Pauline McLean
BBC Scotland Arts Correspondent
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Raymond Meade, who has performed with Ocean Color Scene, was once identified with MS in 2021
Like maximum folks, guitarist Raymond Meade had a gradual and quiet summer time in 2021.
The pandemic had put a forestall to are living traveling with Ocean Color Scene, with whom he had performed since 2016.
And with out recording studios, he was once not able to proceed together with his a success solo occupation.
However there was once an extra barrier for the bassist, who has been taking part in since he was once in class.
“I might began to get those actually intense pins and needles in my fingers. It was once like throwing a snowball after which operating your fingers below sizzling water afterwards. It is actually painful and sizzling.”
“After which it unfold to my ft.”
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Raymond (a ways proper) has performed with Ocean Color Scene since 2013.
In August that yr, he was once identified with more than one sclerosis (MS) which impacts the central anxious machine.
“It was once nearly a reduction to have the analysis as it allowed me to make the vital changes and get on with my lifestyles.”
However he was once additionally involved that his skilled occupation may well be over.
“The day they instructed me I had MS, I believed I used to be carried out. I wasn’t even 40 at that time and I believed I might must promote my guitars and to find every other technique to make a dwelling.
“However the neurologist mentioned, ‘Give it time’.”
Inside of two months, he was once on a brand new remedy, and in a position to go away sanatorium.
Ocean Color Scene had simply introduced their first excursion in nearly two years – and Meade was once prepared to be a part of it.
“My fingers did not paintings. I could not tie my laces. I could not do a zipper up – I used to be shedding the entirety.
“To have one thing to try for was once necessary.”
He known as the opposite band individuals – Simon Fowler, Steve Cradock and Oscar Harrison – and instructed them what had took place.
‘Outpouring of emotion’
“I mentioned I used to be conscious that I may no longer get again to the extent of with the ability to carry out are living, however they only mentioned ‘Get have compatibility, see you in December’.”
The gig within the band’s house town of Birmingham was once an emotional one, for them and the target audience.
However Meade was once simply concerned about getting during the set.
“I had a stool hidden at the back of an amp and I believed if I will get via this with out sitting down, I’m going to be doing adequate.
In any case I did not want it. And there was once this outpouring of emotion. It was once this sort of horrible time and it was once a unencumber to get again to taking part in are living tune.”
“All of us had a hug once we got here off level.”
Having returned to are living traveling, Meade had any other problem to stand. Making his personal tune.
“I could not dangle a pen – this means that I will’t do my crossword both. My head was once simply scrambled with an excessive amount of data. I made the error of googling MS and I used to be simply swamped with data.
“The item to keep in mind is that nobody – with my mind – has ever had this prior to so I had to to find out what is proper for me.”
Raymond Meade
Raymond made it to the OCS gig in Birmingham and admits it was once “emotional”
He began to coach his mind with video games like chess, and slowly the songwriting skills returned.
The result’s his first new unmarried since his analysis, Holy Water, which has been launched on Alan McGee’s new label Advent Adolescence.
For a boy who grew up within the southside of Glasgow, idolising Oasis, and later ran Liam Gallagher’s garments label Lovely Inexperienced, it was once a dream second.
“I used to ship him demo cassettes. It is a complete circle second. And to be writing once more and to have that tune launched by means of Alan McGee supposed the entirety.”
“I might by no means idea I might get again to taking part in with the band and writing my very own tune, with the ability to document it and being at a degree that Alan McGee reveals it worthy of liberating.”
This week he and the remainder of Ocean Color Scene kick off their newest excursion in Leeds. The band whose hits come with The Riverboat Tune and The Day We Stuck the Teach will play two dates at Glasgow’s 02 Academy on 15 and 16 April.
Some other dream come true for the boy who noticed the band as an adolescent on the Glasgow Barrowlands.
Raymond Meade
Raymond has launched his first unmarried since his analysis – Holy Water
And he is making plans it sparsely.
“My neurologist mentioned you want to suppose while you get up that you’ve an allocation of power tokens and watch out how you employ them. I am a professional napper. If I am doing one thing within the night, I lay off within the day to stability the fatigue. It is manageable.”
“I discovered that the actress Jamie Linn Sigler from the Sopranos had MS all through the display. It did not forestall her. I am getting enthusiasts bobbing up always to mention their mum, or their uncle has MS.
“I wish to be an instance that it is not the top in the event you get it. It is manageable. Lean at the MS nurses. You’ll raise on together with your lifestyles. You’ll nonetheless be you.”
