2024 - Scottish music scene

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to my first blog of 2024.

At the time of writing my blog has been viewed over 971,000 times, so I'd like to thank everyone who has visited and I plan a little event later in the year to mark the 1,000,000 mark! 

The Scottish music scene continues to evolve and thrive with; new artists emerging, world class acts coming to Scotland to play to the best fans in the world, small venues promoting new music, legendary bands continuing to create and inspire and festivals like Glasgoes Pop and Tenement Trail growing and developing.

I'm kicking off my 2024 blogs with a list of things I'm looking forward to over the coming months; new artists, shows, albums, festivals and nights for dancing! Hope to see you along the way.

4 Scottish artists to look out for

Kerr Mercer - This young teenage singer-songwriter has been honing and toning his craft for a few years and during this time he has written hundreds of songs. Now, after a solid six months picking up support slots around Glasgow and Edinburgh, Kerr is ready to step forward for his debut  headline show at the Poetry Club on Friday 19th January. It's sold out and Kerr will be playing King Tuts on 20th March. Equally at home behind a guitar or piano, I'm really looking forward to Kerr's first release. Look out for an introducing blog later this month.

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Homework - see introducing blog from December 23. Homework saw in New Year with a show at Mono alongside Norman Blake. The 4-piece take their Fanclub-y/Pavement-y sound to King Tuts on 27th January. I really love their debut EP and look forward to hearing what they release next.

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Dillon Squire - see introducing blog from June 23. Squire and his band produce guitar pop with a nice raw edge, full of melodies and hooks as demonstrated on songs like Dark Circles and Bulldozer. After a string of releases and well received shows Dillon headlines King Tuts on 20th January and 2024 could be a big year for him.

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The Cords - Teenage duo The Cords (15 and 17) are being mentored by my sister Carla through a course at The Rig Arts Centre in Inverclyde. Eva (guitar and vocals) and Grace (drums) have raided their parents record collection and been inspired to write indie guitar pop songs that have a shyness, innocence and melodic edge that wouldn't be out of place on a C86 or Sarah Records compilation. Hopefully The Cords will release some singles through 2024.

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4 places/nights to get you (and me) dancing

Last year my New Year resolution was to go dancing once a quarter. I probably just about managed that. I intend to dance even more in 2024. It's great for the soul, your mental and physical health and fantastic for socialising. You get to listen to and discover fabulous music ... if you go to the right places.

The Admiral (Woods) 

The Waterloo Street pub kicks off 2024 with their annual Bowie Night on Saturday 20th January. Demand for tickets was high, with the basement section selling out in hours, resulting in owner Dave Ross closing his pub to make it a private Bowie party across both floors! I'm really looking forward to it.

The Admiral also plays host to DJ Gerry Lyons on a regular basis and he has 90's Britpop v 00's electro night on 2nd February. Gerry knows his music and his audience very well and pitches his nights as club nights for really old people. They run from 7.30pm-11.30pm meaning people can catch the last train and let the babysitters away!

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Simply Thrilled

Robert and Hugh who run Simply Thrilled have been putting on nights in the basement of The Admiral Woods, though Robert has promised something different for 2024. Lovely people, with very similar musical taste to me, I am intrigued to learn what they have planned.

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McChuills

Regular readers will know that McChuills is my favourite bar. Andrew Divine and Stevie Elements are just 2 of McChuills regular roster of DJ's with exceptional taste in music. The last time I was in, it was old Nick behind the bar playing tunes and it was brilliant - eclectic and it really got the place going. You can't go wrong with McChuills.

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The Old Hairdressers

The Old Hairdressers on Renfield Lane, slap band in Glasgow city centre, is like a pop-up dive bar with a scuzzy underground vibe. The loft upstairs is great for a gig or club night. So I'm putting on a night on Friday 8th March with Starboard Hazes and Broken by Rock playing live before DJ Phil Redfearn gets people dancing for a couple of hours at the end. TICKETS HERE

My sister Carla also regularly attends the Pull Shapes night that plays an eclectic mix of indie and pop music and I intend to hit that up sometime this year. 

