SongVault Artist Profile

A past musical life found the Filthy Tongues working with Debbie Harry, Shirley Manson, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, and even The Ramones. The present returned them to their native Scotland, fashioning dark surf punk riffs in Leith rehearsal rooms.

Derek Kelly, Fin Wilson and Martin Metcalfe sold out legendary venues such as the Glasgow Barrowland and toured America coast to coast as part of Goodbye Mr Mackenzie and Angelfish.

When Butch Vig came calling to invite Shirley Manson to join Garbage, they withdrew and regrouped. Not interested in resting on a legacy - The List magazine said: “They’ve left the most interesting musical footprint of any Scottish band ever,” - they plan to stomp their authority on the live rock landscape all over again.

Stacey Chavis was asked more times than she cares to remember to join bands back home in Portland Oregon, but all offers were refused.

But after moving to the UK, she met and could not refuse The Filthy Tongues, realising she was destined to be their Isa (allegedly after Isobel Goudie, the last witch to be executed in Scotland, immortalised by the immortal Alex Harvey). Stacey is one of the most beguiling performers ever to wrap a microphone cable round her wrist while her boys lay down a brooding beat.

Recordings were made, demos played by Radio 1, and expectations were high. Addiction the debut record was made album of the week by Jim Gellatly on XFM Scotland, a session went down a storm, and anticipation ran even higher after a crowd pleasing opening slot for Killing Joke at the Glasgow ABC and a roof raising show at Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire.

Tragedy struck last summer with the unexpected illness and sudden death of Stacey’s mother on the eve of the originalrelease date, and she had to return home to the U.S. for weeks at a time to deal with family affairs. Unavoidably promotional activity had to be put on hold.

With equal resourcefulness, The Filthy Tongues performed three songs sans Isa for a February 14th special for BBC Radio Scotland’s Radio Café programme, including a dark new Metcalfe tune, Black Valentine.

Almost a year on, the album, ADDICATION is released (May 2007), Isa And The Filthy Tongues are back throwing shapes like the house band in a yet to be released David Lynch movie.

XFM Scotland - FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK
RADIO INDIE POP, NEW YORK, USA - FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK
BBC RADIO ONE (Rob da Bank) - 'like the Pixies on Mogadon, fantastic'.

Visit their myspace - http://www.myspace.com/thefilthytongues to see the video for Education and other visual delights.

Isa And The Filthy Tongues are, Derek Kelly (drums), Fin Wilson (bass), Stacey Chavis (voice) and Martin Metcalfe (guitar).