ALTERNATIVE rock trio Fatherson are back in the studio recording their second album, as well as gearing up for a busy summer of festivals.
The band will play at Kelvingrove’s Magners Summer Nights, Belladrum Festival in Inverness, Doune the Rabbit Hole Festival in Cardross and the Midstock Festival in Dalkeith, as well as shows in England and abroad.
Formed in Kilmarnock, but Glasgow-based, Fatherson initially built up a strong fanbase in a short space of time thanks to a string of supports with high-profile bands such as Idlewild, We Were Promised Jetpacks and Feeder.
Following the success of their debut album I Am an Island, released last year, the band embarked on a UK tour that climaxed with a stunning performance in the King Tuts tent at T in the Park.
Scotland’s premier festival may not be on the band’s schedule this time around, but frontman Ross Leighton assures The National that it’s for a good reason: “We want to have new material ready before we play T in the Park again, especially after the success of last year. Our shows are spread out because we’ll be recording in between, but we’ve tried to throw in a few each month so people don’t forget we exist!”
“Belladrum will be particularly amazing. It’s the highlight of our summer and probably our favourite festival of all time.”
The band are in high spirits after the massive achievement that was I Am an Island. A sonorous blend of anthemic choruses and soaring guitar melodies, the record has established the band as possible successors to Biffy Clyro’s unofficial crown of best rock band in the country.
Despite weighty expectations, Leighton is confident that the new album will deliver: “Those kind of buzzwords of ‘maturity’ and ‘progression’ are applicable, to be honest.
“There’ll be more orchestration on the next one, different tunings and more wacky stuff that we didn’t think we were capable of.”
Fatherson’s modesty is perhaps best exemplified by their reaction to recently playing in America, an experience that Leighton describes as “overwhelming”.
Playing New York and the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, the trip was their first venture outside of Europe.
“The shows were good and we met a lot of great people,” says Leighton.
You can see Fatherson at the following dates:
Aug 8 – Belladrum Festival, Inverness
Aug 9 – Magners Summer Nights – Electric Honey Sessions @ Kelvingrove Bandstand, Glasgow
Aug 21 – Doune the Rabbit Hole Festival, Stirling
Sept 12 – Midstock Festival, Dalkeith.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here