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4 gigs I have tickets for

Kerr Mercer at The Poetry Club 

Young Scottish singer-songwriter Kerr Mercer is one to watch in 2024. I caught Kerr playing Saint Lukes as part of Tenement Trail in October and he blew me away. Every song sounded like it could be a single. Since then, Kerr has played a string of support slots in Glasgow and Edinburgh, including a show at The Barrowland with Calum Beattie. Kerr's Poetry Club show is long sold out, but you could get a ticket for his King Tuts show on 20th March. See you there.

Andrew Wasylk and Gerard Love at The Mackintosh Church

What a double bill this is. I first caught Andrew Wasylyk in this beautiful West End venue when he supported The Pastels a number of years ago. Andrew's arrangements are entrancing and he has been building a tremendous catalogue of music, pretty much releasing an album a year. Wasylyk is likely to have a 7 or 8 piece band with him to help layer sounds while he sits (and dances) at his piano and gives them nods to go for it or slow it down. 

Andrew is joined by Gerry Love who will (fingers and toes crossed) hopefully be completing and releasing his new album this year. It's still to be confirmed if this will be under his own name, or Lightships. Tickets here.

Steve Mason at Saint Lukes

Steve Mason released one of my favourite albums of 2023 and my friend Lorna caught him 3 times at the tail end of the year, including a trip to Hamburg! I've heard nothing but good reports about Mason's live shows where he works up grooves with his band and gets lost in the music. Mason has a wonderful ear for music, a deep desire to create and has a beautiful voice that is naturally melodic and soulful. Tickets here

This Is Memorial Device at The Tron Theatre

I've just started re-reading David Keenan's wonderful psychedelic tale of the post punk, new wave music scene in Airdrie, with Memorial Device at the heart of it. The book has various characters from the scene reminiscing about meeting each other, gigs, rehearsals, songs and releases - including the legendary Mushroom Giro Scene EP. Now adapted for the stage, with music by Stephen Pastel, you can catch performances at The Tron Theatre at the end of March. Will Mary Hanna show up?! Tickets here

4 albums I'm looking forward to

Gerard Love/Lightships

I'm not the only one (im)patiently awaiting news about when Gerry Love will be releasing his next album. Although one thing fellow fans have learned over the years is that it is always worth the wait.

Gerry has yet to confirm whether the album will come out under his own name or that of Lightships, the guise Gerard released an eponymous album under in 2012. 

It's coming on a year since Gerry and friends travelled to record with Bill Ryder-Jones in Merseyside and social media indicates that they have also recorded at CHEM19 in Blantyre. 

A summer / early Autumn release would be perfect for Gerry's dreamy melodies and beautifully layered soundscapes. Fingers crossed! 

Bill Ryder-Jones

Speaking of Bill Ryder-Jones, lechyd Da is out on 12th January. Ryder-Jones has spoken of working exceptionally hard to create this album that includes a children's choir and strings. And it is bound to tug on listeners heart-strings. Bill plays a solo instore show at Mono on 16th January before returning to Glasgow in March for a show with his band at Room 2. Tickets here Order the album from Monorail here

Gruff Rhys

Gruff Rhys is also releasing an album in January. Sadness Sets Me Free is out on Rough Trade on 26th. Incredibly, this will be the 25th abum of Gruff's career (individually, collaboratively and as a member of various bands) spanning 35-years. 

Singles to date showcase Rhys' sublime voice and knack for finding unique melodies. Strings soar and swirl and it all sounds beautifully grand, melancholic and cinematic at times. Gruff plays Saint Lukes on Monday 19th February.

J Mascis

J Mascis releases What Do We Do Now? on the legendary Sub Pop label on 2nd February. I'm a big fan of J's solo material like See You At The Movies and Wide Awake. It's not a million miles away from Dinosaur Jr, but there is a more mellow feel to his solo material. J plays acoustic a lot more, but can still let rip with an electric guitar solo over the top. J's melodies shine through and the singles released in advance have been excellent.

4 more albums I am looking forward to

What Now? by Brittany Howard - 2nd February

Where's My Utopia? by Yard Act - due at the end of February.

Glasgow Eyes by The Jesus and Mary Chain  - due at the start of March

Dua Lipa - title and date tbc. 

