“Scotland looks as though it’s going to be unfortunate enough to be saddled with the rock press’ latest Next Big Thing tag (though how a 3country two-thirds the size of England and twice as varied can be looked on as if it were somebody’s backyard is beyond me.)”
Red Starr, Smash Hits, December 1980.
Landscapes to make the sourest hearts break. Genuinely disruptive advancements in medicine and technology. Philosophy and politics which strove to make just societies the norm, not aberrant whims. Literature which pacifies the spirit and ravages the body in equal measure. And some cracking music as well.
So yes, Scotland has had a global impact and influence vastly out of proportion to its population size. I started writing this piece with a pledge that I wouldn’t ramble but a not so brief history the nation’s music began to emerge and it became clear that I was misusing the right to roam set out in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.
Attempting to cover so much ground, across so much time and so many acts and genres, would be a folly on the scale of McCaig’s Tower, the Colosseum-like structure looming over the wonderful town of Oban. How do you join the dots between Lulu, the Incredible String Band, Nazareth, Ivor Cutler, the Rezillos, Associates, Shop Assistants, Finitribe, Boards of Canada, Mogwai, James Yorkston, TeenCanteen and Young Fathers without it ending up looking like an infant’s scribble? The range in that baker’s dozen is remarkable and nationality is the sole common denominator, diversity based on what music sounds like rather than who it’s made by.
Most, if not all, of the above gained votes in our poll, which we compiled for no other reason than that we wanted it, which was also the founding principle of the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles. A significant number of Scottish acts have pulled off the precarious tightrope walk of longevity combined with sustained quality but, in a poll like this, the price is often a split vote; Simple Minds, Cocteau Twins and the Pastels were on fire for years but the top 10 has eluded them all, though the similarly long-term inspired Teenage Fanclub did manage to claim two seats at the top table. Whether Aztec Camera and Lloyd Cole and the Commotions peaked early with their respective debuts is a separate debate but the votes have been weighted towards those records, which have ended up both as their sole entries and with places in the top five.
Arguably more interesting are those who have made the lower reaches but have either been overlooked or forgotten. Your appreciation please for Shelagh McDonald, Adventures In Stereo, the Jazzateers and the Bill Wells Trio. And let’s not forget those who have been submerged just below the waterline: Bill Drummond; Strawberry Switchblade; the Vaselines, and arguably the biggest name of them all, Billy Connolly, whose Cop Yer Whack for this was ubiquitous and slightly illicit in the mid-70s. It may have had a boost from its recent airing on the BBC’s Two Doors Down but it’s hard to climb that top 100 ladder while wearing wellies, stainless steel or otherwise. Meanwhile, our profoundest sympathies are with Alasdair Roberts, whose votes were spread across as many as eight albums but yielded no reward other than that all-important no 118 place.
Eligibility was the subject of extensive debate. We concluded that, to qualify, a band had to have a majority of Scottish members and solo acts had to have been resident in Scotland for a significant length of time; this meant that Donovan and John Martyn made the cut while Rod Stewart and KLF fell short, while Grangemouth’s Cocteau Twins, despite being London-based for the vast majority of their career (as were the Beatles, come to that, and that’s never diminished their Scouse status) made it through. Whenever Talking Heads are mentioned in the west of Scotland, you’re never more than 20 feet away from someone who will remind you that “David Byrne was born in Dumbarton, you know” but his family moved to North America around the time he started walking and his fellow Heads started off American and carried on that way, so this alone was not enough to get them into our poll. On similar, and equally reluctant, grounds, John McGeoch’s triumphs with Magazine and Siouxsie and the Banshees had to be waved away at the tartan rope.
