The Vaselines

14+ (under 16s with an adult)

Happy 40th Anniversary to The Vaselines!

"Wait a minute, didn't The Vaselines break up years ago?"

Yes, The Vaselines did break up in 1989 in the week that their debut album 'Dum Dum' was released.

"So they're getting back together again?"

No, the Vaselines reformed in 2008 and went onto release two more albums, 'Sex With an X' on Sub Pop in 2009 and 'V For Vaselines' on their own label Rosary Music in 2014.

"Are they any good?"

OK, let me tell you everything!

The Vaselines were formed in Glasgow in 1987 by singers/guitarists Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, soon signing to The Pastels frontman Stephen Pastel's 53rd & 3rd label. They released two 12 inch singles 'Son of a Gun' and 'Dying For it' and one album 'Dum Dum'.

Nirvana's Kurt Cobain regularly cited the Vaselines in interviews with the music press and Nirvana would go on to cover the Vaselines' 'Molly's Lips' and 'Son of a Gun' (both later compiled on their Incesticide collection) as well as perform 'Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam' on their legendary MTV Unplugged appearance which went on to introduce the band to a new world wide audience.

Though they were not widely known outside the United Kingdom during their short career, their association with Nirvana brought them exposure, with Kurt Cobain describing Kelly and McKee as his "favourite songwriters in the whole world".

At the 1991 Reading Festival Eugene joined Nirvana onstage for a performance on The Vaselines song 'Molly's Lip's' and in 1992 Sub Pop Records, released 'The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History', a compilation that contained The Vaselines entire body of work at the time.

Although The Vaselines broke up in 1989 both Eugene and Frances continued to write, record and tour. Eugene went on to form Captain America who changed their name to Eugenius when threatened with a lawsuit by Marvel Comics releasing two albums, 'Oomalama' on Fire Record and 'Mary Queen of Scots' on Atlantic Records. Frances resurfaced in The Painkillers then with new band Suckle released the album 'Against Nurture' on Chemical Underground. She released a solo album 'Sunny Moon' in 2006.

The Vaselines reunited proper in 2008 for a charity for Malawi Orphan Support and enjoyed the gig in Glasgow's Mono so much they decided to keep going.

They recorded their second full album Sex With An X which was released on the Seattle label Sub Pop in 2010. This was followed by V for Vaselines in 2014.

The Vaselines begin their 40th anniversary year 2027 with a U.K. tour.

Venue Information and Restoration Levy

Why do we have a restoration levy? Put very simply, our restoration levy is an additional charge added to your ticket price which is directly invested back into the venue. This money is used for critical maintenance, repairs, and preservation efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of the building. As the 3rd oldest church building in Glasgow, dating back to 1836, Saint Luke's requires ongoing care and special restoration to maintain its historic character and facilities. This levy will enable us to fund essential projects that will safeguard the venue's future as a vibrant hub for live music and community events.

If you would like to be kept up to date on progress with how we are using this fund then please follow us on social media @stlukesglasgow, and sign up to our mailing list where we will send out quarterly updates on the improvements that your donations are helping us make.