Under the Radar: Scotland's best unsigned bands

Published on Thursday 30 October 2008 19:16

OLAF Furnissand Derick Mackinnon report from Scotland's underground music scene...

OUR track of the month comes from explosive Glasgow/Edinburgh four-piece We Were Promised Jetpacks. These guys have been causing a stir for some time now, having enjoyed airplay on the BBC, XFM and Q Radio as well as achieving an astonishing one million downloads across the pond for their track Quiet Little Voices after it was featured on KEXP independent radio in Seattle. Now all their hard work has finally paid off with the announcement of an album deal with the influential Fat Cat Records.

Click on www.fatcat.co.uk or www.myspace.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks to find out more about the band.

After a hugely successful 25-band weekender last November, Dundee's Doghouse is hosting its mini festival again. The event takes place 14-16 November and allows music lovers to check out all of the acts free. Last year's event included Broken Records and Twin Atlantic, both of whom went on to play to thousands of people this summer. With some key music industry people taking part in band selection, the event is quickly becoming something of an industry showcase. This year's line-up includes Be A Familiar, Punch and the Apostles, Action Group, Healthy Minds Collapse, Alto Elite and many more. Check out www.myspace.com/dundeedoghouse for full line-up and times.

Edinburgh trio Eagle Owl (www.myspace.com/eagleowlattack) boast an impressive range of instruments including double bass, violin, ukulele and melodica, which they mix together into gentle if occasionally strongly-worded songs. Particularly impressive is MF, which adeptly manages to produce a groove with acoustic instruments and features a rather droll line that is too rude to print in this column. The band play Edinburgh's Voodoo Rooms on 14 November along with St Jude's Infirmary and singer Audrey Redpath (www.myspace.com/audreyredpath). The latter will perform songs by former Velvet Underground legend, Nico, who died 20 years ago.

It seems that no major live music promoter in Scotland can feel truly adequate unless they also own a venue. Ullapool's Robert Hicks, the man behind Loopallu, Belladrum and Rockness has now joined the favoured few. However, unlike the competition, he has opted to stay out of the central belt and plumped for Inverness' Ironworks. This should further boost the music scene in the Highlands, which, largely thanks to Hicks' events, now hosts more summer festivals than any other region of Scotland.

Down the road in the Kingdom of Fife, electro popsters Cruiser, have had their track Chindonya picked by American trainer manufacturer Etnies for use in a TV advertising campaign and inclusion on a DVD which will be given away with skateboard magazines around the world. Another track, A Gentle Press, which is on their latest album happyrobots:smilingpeople, has been picking up airplay from Radio 1 DJs Rob Da Bank, Colin Murray and even Kelly Osborne. It is set to be released in January via Edinburgh's KFM Records. The label's owner, Scot Macdonald, has also been enjoying a small boost to his income through sales of Glasvegas, although not the Glaswegian band who have recently been enjoying chart success.

In his past life as a musician, Macdonald played in the band I Am Scientist, who several years ago wrote a song called Glasvegas. This is now being snapped up by i-Tunes customers, who appear to be getting their artist and song-title sections mixed up.

&#149 Olaf Furniss and Derick Mackinnon run Born To Be Wide (myspace.com/borntobewide), a social night where bands and people involved in the music/arts scene are invited to play their favourite records, unless they are by The Smiths or Joy Division.

The next BTBW takes place at the Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, and features a seminar on how to get a gig in Norway, followed by DJ sets. For more information, visit http://www.myspace.com/borntobewide

* To listen to Olaf and Derick's previous Track of the Month choices, visit scotsman.com/undertheradar