And so, we present, with Pictish pride, the finest music from a nation of five million individuals at any given time. We are by turns brilliant, inspired, sensitive, drunken, aggressive, self-deprecating, self-pitying, resilient, compassionate, charming, precious, self-conscious – and all of these qualities and traits can be heard in our music, both in and, to use a distinctively Scottish word, outwith our top 100. We’ve enjoyed putting it together and extend our thanks to everyone who voted. Hoots! (PG)
100. Moving Up Country – James Yorkston & The Athletes (Domino, 2002)
99. A Catholic Education – Teenage Fanclub (Paperhouse, 1980)
98. Marshmallow – The Sexual Objects (Triassic Tusk, 2017)
97. Club Anthems 2001 – Ballboy (SL, 2001)
96. Happy Songs For Happy People – Mogwai (Play It Again Sam, 2003)
95. AWB – Average White Band (Atlantic, 1974)
94. Sisters – The Bluebells (London, 1984)
93. Peloton – The Delgados (Chemikal Underground, 1998)
92. Album – Shelagh McDonald (B&c, 1970)
91. Days In Europa – Skids (Virgin, 1979)
90. The Life Pursuit – Belle & Sebastian (Rough Trade, 2006)
89. From Scotland With Love – King Creosote (Domino, 2014)
88. Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will – Mogwai (Rock Action, 2011)
87. Slow Summits – The Pastels (Domino, 2013)
86. Meet Danny Wilson – Danny Wilson (Virgin, 1987)
85. The Remote Part – Idlewild (Parlophone, 2002)
84. Victorialand – Cocteau Twins (4AD, 1986)
83. A Gift From A Flower To A Garden – Donovan (Epic, 1967)
82. Philophobia – Arab Strap (Chemikal Underground, 1998)
81. Waking Hours – Del Amitri (A&M, 1990)
80. Amphetamine Ballads – The Amazing Snakeheads (Domino, 2014)
79. Adventures In Stereo – Adventures In Stereo (Creeping Bent, 1997)
78. Jazzateers – Jazzateers (Rough Trade, 1983)
77. Handful Of Earth – Dick Gaughan (Topic, 1981)
76. Will I Ever Be Inside Of You – Paul Quinn & The Independent Group (Postcard, 1994)
75. The Week Never Starts Round Here – Arab Strap (Chemikal Underground, 1996)
74. Any Other City – Life Without Buildings (Tugboat, 2014)
73. Heavy Heavy – Young Fathers (Ninja Tune, 2023)
72. Loss – Mull Historical Society (Blanco Y Negro, 2001)
71. I’ve Seen Everything – Trash Can Sinatras (Go! Discs, 1993)
70. Geogaddi – Boards Of Canada (Warp, 2002)
69. The 5000 Spirits Of The Layers Of The Onion – The Incredible String Band (Elektra, 1967)
68. My Maudlin Career – Camera Obscura (4AD, 2009)
67. Hate – The Delgados (Mantra, 2002)
66. The Campfire Headphase – Boards Of Canada (Warp, 2005)
65. Next – The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (Vertigo, 1973)
64. Garlands – Cocteau Twins (4AD, 1982)
63. Dandruff – Ivor Cutler (Virgin, 1974)
62. Saint Jack – The Nectarine #9 (Postcard, 1995)
61. Ludo – Ivor Cutler Trio (Parlophone, 1967)
60. Bite – Altered Images (Epic, 1983)
59. Sunshine On Leith – The Proclaimers (Chrysalis, 1988)
58. Also In White – Bill Wells Trio (Geographic, 2002)
57. Up For A Bit With The Pastels – The Pastels (Glass, 1987)
56. Diamond Mine – King Creosote & Jon Hopkins (Domino, 2011)
55. Wee Tam & The Big Huge – The Incredible String Band (Elektra, 1969)
54. Jammy Smears – Ivor Cutler (Virgin, 1976)
53. Glasvegas – Glasvegas (Columbia, 2008)
52. Foxheads Stalk This Land – Close Lobsters (Fire, 1987)
51. This Is The Sea – The Waterboys (Ensign, 1985)
50. Raintown – Deacon Blue (CBS, 1987)
49. Framed – The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (Verigo, 1972)
48. Scared To Dance – Skids (Virgin, 1979)
47. The Midnight Organ Fight – Frightened Rabbit (FatCat, 2008)
46. Young Team – Mogwai (Chemikal Underground, 1997)
45. Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand (Domino, 2004)
44. Sons & Fascination / Sister Feelings Call – Simple Minds (Virgin, 1981)
43. Solid Air – John Martyn (Island, 1973)
42. Gorgeous George – Edwyn Collins (Setanta, 1994)
41. …Uh! Tears Baby – Win (London, 1987)
40. Come On Die Young – Mogwai (Chemikal Underground, 1999)
39. Rip It Up – Orange Juice (Polydor, 1982)
38. XTRMNTR – Primal Scream (Creation, 2000)
37. Fisherman’s Blues – The Waterboys (Ensign, 1988)
36. Tigermilk – Belle & Sebastian (Electric Honey, 1996)
