May is looking like a good month for fans of Scottish music in Brazil. Camera Obscura will be there on the 27th and 28th and Glasgow’s Trembling Bells have just announced a couple of gigs in Ribeirão Preto and Sao Paolo. Details as always on the Scotland on Tour page. More on Trembling Bells below:

Prior to this year’s South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Trembling Bells’ Alex Neilson spoke to Dear Scotland about his secret fondness of Deacon Blue and being Scottish abroad (although technically he was born in England).

Dear Scotland: Do you feel more Scottish when you are abroad, or do you adapt well to new places? Anything you miss about Scotland?


Alex Neilson, Trembling Bells: I do feel quite Scottish when I am abroad. I usually play up the Scottish thing rather then let on that I was actually born in England, so people don’t start hating me quite so quickly. I also have a love of Scotch whiskey so try to find that while I am oot n aboot. Though I am a seasoned traveller and can usually adapt quite quickly, using my scant grasp of foreign languages that makes Del Boy look like Vladamir Nabakov.

Dear Scotland: How do people react when they discover that Trembling Bells are Scottish?


Alex Neilson, Trembling Bells: People usually smile a little nervously then surreptitiously check their pockets to see if their wallets and car keys are still there.


Dear Scotland: Are there any Scottish musicians, past or present, that have influenced you?


Alex Neilson, Trembling Bells: My favourite Scottish band are Deacon Blue. They get a bad rap but I think Fellow Hoodlums is a glorious album and I have always wanted to cover ‘Your Swaying Arms’. I also really like a lot of Scottish traditional singers such as Jeannie Robertson, Davie Stewart and Alasdair Roberts. There is a Glasgow band playing out at the moment called Hidden Masters that I like alot.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0QpgAvalxc

Interview with Dear Scotland, March 10, 2010

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Video of Trembling Bells at South by Southwest (at 4:10)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxQ4ZZ_Pf3w

www.myspace.com/tremblingbells

Photo Credit: Me