Edwyn Collins Rips it Up (and Starts Again)

I met up with my friends Carol and Alan this evening to see the mighty Edwyn Collins play a storming gig at the Philharmonic Hall.

For those who don't know - Edwyn's critically lauded (and occasionally even commercially successful!) career as frontman of Orange Juice and as a solo artist seemed to have come to an end when he had two massive brain haemorrhages in 2005 at the age of 45.

The strokes left him paralysed and suffering with aphasia - the inability to use or understand language. But he fought back - and how!

Not only is he now walking, producing beautiful drawings and writing and recording new songs but he's also touring again and is in fine voice.

The show was a hit-strewn joy from start to finish with new material, such as his current single Dilemma, standing up brilliantly against classics including Rip It Up (which he's singing in this photo) and A Girl Like You.

As I headed home with the final chords of Don't Shilly Shally still ringing in my ears, I had a huge grin on my face.

Edwyn Collins - What Presence?!