4 other things

Summer Nights at Kelvingrove Bandstand 

I always look forward to the line-up for the Bandstand shows being announced. I'm hoping that The Charlatans might play. Underworld would also be a great shout.

Summer Nights KGB Facebook

Glas-goes Pop

I've not been able to make the first 2 years due to family/holiday commitments. Booking my ticket and putting it on our kitchen calendar means I am going this year! This DIY festival has quickly developed a loyal fanbase who know that they'll get a quality bill of independent guitar pop acts from through the years.

Glas-goes pop tickets

Barrowland shows 

My first Barrowland show isn't scheduled until 11th May when Camera Obscura take to the stage. But I hope to maybe pick up a ticket for a couple of shows before then with my eye on The Bunnymen and Orbital in particular. And no doubt there will be loads of shows to come in Autumn.

Barrowland website

TENEMENT TRAIL 2024

I only briefly popped into Tenement Trail 2023 back in October. A storm was blowing and trains were cancelled, but that didn't stop music lovers from packing into venues of all sizes down the Gallowgate to catch new and up and coming bands. Walking around the Barrowland market was a buzz as people picked up wristbands, bands walked about carrying equipment and venues opened their doors and quickly filled up. Just being in that atmosphere gave me goosebumps and I vowed to return for the full day in 2024.

Tenement Trail website

Scottish music scene 2023

It could be my age, or it could be that the pandemic has just f**ked with my concept of time, but 2023 still sounds very futuristic to me. I mean, we are now 8-years after the future that Marty and Doc travelled to in Back To The Future II!

And what does the future hold? People have been predicting the end of time and doomsday for centuries. Now it feels like we really are at the crossroads and sadly it feels like too many people are still facing (and heading) in the wrong direction. 

Are we too far gone? Can we make the world a better place? Safer? Cleaner? More inclusive? Can we look after each other and our planet? Can we place that at the top of every priority list worldwide?

Is that too much to ask? Could we not put political and religious beliefs to one side, forget about profits and focus on people and the world as one. Humanism. We only have one planet.

2023 is now. The world is quite a scary place. I do believe the youth of today can turn things around. Maybe we should just hand power to them right now.

Music is more important than ever. I truly believe that it has saved people over the last few years. The sense of community it can bring (online and in person) and the beautiful escapism it offers ... we need it.

So here are a few things that I'm looking forward to in 2023 in the Scottish music scene. New acts, reforming bands, old favourites, touring bands, venues, festivals, music ... 

My new year resolution

My new year resolution is to go out dancing at least once a quarter! Not clubbing until all ours, but to bars that the likes of Andrew Divine, the Simply Thrilled lads, Holly Calder or Stevie Elements are DJ-ing in - playing good music, loud. McChuills being the most obvious choice. Also to ensure that any gigs I put on have a DJ playing a set after live music to ensure people have the opportunity to dance. 

Some of my best nights out post pandemic have been dancing with friends; to the Simply Thrilled lads at McChuills after Teenage Fanclub at the Barrowland, to Stevie Elements at McChuills last summer and to my friend Phil (pictured above) at La Chunky in October. It's pure escapism and joy.

New music - 3 Scottish acts to look out for

See this blog on Swim School, Lizzie Reid and Goliath

The return of The Delgados

My first gig of 2023 is likely to be The Delgados at The Barrowland on Burns Night. At their best, The Delgados are inventive, melodic and have a touch of psychedelia about them. The Great Eastern is an exceptional album. I'm sure this will be a real celebration of a very important Scottish band. Their fierce independence and paved a way for so many, taking learnings from labels like Postcard before them to form Chemikal Underground, releasing landmark Scottish singles and albums by the likes of BiS, Mogwai and Arab Strap. They also set up the CHEM19 recording studio. An inspirational band.

Brian Jonestown Massacre at The Barrowland

Talking of inspirational bands and fierce independence, the Brian Jonestown Massacre come into town to play The Barrowland in February. Two trips to the legendary venue within a couple of weeks. A great start to the year!

FRETS CONCERTS

The good people at FRETS always have something cooking. 2022 was an exceptional year for FRETS shows in Strathaven (and beyond). The night before Brian Jonestown Massacre play The Barrowland, FRETS have a night in the CCA for The Hungry Beat book that Douglas MacIntyre co-authored. There will be a Hungry Beat super group playing. Can I do 2-nights out in a row? Can my bank balance?!

