A TOP rock artist
enters the Grosvenor Cafe, but nobody is taking much
notice. Perhaps it's because the musician has arrived
unencumbered by entourage or the standard rock god's
ego.
Instead Eugene Kelly shuffles in, cleans his glasses
and politely asks for a mineral water. Liam Gallagher
he certainly ain't.
And yet more people have probably heard Eugene's songs
than ever listened to
the best-selling tunes of Oasis.
All though the west end musician is hardly known in
Britain, he had one very influential fan in America.
Kurt Cobain, the Nirvana front-man, recorded three
songs co-written by Eugene for his band, The
Vaselines. The tunes, Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam,
Molly's Lips and Son oF A Gun, appeared on Nirvana's
best selling Unplugged and
Incesticide albums.
"It was helpful Nirvana decided to record our music,"
says Eugene. "For one thing it gave me some money,
which meant I could make music, and didn't have to get
a regular job.
"It also got the band known in America. It opened
doors for us, and we got signed by Atlantic Records."
Eugene still gets letters from American fans inspired
by his music.
"This one guy crashed his motorbike and spent six
months in bed. To get him through he listened to my
songs. I found it moving he was so affected by my
work."
Since The Vaselines split in the early nineties,
Eugene has worked with many outfits, including Captain
America and Eugenius. He is currently recording under
his own name, and releases an album, Man Alive, in
October.
The 37-year-old has never tasted mega success in his
home country, but that doesn't make him bitter.
"I'm not a fan of celebrity," he says. "It's OK if
you're a 19-year-old guy.
"It's that Scottish thing, to realize how ridiculous
fame is. I could never be like Liam, ranting on about
how great I am. Most Scottish bands know they are good
without having to shout about it."
Copyright 2002 Scottish Media
Newspapers Limited
*Thanks
to Anne Nassar for contributing this article*
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