Eugene Kelly released his first-ever solo album, "Man Alive," in December. So far, it's only available in Japan, which isn't unusual. Japanese record companies are famous for taking chances on unknown artists no one else is interested in. But Kelly isn't exactly an unknown artist. He was part of the legendary Scottish band The Vaselines, Kurt Cobain's favorite group, and he's been called the godfather of the Glasgow rock scene that produced Belle & Sebastian, Teenage Fanclub, Snow Patrol, and lots of others. It's hardly surprising that Japan would bite, but why hasn't anyone else?
"I'm trying to get other people to listen to it, but I guess I'm not trying hard enough," Kelly says over the phone from his home in Glasgow. "I sent it to some small labels in America. I haven't really even tried to release it here." Is that because he's too busy?
"No, just lazy," he admits matter-of-factly. "I don't have a manager and I deal with everything myself. I just sent it out and hoped for the best and didn't get any replies, except for P-Vine in Japan."