John Douglas - Johnsburgh, Illinois
Revered Scottish songsmith John Douglas of Trashcan Sinatras fame presents 'Johnsburgh, Illinois', the latest offering from his new 'Still Or Sparkling EP', released via Reveal Records.
This has been a very busy year for Douglas, with highlights including headlining tours of the UK and North America (with select shows involving Trashcan Sinatras' Frank Reader and Paul Livingston), the UK Top-40 charting of Trashcan Sinatras' 'Cake' reissue (33 years since its initial release), and a Trashcan Sinatras documentary, produced by award-winning journalist Ken Sweeney, which featured Douglas' acoustic performance of beloved Trashcans' songs.
"I first heard this Tom Waits song in the early 80s and I read that the recently-married Tom had written it about his wife. I was a lonesome, single young fella at the time and I yearned to find a love that inspirational. Eventually I found my girl and I sing this song for her… ‘She’s my true love and I’m her only boy’", says John Douglas.
About the video, he shares, "I was visiting a sculptor friend, who worked in what used to be an old school. The reverb from the old brick stairwell was spookily magical. I had my guitar outside in my car, so I grabbed it and sang this on the stairs when my sculptor friend downed his tools for lunch."
With his own love story involving none other than Eddi Reader of Fairground Attraction, now his wife and also a solo artist in her own right), everything has come full circle, with Reader also contributing back vocals and accordion on this EP.
Earlier, Douglas shared the lead single 'Still Or Sparkling?', evoking the early days of any relationship…. the getting to know each other phase, flirtatious and light, in which he also name-checks the unlikely trio of Shirley Collins, Annie Briggs and Michelangelo, noting "This is a new song of new love… the fresh, early days. Inspired by a late night date with my future wife, spent listening to folk records, eating figs and getting to know each other."
Following up his eponymous debut album, released in 2023 and produced by Mark Freegard (New Model Army, Lush, The Breeders, Del Amitri, Marillion), this new EP maintains a natural 'no overdubs' approach and also involves Boo Hewerdine (The Bible), Kevin Mcguire and Alan Kelly, all members of Eddi Reader's Band. This EP also features Douglas' rendition of the Van Morrison classic 'Across The Bridge Where Angels Dwell'.
Douglas also recently shared his version of 'Weightlifting' for the 20th anniversary of Trashcan Sinatras' album by that name, preceded by endearing videos for 'Oranges & Apples', 'I Just Want To Go Home', 'Lost', 'I'm Not The Fella', 'Always' and 'Leave Me Alone'.
The 'Still or Sparkling?' EP is out now, available from fine online platforms, including Bandcamp. Douglas will next perform on January 17 at Glasgow's Cottiers Theatre for the prestigious Celtic Connections Festival.
