Wednesday, 7 February 2018
Win tickets for Horse at the Trades
Friday 16 November, Trades Club
Horse McDonald is making one of her regular visits to the Trades Club and this time she is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of her second album God's Home Movie.
Photo: Cathie Heart
See below for how to win a couple of tickets.
That was the album that made Horse's name as a powerful singer and top quality songwriter. On this silver jubilee tour she will be playing the album in its entirety followed by some classic songs from her rich back catalogue.
"I feel like these songs are my children and I will keep nurturing them," says Horse. "Playing the songs on that album in the original order is a joy for me, and the audience are revisiting an old friend.
"There is a song on the album called Years From Now, with lyrics from Angela McAlinden, and it really upset me as the words talk about 'the years from now we spoke of then have come and gone/what I've done out of fear of being alone.' In that song that was written at least 26 years ago it talks about where I am now, and it is prophetic, and I was just aghast at Angela's phenomenal lyrics."
Horse has been a regular visitor to the Trades Club over the years building a loyal fan base and one that is looking forward to hearing an album that was deleted 15 years ago. Horse has just signed a deal to re-release God's Home Movie on CD and vinyl as some of her younger fans probably don't have a copy.
"I've got different generations coming to see me so I have grandchildren of my fans, which sometimes I think is that something to be proud of, but I am really proud that the music has been passed down.
"What is fantastic is with little or no support from record companies, here I am a quarter of a century later with a really healthy fan base, still creating music, and still touring. In terms of longevity that means much more than chart success. Maybe I have gone into legendary status and I've let go of all that stuff about charts. All this hard work enables me to keep making music which is my drive in life."
Horse was one of the first major label artists to be open about their sexuality at a time in the 1990s when some big name artist were still firmly in the closet. Her fans appreciate that honesty that is typical of an artist who has never been afraid to speak her mind, or use her music to sing about her own experiences.
"I very proud to have come through all the things I've gone through I have, but in saying that I always wanted to be recognised for music, and I always got tagged with cult lesbian singer," recalls Horse. "Even the gay press referred to me as the lesbian singer, which was their tag, and it's not that I didn't want to accept that, but I just wanted to be respected by my peers.
"I still find I'm not respected by my musical peers, particularly men, in the same way for a long period there was this angle that if you were a woman doing music you doing, in inverted commas, women's music.
"Just because you are a woman and you are doing music it doesn't mean you are doing women's music, and it used to drive me bonkers. I just have the view there are so many different styles and genres you basically have to be good at whatever you do."
To help celebrate 25 years of God's Home Movie the Trades Club have given the HebWeb a pair of tickets for the gig on Friday 16 November.
To win a pair of tickets all you have to do is tell us is which Scottish town was Horse born in. Email your answers by 12 noon on Wednesday 14 November.