The Happy Sacks
The Happy Sacks were formed a while ago then played a few gigs as a cover band and split up but now I'm using it to describe a loose collection of friends who play together and record and perform at the Glasgow Songwriters club www.glasgowsongwriters.org.uk/neilglen/index.shtml
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
started playing guitar at the age of about 14 because i had seen a band at a gig and i thought they were pretty cool....... formed a small band with a guitarist a bassist a clarinet player a violinist and a flottist......played at the church hall..... also started trying to piece bits of music together at this stage
when i left school all i really wanted to do was play but i was persauded to go to university to study engineering in Edinburgh as a kind of backup plan...... of course as my heart wasnt in it i didnt do too well and dropped out at the end of second year......however during this time i helped form a band called "standard issue" and made my first recordings of my own songs
returning to glasgow with tail between legs i got a job in a petrol station and then left that for a job in a small electronics company..... where i learnt a lot more about electronics than i did at uni.....also did an HNC at stow college.....hey this is turning into a bit of a cv
i dont know if this is the sort of thing people wasnt to read about but anyway after that i was asked to join a band called glass which was a performing cover band playing in pubs in glasgow.....it was great fun and we started recording and writing but then a big argument after a gig caused the band to split up..... and so i was in the musical wilderness again
still writing i helped form a second cover band "the happy sacks" with a friend stevie from glass......we tried hard to get gigs and recorded a demo but after two years with only 5 gigs we decided to give it a rest
since then i have been mainly playing on my own and with simon woolcot on bass and i have been concentrating on writing and recording my own material
i also am a street performer when cash reserves are low and i have recently made two trips to sweden where i supported myself by busking and selling cds in the street
at present i am working on an album which will be mainly my own songs and i have just released a cd single of tracks which i have been recording for the album
anyhow thanks for your intrest and i hope you enjoy the music......
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
we used to play all over the place but now its all original material and its played in drummonds pub in Glasgow on tuesday nights
Your musical influences
nude sex britney banana (only kidding but youve got to get listed in search engines somehow) em I suppose it would have to be World Party, Del Amitri, Counting Crows, Crowded House, Gin Blossoms, that kinna melodic rock vibe that i aspire to.
What equipment do you use?
hands legs arms brain (sometimes) a guitar, my voice, recording equipment, golf clubs (on some tracks)
Anything else?
still working on new tracks for the album ..... i know its been a while but it will be finished eventually.....moof went and got a job so cant record during the day but hopefully hell be sacked soom :) ..... about half way through writing new track dont know what its called yet .....any suggestions email me....