FRETS shows in the Strathaven Hotel have been real highlights for me. The setting and stripped back vibe seems to bring out the best in performers. 

Butler, Blake & Grant return to Strathaven for 2-nights in February and there will be a lot more shows announced in the new year. Keep up to date with them all HERE

Starboard Hazes at The 13th Note

My own band Starboard Hazes play our second show to launch (assuming recording goes to plan!) our second EP! Forming this band was a real highlight of 2022 for me. After all, I have dreamed about forming a band for decades! To hear songs I wrote as a teenager and into my early 20's fleshed out has been incredible. I get a buzz from every practice session and to the rush from playing our first gig was exhilarating. Tickets are available HERE It would be lovely to see you there. 

Badly Drawn Boy at Saint Lukes

Badly Drawn Boy was one of the first acts that my wife and I went to see together. Silent Sigh was a big song for us and we still have a mix CD I made with that song on it. I think his first two albums in particular are works of a genius. Damon Gough could pluck a beautiful melody from a rubber band. This show is part of a tour to celebrate 25-years of releasing music. 

James celebrates 40-years with an orchestral tour

James are celebrating 40-years since their formation with an orchestral tour that includes 2-dates in Scotland; at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh and the Armadillo in Glasgow. 

What a truly wonderful band. Never ones to do things by half, they are touring with a 22-piece orchestra and a gospel choir. I've been fortunate to catch James live a number of times over the years and they are always on it. Tim Booth is a sensational front man and he'll be conducting the crowd along with the orchestra.

Belle & Sebastian's Glasgow Bowlie?

Stuart Murdoch has hinted, to the extent that he has pretty much confirmed, that Belle and Sebastian will be hosting a Glasgow version of their legendary Bowlie weekender. The original version took place back in 1999 at Camber Sands Holiday Park.

What venues will they use? How many of those original bands will play? How many times will the Belles play?

I don't think we'll have too long to wait to find out. Hopefully Stuart is OK health wise. The band had to cancel end of year tours at home and in South America and he hasn't been tweeting for a while. 

Murdoch and his band are (in my humble opinion) responsible for one of the most golden periods any Scottish band has ever had. Their 3 albums and 4 EPs from 1996-99 are sublime evidence of a band and songwriter(s) totally in the zone.

Belle and Sebastian are celebrated everywhere they go, but if they pull this off I think they deserve extra acclaim and Stuart deserves a very special ovation for his exceptional creative energy and ideas.

Glasgow Goes Pop

Speaking of Belle & Sebastian .... Tita Geddes (wife of the Belles Chris) is someone I've got to know through a mutual love of Teenage Fanclub. We ended up dancing together in McChuills after the bands post pandemic comeback show at the Barrowland in 2021. One of the best nights out I've had in many a year!

In 2022 Tita and her friend decided to put on an 'indie pop happening' in Glasgow. A 2-day festival of independent guitar pop music that they love. It clashed with my cousin-in-laws wedding, so we missed what sounded like an incredible weekend.

The feedback was universally positive and as a result Glas-Goes Pop is back for round 2! Early bird tickets sold out, so keep an eye out for tickets going on sale.

Kelvingrove Bandstand shows

Edwyn Collins at Kelvingrove Bandstand, August 2022

I always look out for the Summer Nights shows at the Kelvingrove Bandstand being announced. Watching bands like Teenage Fanclub, Belle & Sebastian, Super Furry Animals, Primal Scream, Human League and legends like Brian Wilson playing in such a beautiful setting has been a pleasure and privilege over the years.

A Teenage Fanclub album?

Teenage Fanclub ended 2022 with a blistering intimate show in Dunfermline and a couple of festival gigs. The band really look like they are enjoying themselves and surely it won't be too long before we hear new material, following on from surprise single I Left A Light On which was dropped back in April 2022.

Hopefully there will be some more shows. After PJ Molloys in Dunfermline, I wonder if they could play some more intimate shows across Scotland?

A Lightships/Gerard Love album?

