Shirley Manson – the Scottish flame-haired lead singer of the US band Garbage – talks to Jane Garvey about being plucked from a struggling Edinburgh band in the early 90s to enjoy global stardom in one of the world’s most successful alternative rock groups. She shares the highs and lows of a decade of life as a woman in the music spotlight, and why - after the band finally tore itself apart seven years ago - now aged 45, she’s returned to do it all again with a brand new album. The new Garbage album, Not Your Kind of People, is out now on Stunvolume Continue reading →

Where have all the badges (buttons) gone? In the 1970s and '80s those of us on the political left used to declare our views on bits of metal pinned onto denim and leather, whereas today we have wrist bands and coloured ribbons. Recently we have seen loads of eye-catching slogans on the student demos, such as 'Kettles are for tea, not for students,' and 'Fine, I'll be a stripper then!,' but on placards not coat lapels. Badges make a message so much more intimate. It is difficult to walk into your local shop brandishing a banner with the words, 'This shit wouldn't happen at Hogwarts' (seen at an Occupy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_London demo recently), but you can flash it anywhere on your T-shirt. My mate Rose used ... Continue reading →