John Douglas ○ Johnsburgh, Illinois

Revered Scottish songsmith John Douglas of Trashcan Sinatras fame presents 'Johnsburgh, Illinois', the latest offering from his new 'Still Or Sparkling EP', released via Reveal Records. 

This has been a very busy year for Douglas, with highlights including headlining tours of the UK and North America (with select shows involving Trashcan Sinatras' Frank Reader and Paul Livingston), the UK Top-40 charting of Trashcan Sinatras' 'Cake' reissue (33 years since its initial release), and a Trashcan Sinatras documentary, produced by award-winning journalist Ken Sweeney, which featured Douglas' acoustic performance of beloved Trashcans' songs.

"I first heard this Tom Waits song in the early 80s and I read that the recently-married Tom had written it about his wife. I was a lonesome, single young fella at the time and I yearned to find a love that inspirational. Eventually I found my girl and I sing this song for her… ‘She’s my true love and I’m her only boy’", says John Douglas.  

About the video, he shares, "I was visiting a sculptor friend, who worked in what used to be an old school. The reverb from the old brick stairwell was spookily magical. I had my guitar outside in my car, so I grabbed it and sang this on the stairs when my sculptor friend downed his tools for lunch."

With his own love story involving none other than Eddi Reader of Fairground Attraction, now his wife and also a solo artist in her own right), everything has come full circle, with Reader also contributing back vocals and accordion on this EP.