Watching Gerry Love gently reintroduce himself to the live music scene over the last 4-months of 2022 was an absolute joy. It sounds like Gerard is going to be recording a new album in February/March. Whether this comes out as a Lightships record, his own name, or another guise has yet to be confirmed. All I know is that I can't wait. Fingers crossed for more shows through the year.

Ride & The Charlatans co-headline tour?

Ride and The Charlatans are heading off on a joint American tour, with Ride playing their Nowhere album and The Charlatans playing Between 10th & 11th. Surely there will be some UK shows!

Just putting it out there - how about 2-nights at the Kelvingrove Bandstand? Alternating headline nights!

A Carla J Easton album?

My sister Carla has finished recording her next solo album. I've heard a number of songs and it's yet another strong body of work. Mixing should be completed through January and hopefully Carla will bring a couple of singles out through the year. Potentially the album as well. After a storming December show at The Glad Cafe, I also hope she lines up some gigs. Look out for some news on the Since Yesterday documentary coming soon.

Poster Paints - USA and ?

Speaking of my sister, Poster Paints are heading (all being well) to SXSW in March. The eponymous album that Carla & Simon created with the help of friends is a real gem. One of the great things about Poster Paints is that there was never any real plan. Things happened quite naturally. But after the response to their album and a Stateside trip, it might be time to make a plan. 

Doune The Rabbit Hole

My eldest daughter Zoe watching Teenage Fanclub at Doune 2022

I really enjoyed Doune The Rabbit Hole last year. And until just before Christmas, I was really looking forward to this year. Then things started to sound exceptionally dodgy - artist after artist started to confirm that they hadn't been paid for playing this year. News came out that Doune The Rabbit Hole was going into liquidation and changing owners, although it seems to be staying in the same family.

It's a real shit show. No artists or bookers should be confirming for this festival until all outstanding artist fees are paid. A festival isn't a festival without performers. And they need to be paid for their time and talent.

I'll be keeping a close eye on this and hope it gets sorted. At the time of writing, I'm not holding my breath that Doune will take place in 2023.

The Bootleg Beatles at The Barrowland

A few weeks before Christmas my friend Dougie sent a message to a group chat I'm in and asked if anyone was up for seeing The Bootleg Beatles at the Barrowland. I was immediately in!

Seeing The Bootlegs at The Royal Concert Hall was an annual experience for me for a number of years through the 90's and into the 00's. It's been a while since I've seen them and I suspect they'll take the roof off the Barrowland.

Introducing new Scottish music

The Second Hand Marching Band

Featured in a few blogs over the years

While my blog is completely free range - allowing me write about anything I desire at any time - I do love to discover new and up and coming bands/artists on the Glasgow/Scottish music scene.

I am now in the tenth year of writing my blog. So I've enjoyed looking back over some old blogs and I have to admit to being pleasantly surprised at the number of live reviews, interviews or features of DIY/unsigned artists that I have covered and in some cases championed (or managed/advised).

Here are links to blogs written on discovering bands/artists for the first time. Sometimes literally on formation, maybe at their first gig and on occasions - a long time after I should have heard about them/seen them/listened to them. (I have blogged about many of them more than once)

As a co-founder/board member of Last Night From Glasgow, I'm taking even more of an interest in the Glasgow and Scottish unsigned and DIY scene, determined to use the label to give artists a platform or a leg up to the next level. So look out for (semi)regular 'introducing' features.

Feel free to get in touch with recommendations.

Previous introductions include (note the list isn't exhaustive)

Sonny Marvello, Second Hand Marching Band, Seventeenth Century, Skies Fell, Admiral Fallow, Miaoux Miaoux , Conquering Animal Sound, Roddy Hart and the Lonesome Fire, Discopolis, Lady North, Paws, Adam Stafford, The Moth and the Mirror, Nevada Base, Remember Remember, Rachel Sermanni, Errors, The Son(s), Warren McIntyre and the Starry Skies, TeenCanteen, Rick Redbeard , Churches, Velveteen Saints ,Flash Talk, Skinny Dipper, Dr Cosmos Tape Lab ,Tuff Love, Kloe, Neon Waltz, Insomniac Project, November Lights , Best Girl Athlete , Wuh Oh, Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5, Catholic Action, KiDD, Spinning Coin, Saint PHNX, Mark W Georgsson, Ette, Emme Woods, Stephen Solo, BooHooHoo, The Vegan Leather, Outblinker , Gerry Cinnamon , Medicine Men , The Bar Dogs , Fnuf and the Fairylights , Mark W Georgsson , KVASIR ,