35. Let’s Get Out Of This Country – Camera Obscura (Elefant, 2006)
34. This Is The Story – The Proclaimers (Chrysalis, 1987)
33. Author! Author! – Scars (PRE/Charisma, 1981)
32. The Affectionate Punch – Associates (Fiction, 1980)
31. Blue Bell Knoll – Cocteau Twins (4AD, 1988)
30. Shop Assistants – Shop Assistants (Blue Guitar, 1986)
29. Fourth Drawer Down – Associates (Situation 2, 1981)
28. The Boy With The Arab Strap – Belle & Sebastian (Jeepster, 1998)
27. Lubricate Your Living Room – Fire Engines (Pop Aural, 1981)
26. Head Over Heels – Cocteau Twins (4AD, 1983)
25. Empires & Dance – Simple Minds (Zoom, 1980)
24. Songs From Northern Britain – Teenage Fanclub (Creation, 1997)
23. The Crossing – Big Country (Mercury, 1983)
22. The Great Eastern – The Delgados (Chemikal Underground, 2000)
21. Treasure – Cocteau Twins (4AD, 1984)
20. The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter – The Incredible String Band (Elektra, 1968)
19. Bert Jansch – Bert Jansch (Transatlantic, 1965)
18. Darklands – The Jesus & Mary Chain (Blanco Y Negro, 1987)
17. Can’t Stand The Rezillos – The Rezillos (Sire, 1978)
16. The Three EPs – The Beta Band (Regal. 1998)
15. Heaven Or Las Vegas – Cocteau Twins (4AD, 1990)
14. Screamadelica – Primal Scream (Creation, 1991)
13. New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) – Simple Minds (Virgin, 1982)
12. Hats – The Blue Nile (Linn, 1989)
11. A Walk Across The Rooftops – The Blue Nile (Linn, 1983)
10. The Only Fun In Town – Josef K (Postcard, 1981)
9. Sulk – Associates (Beggars Banquet, 1982)
8. Music Has The Right To Children – Boards Of Canada (Warp, 1998)
7. If You’re Feeling Sinister – Belle & Sebastian (Jeepster, 1996)
6. Bandwagonesque – Teenage Fanclub (Creation, 1991)
5. Grand Prix – Teenage Fanclub (Creation, 1995)
4. High Land Hard Rain – Aztec Camera (Rough Trade, 1983)
3. You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever – Orange Juice (Polydor, 1982)
2. Rattlesnakes – Lloyd Cole & The Commotions (Polydor, 1984)
1. Psychocandy – The Jesus & Mary Chain (Blanco y Negro, 1985)
Contributors
Caroline Binnie, Chris Bounds, Colin Burt, @Birmingham_81, Neil Campbell, Jon Dennis, Mick Derrick, Marti de Montdarn, Andrew Divine, Paul Docherty, Neil Douglas, Neil Drury, Lionel Duffy, Stuart Fraser, Paul Gallagher, Stephen Gallagher, Mark Goddard, David T Gray, Damian Harris, Ed Hodgson, Philip Johnston, James Johnstone, Johnnie Johnstone, Peter Johnstone, Allan Jones, Jim Kean, Danny Kelly, Peter Latimer, Bobby Lee, Jesse Locke, John Martin, Philip Matthews, Scott Maxwell, Scott McCready, Sean McDermott, Rolo McGinty, Douglas McIntyre, Stephen McRobbie, Edward Metcalf, Tony Mulraney, Seaosamh O’Fionnagain, Rich Oxley, Nick Portnell, Stuart Potts, eIan Rankin, Seamus Reilly, Marco Rossi, Shayne Tod Slaughter, Stewart Smith, Brian Spalding Duglas T Stewart, Terry Tochel, @Unhappyatitall, Mark Webberley, Sandy Wishart and Alan Woodhouse. Thank you!
Bubbling Under
101. Winter of Mixed Drinks – Frightened Rabbit (FatCat, 2010)
102. The Orange Juice – Orange Juice (Polydor, 1984)
103.Cucumber – Sexual Objects (Aktion und Spass, 2010)
104. The Impossible Dream – The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (Vertigo, 1974)
105. My Personal Culloden – Jock Scot (Postcard, 1997)
106. Cocoa Sugar – Young Fathers (Ninja Tune, 2018)
107. Cop Yer Whack For This – Billy Connolly (Polydor, 1974)
108. Jack Orion – Bert Jansch (Transatlantic, 1966)
109. The Man – Bill Drummond (Creation, 1986)
110. Boots Met My Face – Admiral Fallow (Chem19, 2010)
111. New Routes – Lulu (Atlantic, 1970)
112. Solan Goose – Erland Cooper (Society Of Sound Music, 2018)
113. Sunshine Superman – Donovan (Pye, 1967)
114. LA Turnaround – Bert Jansch (Charisma, 1974)
115. Hipsway – Hipsway (Mercury, 1986)
116. The Warp Of Pure Fun – Paul Haig (Les Disques du Crepuscule, 1985)
117. Dum-Dum – The Vaselines (53rd & 3rd, 1989)
118. Spoils – Alasdair Roberts (Drag City, 2009)
119. Strawberry Switchblade – Strawberry Switchblade (Korova, 1985)
120. Sweet Deceit – The Bathers (Island, 1990)
The New Perfect Collection 