New Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5 single on Lanarkshire label has hallmarks of a summer anthem
Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5 have released their first new music in four years on Coatbridge-based label Button Up Records.
The new single Wild Flowers comes hot on the heels of their fantastic performance supporting legendary reggae band UB40.
Wild Flowers, which features Dumfries Community Choir, has the hallmarks of a feelgood summer anthem and is quite unlike anything the music collective has produced before.
Frontman, John (McAlinden) McMustard who is from Moodiesburn, explained: 'It's about appreciating the little and exciting things in life, wild flowers, summer strangers , simple pleasures and buried treasure and of course love.
'It came about from the Sunday Songwriting group I was part of a few years ago, the challenge initially was to write a haiku. So the first three lines are from the Japanese poetry tradition. I love the simplicity, five syllables, then seven syllables, then five syllables about nature and not rhyming. I think Wild Flowers has under 40 words. I love the simplicity of that.
'The message is universal and simple 'live your life for love'. Just a shame these thoughts or messages never seem to reach our politicians.
'We might be entering our classic rock phase, although next single might easily be a happy hardcore tune.
'The Dumfries Community Choir collaboration came about from Eden Fest a few years ago when I left a comment after seeing them do a brilliant 90s indie rock 'n' roll set with Bittersweet Symphony and Supergrass's Pumping on Your Stereo. They saw the comment and said they are big Colonel Mustard fans and would love to do something in the future.
'It feels like a special song and I hope the 6th Dijon Yellow Movement and folk that don't know the band feel the same way when they hear it.'
Colonel Mustard & the Dijon 5 have a busy schedule over the summer playing a host of festivals and venues across the country, including Belladrum where Supergrass are also on the bill.
"We're bringing out a CD EP with Wild Flowers and some B-sides on Aigust 1, which will include a new song 'Be Good To Yourself' featuring Mary Kiani to tie in with our Belladrum Festival performance," said John.
They recently won over an initially sceptical crowd in Falkirk as support for UB40.
'It was brilliant,' said John. 'When we started we could see some of the older guys with their arms crossed thinking, 'who are these yellow sparkly, silly hat dafties'.
'Once we played Bouncy Ball and Cross the Road, our more ska and reggae influenced songs, you could see the heads and shoulders going and by the end and from the cheers it felt like we won over a massive new fanbase, which was a really enjoyable experience as its rare we get a big support slot.
'We're still getting lovely comments from new fans weeks later. We were really grateful for the massive opportunity.'
John is particularly looking forward to watching another band perform again this summer, the first band he ever saw live – Oasis.
He revealed: 'I'm taking my oldest boy John to see them in Edinburgh for his birthday, he'll be 16 , same age I was when I first saw them at Barrowland Ballroom in December 1994.
'Come to think of it maybe there's a wee Oasis vibe in the mix in Wild Flowers. The wheel has come full circle.'
The band will be back at Barrowland on Sunday, August 31 performing at a fundraiser for Marie Curie and the Beatson in honour of friend John 'Soapy' Soutar who died in May this year.
John added: Soapy was a true champion of underground bands including Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5, Mickey 9s, the Girobabies, Filthy Tongues and the Twistettes, as well as a member of the James fanclub.
'Each band is going to play a James cover on the night and it's going to be hosted by Still Game legend Gavin Mitchell with a DJ set by Phil Jupitus.'
Garry John Kane of Button Up Records said: 'I love working with John and the band. It's a good relationship. They're also a great live band and I never get bored watching them. They're a joy.'
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