Let’s reflect on the state of Scottish literature of the 1980’s. James Kelman, Alasdair Gray, Iain Banks and Iain Rankin came to wider public attention and William McIllvaney continued to write gritty stories of West of Scotland hard men. As another cultural icon of the 80’s Frank McAvennie might have asked; ‘wherz the burdz?’

Stonehaven’s Copy Haho are heading out on their first European tour this week in support of Los Campesinos!. Radio 1’s Vic Galloway tells us more about Copy Haho alongside his listing of every Scottish band playing outside the UK this week.

Each Sunday we present some of the best new photos of Scotland in the gloaming, the magical time before sunrise or after sunset. This week featuring images of Rannoch, Loch A Chroisg, Liathach and the Carse of Stirling.

Well well well, this is extremely good indeed.  King Post Kitsch is an exiled Weegie currently residing in London, and was recommended to me by Lloyd from Peenko. I’ve been a little slow on that count, I suppose, because everyone and their blogger seems to have been chattering about this EP for a while now […]

Regular readers of this column should now by now that I live a globetrotting lifestyle, carbon emissions be damned.  Last week it was London, this week it’s Melbourne to visit our pals Chris and Michelle and to see Franz Ferdinand live (they were superb).

Alongside Unicorn Kid and Young Fathers, Hudson Mohawke will show the South by Southwest Festival goers that Scottish music is more than just great indie bands. The in-demand Glaswegian DJ/Producer released his debut album ‘Butter’ in 2009 and is already rumoured to be working with members of Bloc Party and Spank Rock in 2010.

Manchester City fans must be revelling in their sudden elevation to the footballing elite off the back of all those petrodollars, but for some at the club the arrival of those riches was not entirely welcome. They’re the youngsters coming through what has long been a highly regarded youth system at City.

At SXSW last year, We Were Promised Jetpacks had the unenviable task of opening the Scottish Showcase night that featured Camera Obscura, Glasvegas, Primal Scream and more, yet they nearly stole the show. This year, as they finish a headline tour of the US, they’ll be one of the must-see bands of the entire festival.

There’s something in a name. For a new band, if you get that right you’re already half way there. Plenty of bands come up with catchy names, only a few have the tunes to back them up. we’re only afraid of NYC are one of those bands.