Dumb Instrument speak up in Inverness

Ayrshire band Dumb Instrument will be joining more local acts in helping artist and musician Don Jack celebrate an exhibition of his art and homemade musical instruments at IG:LU at 19 Church Street, Inverness.

Comprising pianist/keyboard player Mikey Grant, bassist Kieron Campbell and vocalist Tom Murray, Dumb Instrument have been described as "Michael Marra having a pint in the snug bar with Ivor Cutler".

Both Dumb Instrument and Don Jack's musical partnership with music promoter, broadaster and tea-chest virtuoso Rob Ellen, The Slim Panatellas, appeared on Potting Shed Stage at this year’s Belladrum Festival and The Slims later made the journey south to open up for Dumb Instrument at their CD launch at Glasgow’s Oran Mor.

In 2012 Dumb Instrument won the Billy Kelly Songwriting Award and released a single, Suffering From Scottishness, which IG:LU has borrowed as the title of their IG:LU show on Friday.

Dumb Instrument’s Tom Murray gave a quick insight into the band’s surreal world.

Do you suffer from Scottishness?

Of course, doesn’t everyone?

How would you describe the sound of Dumb Instrument to someone who has never encountered the band before?

Gilbert O’Sullivan hit with a frying pan containing square sausage.

How did Dumb Instrument get together?

I was writing songs in a bit of a vacuum, didn’t know what to do with them. Was very keen to try them out with a band and was mixing some music at a studio in Glasgow when the chap who ran the place told me he knew a great piano player who worked part time at a shop called Private Lines just along the road. I dropped in, Mikey was behind the counter, Dumb Instrument was born.

You are very proudly an Ayrshire band. Is there a feeling that, in terms of music and other areas, the county can be overshadowed by the big metropolis up the road?

Not really, although we come from Ayrshire it’s only half an hour to Glasgow and the city has many advantages over the country. I would love for Black Sabbath to come and play in West Kilbride community hall during their tour in December, but it kind of makes sense financially that they play a venue that can hold a lot of people.

Among other comparisons, the band has been likened to the late great surrealist poet and humourist Ivan Cutler. Was he an influence?

To be likened to Ivor Cutler is a great honour! Don’t know if he is an influence — the fact he got chucked out of the RAF being too dreamy I find inspirational, so maybe he is.

You are a distinctly Scottish band. How have you been received by audiences and listeners outside Scotland?

We played a wee show at Dougie MacLean’s Perthshire Amber Festival at Pitlochry and the members of the audience who liked us most were a bunch of Dutch tourists. They definitely got it... They rated our song Reverse The Hearse, and I suppose that has a universal theme. "You must come and play in Amsterdam!" they said. Would love to!

• Don Jack’s IG:LU exhibition is open to the public, however, because of limited seating space, anyone planning to attend evening events is asked to visit the website at http://entry.theig.lu/ and add their name to the waiting list.

Friday 1st November 7.30pm, Suffering From Scottishness with Dumb Instrument and The Slim Panatellas. Entry by donation, £8 recommended).

Sunday 3rd November 2pm, Oldtimey bluegrass sessions an concert with Red Blues and Friends. Entry by donation, £5 recommended.

Saturday 9th November 7.30pm, The Federals, Emma Mitchell Band, and The Slim Panatellas plus special guest and compere Fash Stewart.

Entry by donation £5.

Sunday 10th November 2pm, The hand-made hokum ho-down. Free. All welcome — bring your instrument but also bring a weird one too, or a homemade piece, such as Sewanee whistles, washboards, Kazoos, bones, spoons, paper and combs.