Anster chippy gets nod of approval from Michelin Star chefs

By Alexander Lawrie & Rory Reynolds

SCOTLAND’S most famous chip shop is facing a battle to retain its crown as the best in the business – by a rival situated just yards away.

For years the Anstruther Fish Bar in Fife has been crowned Fish and Chip Shop of the Year – and is the current reigning champion.

But the popular eatery now has a rival vying for its title right on its doorstep after missing out on a prestigious nod from two of the best known chefs in the world.

The Wee Chippy – which sits just yards away – has just been given the accolade of ‘The Best Place in the World to Eat Fish and Chips’ as voted by Michelin Star chefs Raymond Blanc and Michel Roux.

Scots band invent new ‘emotional’ musical instrument

By Alexander Lawrie & Oliver Farrimond

BOY-BANDS could soon become a thing of the past after a Scots group invented a new smart instrument.

Cybraphon could be the next step in the evolution of pop music as it has a working, digital brain with real emotions, and plays music depending on how it feels.

It was created by Found – an avant-garde musical collective and is completely self sufficient.

The Edinburgh-based group teamed up with a university professor to come up with the technology, which is set to go on show during this year’s Edinburgh Arts Festival next month.

Professor Simon Kirby, from Edinburgh University, said that the Cybraphon can feel emotions and is “completely obsessed with its own celebrity”.

DJ Ian is C-Rankin up the volume

Michael MacLeod

SCOTLAND’S top crime writer swapped books for banging beats as he took to the DJ decks last night.

Ian Rankin wrote a new chapter in his career and proved himself to be a dab-hand on the DJ decks at a club night in Edinburgh.

In true inspector Rebus fashion, he uncovered some hidden gems from his record collection, churning out classics by The Cure and Iggy Pop.

But his real reason for twiddling the turntables was to shine a light on his favourite new Scottish band, St Jude’s Infirmary.

Hailing from the capital, the relatively unknown act joined the multi-million selling Rankin in Edinburgh’s tiny Cabaret Voltaire, rocking the cave-like venue into the wee small hours of Friday morning.

Rankin, a self-confessed music buff with “thousands upon thousands of records in my office at home”, had four hours worth of tunes lined up for the masses.

But he had his DJ set brought to a premature end around 3am when the club closed.

He said: “I made a joke on the night that last time I DJ’d was at the YWCA in Cowdenbeath in 1977 – and I was still playing some of the same tunes!

“When St Jude’s first asked me to DJ, I thought it would be a small-scale thing at the private party after the gig.

“Then it dawned that it was being widely advertised.

“I selected about four hours of tunes, better safe than sorry, but in the end, didn’t use any of the slow and moody stuff and was pleasantly surprised to find that the old ones still got people up on their toes.”

As well as classics by The Rolling Stones, Iggy Pop’s Passenger and Close To You by The Cure, the novelist was keen to throw in as many of his home-grown favourite artists as possible.

He also spun out tunes from Edwyn Collins’ recently reunited band Orange Juice, The Skids and Unkle Bob, as well as some ska which had the venue bouncing.

He added: “King Creosote and Pictish Trail were both in my pile of CDs but didn’t get played because there simply wasn’t time to cram it all in.

“I could’ve happily stayed playing songs all night.

“I thought the gig went pretty well, and there was a big name producer in the room who has worked with Oasis, so fingers crossed for a great future for St Judes.”

Saint Jude’s Infirmary were launching their new single Little Sparta, from their forthcoming untitled album.

Rankin collaborated with the band on the album’s last track, the Leith-inspired ‘The Foot of the Walk’, narrating his own lyrics over the music.

The band’s founder, singer and songwriter Grant Campbell, 34, said it was “a dream” having the world famous writer on board,

He said: “Ian is a really sound guy who knows his music.

“He’s an avid music fan and it’s been a dream getting him in.”