For such a small place, Lanarkshire has had a huge impact on the world of music. Since the early 90s, Lanarkshire bands have become a mainstay of the music press, and have had a massive influence on other musicians: the Pastels and BMX Bandits influenced Kurt Cobain, while Teenage Fanclub spawned a legion of soundalikes (such as current media darlings, the Glasgow-based Cosmic Rough Riders). Mogwai and The Delgados are influencing today’s musicians, and a new generation of Lanarkshire bands are beginning to emerge from the underground scene.

Dundee has around 150000 people in it – apparently the population is dwindling.It’s somewhere between Aberdeen and Edinburgh, on the coast, where Captain Scott’s ‘Discovery’ ship can be found. Also famous for jam, jute and journalism. It’s quite a nice place but it’s true it could be improved if they played the tourism card better. The music underground is buoyant with a massive number of bands active considering the population. Most of these have recordings available in one form or another thanks to the efforts of a couple of independent record labels.
The sun always shines in Dundee (according to our research).

Aberdeen is a city of nearly a quarter of a million inhabitants on the North-east coast. There are a few bands and record labels up here, but of the 4 cities, either they have least musical activity, or they’re simply so far away that no-one gets to hear about it, being 150 miles north of Edinburgh. It’s best known for nature-related activities (fish, sheep and oil).

Edinburgh is Scotland’s second city. Its population of 300,000 – which swells to double this during the Festival, or to 2 million (approx) on Hogmanay) consists mainly of interloping luvvies and herion addicts (if you don’t believe me watch Trainspotting. Or visit). Most common phrase – “you’ll have had your smack then?”

Glasgow hosts a bit more over half a million people. It’s probably the centre for what you might (or might not) call underground culture in Scotland, at least all-year round – certainly it has most visiting bands. Best known as the heart-disease capital of the world and spiritual home of the deep-fried Mars Bar* (the 2 facts are not necessarily related)

*yes,we know it was ‘invented’ in Stonehaven.