll find a wonderful place.
So Randolph’s Leap is the place where Randolph Lept right?
…I’ve no idea! Let’s stop asking questions and let’s just enjoy the music and the scenery.
While we do, here’s the full band. Gorgeous!