Chris Thomson (Friends Again/The Bathers) interview - Bathers, break-ups and bailiffs

<p>Everyone loves a music business survivor – and few have survived the vicissitudes of the exploitative music business quite like this week’s guest.</p><p>Dumped by his friends and former <em><strong>Friends Again</strong></em> bandmates when they decamped to form <em><strong>Love and Money</strong></em> in the mid-80s, Chris Thomson thought he had had weathered that perfect storm with a new Phonogram record deal. Until it was pulled. (The more observant listener may hazard a guess at who <em>may</em> have been behind that particularly ruthless move.)</p><p>Undeterred, he later released several albums as <em><strong>The Bathers </strong></em>- including the implausibly perfect Kelvingrove Baby; all of them signalling the revival of a rare talent; all of them failing to “do the units”. Then came the bailiffs. “They were a couple of friendly bailiffs, lovely, “ he tells me at one point in our interview. </p><p>“Nevertheless, they asked if I had 30 grand in my bank account. I said, ‘I’m overdrawn by about a thousand’.”</p><p>Huge thanks to Chris for this interview. It really is a tale like no other.</p><p>Don't forget you can sign up for the Scotpop newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠<a href="https://scotpop.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> - featuring extended shownotes, behind the scenes info, Scottish music news stories and the best new bands.</p><p>For the latest news on the podcast and music updates, make sure to follow Scotpop on:</p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/allanjglen/?hl=e" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/allan-glen-1228496b/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1615843776347565" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href=" https://x.com/allanglen1" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scotpoppodcast" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠TikTok⁠</a></p><p>https://www.tiktok.com/@scotpoppodcast</p><p>If you have any queries about sponsorship opportunities, you can email me at scotpoppodcast@gmail.com. </p>