Cult Scottish rockers Goodbye Mr MacKenzie have announced a reunion with a select run of tour dates to celebrate the 30th anniversery of their hit debut album 'Good Deeds And Dirty Rags.' The group formed in the early 80s in Bathgate, Central Scotland and released a number of independant singles before issuing their full length debut on Capitol Records in 1989.

The album entered the UK Album Charts at number 16 and contained the singles The Rattler (#8 UK Indie Chart, #37 UK Chart) and Open Your Arms (#92 UK Chart) and Goodwill City (#49 UK Chart). The line-up during their commercial peak consisted of Martin Metcalfe on vocals, John Duncan on guitar, Fin Wilson on bass guitar, Shirley Manson and Rona Scobie on keyboards and backing vocals, and Derek Kelly on drums.

Still beloved for their down-to-earth lyrics, musical versatility and soaring melodies the band split in 1993 after record label conflicts played a part in their failure to break big outside the UK. Manson, Metcalfe, Wilson and Kelly formed Angelfish shortly after before Manson then left in 1994 for superstardom as lead singer of Garbage.

Goodbye Mr MacKenzie played their final show in 1995, but frontman Martin Metcalfe has remained prolific since with a number of bands and solo albums. Most notably he formed Isa & The Filthy Tongues with former MacKenzie members Derek Kelly and Fin Wilson. An offshoot of that group continues to this day, now known simply as The Filthy Tongues.

Goodbye Mr MacKenzie have now announced their return for three Scottish shows during which they will play their debut album in it's entirety as well as 'perhaps a few extra little treats and surprises.' The first of the shows will take place at The Garage in Glasgow - the same venue where the band ended their run back in the 90's.

The group had this to say: “The band is very happy to announce we are reforming to perform Goodbye Mr Mackenzie's Good Deeds and Dirty Rags UK chart album in its entirety. This album was a very important part of our lives and we’re looking forward to doing it justice on stage again’’

Watch the video for The Rattler here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F23SoNYjEwI

The tour dates are as follows:

GLASGOW, THE GARAGE WEDNESDAY 22 MAY

ABERDEEN, THE LEMON TREE THURSDAY 23 MAY

EDINBURGH, LIQUID ROOMS SATURDAY 25 MAY

Tickets go on sale Friday 22nd February at 9am.

For tickets visit: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/artist/5294135

For more info sign up to http://martinmetcalfe.com/#newsletter
Or visit: https://www.facebook.com/GoodbyeMrMackenzie/

Author: Cameron Arndt

Cameron Arndt is a musician and freelance writer from Glasgow, Scotland. He writes for his own music review website (www.rockandrolltraffic.com) and also contributes to Music Talkers.