SKA PUNK

Cult Glasgow ska punk veterans The Amphetameanies’ line-up, past and present, includes members of Bis, Belle and Sebastian and Franz Ferdinand. Bassist Gordon Davidson refutes the suggestion that it must be frustrating being in all these guys’ ‘other’ band. ‘What few people appreciate is that these guys consider us as their main band,’ he says, tongue possibly in cheek. ‘It’s just that their side-projects are more financially successful.’

The Amphetameanies play their annual homecoming gig at King Tut’s this month, which they’ve sold out every year for over a decade. Davidson recalls some fond memories of past shows, such as covertly distributing 300 whiskey miniatures to the crowd and being joined for a triumphant, guitar solo-tastic cameo by Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos in 2007. Other memories include such triumphs as opening T in the Park in 1999 and playing support slots for many of their heroes, including The Skatalites and Rancid (‘and then stealing their riders,’ Davidson adds).

Currently, the band are working on their ‘rather tuneful’ third album. It’s the freshness of their material, Davidson insists, that keeps The Amphetameanies’ fans coming back. ‘With ska bands, there can be a lot of recycling and repetition of the old classics, but we never wanted to do covers – the idea was to write some classics of our own,’ Davidson explains. ‘Nothing fills us with more glee than spotting folk in the audience who know the words and are singing along. It’s helpful for Stan our singer too, because he tends to forget the words.’