Also see 16 for 2016 

The Moth and the Mirror

Introducing - Radiophonic Tuckshop

Do you fancy discovering a band full of melodies, hook, humour, invention and a touch of psychedelia who sometimes record on an old Tascam Cassette Recorder? A band that are still evolving and haven't even played a handful of shows yet but have an EP coming out?

A band who describe themselves on Facebook as wonky pop, looney tunes and merry melodies, all swimming in nutty effects with a rich Beatleish undercurrent, clattering along like Supergrass doing Badfinger by way of an XTC Bond theme, all compressed vocals, ringing and lightly toasted guitars, stop/start riffs and a brilliant rhythm section. Extradordinary - slightly psychedelic and Super Furry super-tuneful!

I hope so!

Well look no further than Radiophonic Tuckshop, the new band formed by Joe Kane, the effervescent fizzbomb who has been in (and still is in) a number of other bands including my personal favourite Dr Cosmos Tape Lab. If you haven't read any of my previous blogs on them then check them out HERE Their Beyond The Silver Sea LP was my album of 2015.

Joe has recently contributed to the latest BMX Bandits album that you can read about in last months blogs, produced the Ette Homemade Lemonade album (and played on it and co-wrote the brilliant Heaven Knows) and still travels the world playing in Beatles tribute bands, including the famous Them Beatles - not a bad way to make a living and one that indicates his talent.

That talent has transferred to his recent project - Radiophonic Tuckshop who I caught at Nice n Sleazys back in April when they supported TeenCanteen. They played brilliantly and sounded superb and from a chat with Joe it all sounded very spontaneous and exciting - so I thought I would email him some questions to find out more.

You can read the interview below and look out for their debut EP coming out via Last Night From Glasgow in July with a launch show at the Hug and Pint. Excuse the cut and paste format, something went wrong when copying Joe's answers - hope you think it looks cool!

1. How did the Radiophonic Tuck Shop form?

I'd been toying with the idea of a new project for the best part of last year but wasn't keen on making it the ONLY JOE KANE solo ego-fest type thing again. I fancied more of a fake band ethos and Radiophonic Tuckshop was one of the names I had floating around that I was quite keen on. I started working on new songs and recordings at the end of last summer but was getting a bit fed up with me playing everything. It can get a bit hard to surprise yourself musically doing all the instruments.

The guys from Freckfest contacted me around March and asked if I fancied supporting BMX Bandits which I thought sounded fun but I didn't have a band and told them to leave it with me. I contacted a bunch of my longtime friends (who mostly happen to be musical) and luckily found a bands worth that were free and up for it. Sessions were easygoing and within 2-weeks we had a set. Everyone didn't hate it and seemed quite keen to carry on past the initial gig. Quite good!

2. Does this mean the end of Dr Cosmos Tape Lab, or is that a project you might return to in the future?

We're very together and in constant contact but just a bit busy with other things. I got a bit busy with being away for a long spell (or two) so we lost momentum but we have a full LP in the can awaiting release and we will record again in the near future. Side 2 is one long song suite/ghost story entitled Dead Man's Pyjamas and it's the best thing we've ever created. We recorded 4 albums plus a bunch of b-sides in two years so everyone deserves a rest!

3. You've got an EP coming out - tell us about the sounds and the songs on it

We knew we were going to do an album but had fresh arrangements of some older songs of mine that I thought had fallen by the wayside in the past so we decided to do them as their own little thing. The new live versions were all improvements so it seemed like a good idea to get them down. We decided to record the band live to the Tascam 424 mkiii 4-track cassette recorder (last used on Beyond The Silver Sea) at the room we rehearse in (Ian our drummers magical 'Bunker'). It took us one evening to record all of the backing tracks then another few weeks of drop in overdub sessions for vocals etc. 

