Start for Eleven: Hen Hoose x Clare Grogan

The Skinny: Before you tackle the Hen Hoose collective's quiz, how has life been since releasing new music in 2022?
Clare Grogan: Releasing mascara streakz was honestly a monumental moment in my life. I’m forever grateful to the people that help make that happen. Getting in the charts again was funny, exciting and very satisfying. Altered Images are such a big part of my life, it’s a lot of hard work at times but so great to have a job you love. My band now are all based in Glasgow so I love that my relationship with Glasgow is still very much music-related.

Do you have plans for more music in the future?
Grogan: I will do another Altered Images album. It's already forming in my head and at some point I’ll get it together. Also I’ve been writing with my friend Bernard Butler and hopefully we can make something of that.

You’re playing as part of Pop Mutations’ fundraiser for Tiny Changes next month - what can people expect from a live Altered Images performance in 2025?
Grogan: We’re playing The Glad Cafe, so I’m really looking forward to the intimacy of that venue. I always say music is my therapy so it just feels like a really good thing to do. I love the idea of a bunch of bands playing across Glasgow that night united in our support for such a special charity. An evening of collective healing with a big bold soundtrack attached!

Alright, it's time for the quiz as set by Hen Hoose.

Q1 – Emma Pollock: Which Bond film did Shirley Manson’s Garbage perform the theme tune for?
Grogan: The World Is Not Enough. I do love Pierce Brosnan, however he's not my favourite Bond, that would be Sean. I adore Shirley! I remember not being able to take my eyes off her the first time I saw her perform with Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, the admiration has lived on since then. I love Garbage.
Answer: The World is Not Enough [1 point]

Q2 – Inge Thomson: Happy Birthday made it to no 2 on the UK pop charts on 31 October 1981 - it was kept off the top spot (ironically) by which song?
Grogan: I know I should know the answer to this but I never remember - obviously blocked it out. It was a crazy time, on one level I took it all in my stride because so much was happening for me at the time and on another it was a real mix of excitement and fear. I remember wearing an outfit of my big sister Kathleen’s on my first TOTP, it took some persuading.
Answer: Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin - It’s My Party [0 points]

Q3 - Frances McKee: How many times has the Vaselines played the Barrowlands and who did they support?
Grogan: I’m so sorry Frances but I don’t know the answer to this. I know Nirvana were huge fans and I remember listening to Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam over and over again.
Answer: Twice, supporting The Jesus and Mary Chain and Mogwai [0 points]

Q4 - Carla J Easton: Which iconic girl band released Young At Heart one year before it became a hit for The Bluebells?
Grogan: Bananarama! Actually there was a really interesting piece in The Guardian recently about how the song came about. They interviewed Robert and Siobhan, it was very funny. I still play shows with Bananarama… we opened for them at Edinburgh Castle a couple of years ago and it was a truly magical night and of course I adore The Bluebells – I love writing songs with Robert.
Answer: Bananarama [1 point]

Q5 - Amandah Wilkinson: Which female-fronted Scottish band has sold the most records?
Grogan: Strawberry Switchblade? Somebody recently sent me a clip from a morning TV show that we were both on the sofa for, as you can imagine it was really silly and we went full on Glasgow accent - so happy at the time to be with fellow Scots, it was a rare occurrence. I loved them, I loved their version of Jolene. I saw Jill at my friend Angela Hogg’s party recently and it was so great to see her… Jackie from Sophisticated Boom Boom was also there. I so regret we didn’t all get a picture taken together. It was magical being in the same room as them.
Answer: Eurythmics [0 points]

Hen Hoose. Image: Siggy Stansfield

Q6 - SHEARS: According to an interview in The Standard, if Annie Lennox could be any animal what would she be?
Grogan: This is a tricky one, no clue what she said at the time… but she does have a song called Little Bird I think, so maybe a bird. I personally think she is a Lioness of a woman. Always feels like she is doing it all on her own terms which believe me isn’t easy. I have a huge amount of respect for her.
Answer: A wild bird [1 point]

Q7 - MALKA: In 2022 you took a seat on the BBC 6music roundtable. One of the songs played that week (Carbon Copy) was by none other than our very own hen, SHEARS. What score did you give it out of 10?
Grogan: Oh dear, in very shaky territory here as I have the memory of a sieve at the moment. I really have no clue, is what I’m saying… I do remember Simon Raymonde from The Cocteau Twins being the other panellist and it was great chatting with him… I think he must have distracted me! I do think though when I’m asked to do stuff like this I always look for the positive.
Answer: 8/10 [0 points]

Q8 - Carla J Easton: In the last 70 years, which band from Scotland is the only girl band to have a Top 10 hit?
Grogan: Oh dear, so this is the Strawberry Switchblade question…Yikes! So question five was now obviously about the Eurythmics. Gosh what phenomenal success they have had, just great pop songs, absolutely loved Annie’s androgynous look. The Church studios where they recorded is around the corner from my house in London and my husband Stephen often worked there too, so he was quite friendly with Dave.
Answer: Strawberry Switchblade [1 point + 1 point for Q5 Eurythmics]

Q9 - Inge Thomson: Altered Images recorded three John Peel Sessions, with two recorded in 1981. Which other Scottish post-punk band recorded two sessions that same year?
Grogan: I still talk about John on stage, we so wanted him to like us and he did. I remember going to Maida Vale to record and honestly it was the most BBC building ever – the live room was like a church almost, all very reverential, and there were we blasting out Dead Pop Stars. The sessions really helped spread the word about us. I remember around the same time listening to Peel Sessions from Simple Minds, The Scars, The Fire Engines, Orange Juice, all bands I loved, but no idea who also did two sessions in 1981! I think I’m going to start keeping a journal after this experience.
Answer: The Fire Engines [½ point]

Q10 - Carla J Easton: To perfect her football skills in Gregory's Girl, which football club did Dee Hepburn train with?
Grogan: Yaay, I know the answer to this, it was Partick Thistle FC. I could write a book about Gregory’s Girl and all the experiences I’ve had related to making the film. It was only after the film was made that I realised just how hard Dee trained. She is a very lovely woman, we still see each other occasionally and Gordon married one of my closest friends Shauna. Anyone that knows me knows I’m a Celtic fan, I trained with them once and I even got to sing on the pitch before a European match a few years back. My biggest audience to date - 60,000 people.
Answer: Partick Thistle FC [1 point]

Q11 - MALKA: What job did Sharleen Spiteri have before becoming a musician?
Grogan: She was a hairdresser and a rather fabulous one. I love Sharleen, we go back a long way. I have sung with her on stage a couple of times (once at the Royal Albert Hall) and it’s a very special thing to get to do. We have very different voices but they blend really nicely. Also Johnny McElhone was [the bassist] in Altered Images so we’re all connected. They invited me to sing on their track Look What You’ve Done which we recorded in the middle of the pandemic at Johnny’s house in his kitchen. I was actually quite nervous at the time, but I love that I got to have that moment.
Answer: Hairdresser [1 point]

Total Score: 7.5/11 - not bad at all!

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As part of Pop Mutations' Tiny Changes fundraiser on 18 Oct, Altered Images play The Glad Cafe and Hen Hoose take over The Old Hairdresser's
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