Alan Reed on the importance of keeping your band well fed

(Image credit: Future)

“A hungry band is not a happy band, and I’ve discovered I can keep the whinging down to manageable levels if I feed them from time to time. It’s also a good opportunity for a post-gig debrief and I can butter them up a bit before handing out the usual fines for inappropriate note and timing choices.

Being Scottish, a healthy fried breakfast is a tradition I was brought up with. I know other parts of the UK have their own versions, but Scotland (as ever) has its own particular vision.”

Ingredients (serves a band):

Eggs, bacon, pork sausage, lorne sausage, black pudding, fruit pudding, white pudding, haggis, potato scone, scones.

Prepartion

“The key to this is meat – lots of it – and particularly lorne sausage. For those who’ve not come across this, it’s a mixture of ground pork and beef formed into square slices, so you can avoid any Spinal Tap ‘doesn’t fit on the bread’ issues. To this, add the usual bacon, pork sausages (known as ‘links’) and fried egg.

The other area where a Scottish fry-up differs is in the quantity and variation of its accompaniments. Black pudding will be joined by its Scottish cousin, fruit pudding, which is a sort of suet and sultana-based concoction that tastes wonderful fried. There’s also white pudding. It’s similar to black pudding but without the blood. Haggis, cut into small slices, may also feature.

The tattie scone – a flat, floury bread made of potato flour – is especially great at soaking up leftover fat, and is usually cooked last for that reason. Normal scones (with or without sultanas) can be substituted or added if available, or white bread – again cooked towards the end to soak up leftover fat. Needless to say, all of this is shallow fried. The more health-conscious may choose to grill some of the meat, but I’d argue against this. Serve with toast, fruit juice (if you really have to), tea or Irn-Bru – a ‘wee voddy’ (if it’s been a particularly heavy night) may be appropriate.”

Jo is a journalist, podcaster, event host and music industry lecturer who joined Kerrang! in 1999 and then the dark side – Prog – a decade later as Deputy Editor. Jo's had tea with Robert Fripp, touched Ian Anderson's favourite flute (!) and asked Suzi Quatro what one wears under a leather catsuit. Jo is now Associate Editor of Prog, and a regular contributor to Classic Rock. She continues to spread the experimental and psychedelic music-based word amid unsuspecting students at BIMM Institute London and can be occasionally heard polluting the BBC Radio airwaves as a pop and rock pundit. Steven Wilson still owes her £3, which he borrowed to pay for parking before a King Crimson show in Aylesbury.