speedway in pole position

"At 12 or 13 you sit there watching it and think, I want to play there, but you never believe you will one day actually be performing on the show," she says.

Her enthusiasm for the programme is undiminished despite now appearing on Top of the Pops Saturday no less than four times.

The first time, it was with an infectious roughed-up cover version of Christina Aguilera’s Genie in a Bottle, a cover that came complete with hard rock guitars and a powerful indie beat.

It reached number 10 in the charts of August last year and instantly had people warming to Speedway’s energetic vibe.

Fronted by Paisley-born Jackson, the singer, songwriter, guitarist and founding member of the Scots quartet, Speedway have been driving the music scene at full throttle ever since.

They played to the masses at T In The Park last year and have been touring endlessly, gaining massive exposure from supporting Blue as well as putting the finishing touches to their debut album Save Yourself, which is due to be released on February 23.

Next Wednesday, Speedway are due to arrive in Edinburgh to promote their new single Can’t Turn Back with a teatime appearance in HMV on Princes Street followed later that evening by a gig at the Venue in Calton Road.

A heavy schedule, but the lead vocalist admits that the band’s rise to fame has been sheer hard work.

"We have had the busiest six months of our careers, with the university tours in Scotland and England which lasted two months and then touring with Blue for another two months," says the 23-year-old.

"In total, I think we have played to over 500,000 people throughout the country which is fantastic and great exposure for us. We are really excited about the album now and glad it’s finally coming out."

Despite such a dramatic rise to fame, Jackson remains modest about the band’s achievements.

In her typically down-to-earth manner she admits: "We didn’t know we would do so well. Obviously you hope to be successful, but it all happened so quickly. The highlight for us was getting on Top of the Pops. When we were there on stage I just thought that all my heroes have played here, I just couldn’t believe it."

Success hasn’t come overnight for Speed-way, which began life in 1998 when Jackson, then a young, determined, aspiring singer, met garrulous drummer Jim Duguid, 26, from Glasgow.

It was a case of opposites attract. She liked Nanci Griffiths, he liked AC/DC, but they soon found a musical common ground with U2. And it is the band’s unique blend of tastes which makes their own music so hard to define.

Having been likened to a cross between The Pretenders and Blondie and hailed as the new Texas, Jackson is keen to set the record straight and describes their music as "a blend of rock and pop".

"We are guitar driven but there is that pop element which makes us different. We all have different influences and this comes across in our music."

Not that she minds the comparisons too much. She adds: "Being likened to these people is a huge compliment. I am a huge fan of Texas, so it’s great."

Jackson is proud of the way the current line-up of the band work together. She explains: "I was 19 when I put the original band together and after looking for a drummer I finally found Jim. We worked well together and stayed writing while everyone else was coming and going from the band.

"When we finally met Chris Leonard, 24, (guitarist) and Tom Swann, 21, (bassist) it just worked. I knew instantly they were right for the band and it’s a joint effort now."

After becoming a foursome and playing local gigs, the band was finally discovered in December 2000 by Innocent Records who signed them up after seeing them live at Glasgow’s King Tut’s. But was it harder to break into the UK record industry coming from Scotland?

"Yes, it’s more difficult for Scottish bands to get signed and be successful," she says, adding that most music industry action is centred around London and Manchester. "There are a lot of good Scottish bands coming out this year and I hope they do well."

Having made it themselves, Speedway are focusing on their forthcoming tour, which brings them back to the Capital next week.

"We have played in Edinburgh a lot," says Jackson, "and we always enjoy being here as it’s a good crowd. It’s funny, but the crowd in Edinburgh are different from Glasgow. In Glasgow fans will throw their drinks around etcetera but in Edinburgh they are calmer and come to appreciate the music."

So, what can Speedway fans look forward to hearing at HMV and the Venue on Wednesday? A sneak preview of their debut album by all accounts.

Jackson says: "The album is a nice mix of good rock and pop tunes and it has a general upbeat feel to it. There is only one song which is a ballad and the rest are mid-tempo to up-tempo tracks. It’s easy listening and will appeal to many people.

"We’re really looking forward to the release of the album and hope it does well as we’ve spent so long putting it together.

"We think it’s great, but then we wrote it, so to take a step back and see how others receive it will be interesting. The single is a taste of what Speedway and the album is really about.

"It’s currently at number six in The Box charts for most requested song and is receiving good airplay in Scotland and England. So, I hope the album is as popular. I’m sure people will love it."

l HMV, Princes Street, 6pm, Wednesday, free, 0131-225 7008

l The Venue, Calton Road, 7pm, Wednesday, 7, 0131-557 3073

See Speedway FREE @ The Venue

EH Entertainment has teamed up with The Venue to give five lucky readers the chance to take a mate to see Speedway.

To win simply email [email protected] your name and a contact number with the word SPEEDWAY in the subject line.

Winners will be selected at random. There is no cash or prize alternative. Usual Evening News rules apply. Editor’s decision is final.

and theY’re off: Speedway frontwoman Jill Jackson