Running Commentary is the most obvious poppy one and in a previous life it was a less rocking more ornate arrangement that didn't work quite as well. It's more power-pop now and it suits it. We had fun on the video (coming soon) wearing silly trousers and taking over a street for an afternoon.

Buried Alive is the oldest song on the EP and has never been released in any form. It originated around 2004 and existed only a a skeletal late night demo for a long time but I always enjoyed its spookiness and thought it had a bit of potential.

Rockingham Palace Revisited started out as a drone jam which I banked thinking later on it could be reversed and used as the basis for something and that's exactly what I did. I sat up until 5am the other week recording bird song out of the window and harmonising with myself through a pedal basically trying (and failing) to do Dennis Wilson. Bring It On Girl was recorded (with Marco Rea) a few years ago for a Shindig magazine cover CD that never actually happened so I suppose it's never been released. This new version was fun to do with the whole band. It's about accidentally getting married and trying to escape an island of misery (true story). My favourite one is maybe As Hard As I Feel which is a song that doesn't make much sense really but is more of a feel and sound piece (!) than a standard song. It's like 3 and a half minutes inside my head. I can see us going down more of this route sonically than the standard guitar pop direction in the future.

4. Do you have future plans for the band? Things have happened quite quickly to date

We are now officially in album writing and recording mode. It's very exciting and I think it will be a real mix of sounds. We have the full band to play with but I also like the idea of more electronic sessions and bringing in additional instrumentation. I feel like I've made variations of the same weird pop record for the last 15-years and want to push myself production wise and experiment a bit.

5. What kind of stuff are you listening to at the moment?

I enjoy lounge and exotica stuff, late 70's and early 80's groove stuff, especially the extended 12-inch versions of things. I love a lot of the Bollywood stuff from the 70's too and I think arrangement wise there's a lot of stuff I'd like to draw on from those genres. I obviously listen to all the usual good stuff as well and will probably f**k off all these exciting ideas and just re-write another 12 Beatles and Beach Boys songs. That's OK too!

6. You are well known for your love of The Beatles - what do you make of the Sgt Pepper 'makeover'?

It's mostly a worthwhile endeavour but there's a few things I wasn't so sure about, like panning the lowery organ part of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. What was all that about? When it becomes someone who has nothing to do with the original music creation and production taking liberties like that then I think they need to have a word with themselves. The 2 bonus CD's of outtakes is where it's at for me.

7. Do you have a favourite Beatles album? Is it possible to choose just one?

I love different albums for different reasons! Love them all. White Album has probably been the most influential though as it was a favourite for a long time as it made it OK to put out a whole bunch of wildly varied stuff on an LP. It's like a catalogue of brilliant production sounds.

8. How do you write your own songs?

When I write songs I either start on a piano, guitar, ukulele or even a Casiotone and just feel about to see if anything's there. Usually not. Sometimes things can write themselves quite quickly or you just get a wee bit that you can bank for later. I'll hear a section in my head when I'm out occasionally and just whistle it on to my phone and pick it up when I get home. That's quite good. A lot of the time I just start working on a piece of music for fun and the song comes over it later and it ends up the finished thing. It's good to not have one way of doing things and to try out different methods from time to time.

9. Is there anyone you would like to write with?

Always Stu Kidd. We always come up with something. That will happen again. Same with Nic Denholm my old writing partner from The Owsley Sunshine. We always come up with something even though he is in LA now. Duglas and Marco I'm also a fan of and enjoy working with them too so more of that would be good. Aside from people I've worked with before though I'd love to write with the Radiophonic Tuckshop guys. There's a lot of scope there and I hope they all contribute to new material and it's not just my hackneyed old ideas! I really enjoy collaboration and I'll write with anyone if it's fun and fruitful. It usually is.

10. What can we expect from your live shows?

Silly trousers and weird loud pop songs. We want to become a bit electronic so we'll gradually ass new songs and instruments. We'd like to do more festivals and have our own dancing troupe. It might happen. We're having fun creating and we hope we can entertain people with it. If no-one likes it and we still have fun that's the main thing.

Radiophonic Tuckshop play the Hug and Pint on 30th July to celebrate the release of their Running Commentary EP via Last Night From Glasgow on 28th July. Tickets and ltd edition physical EP HERE