Starter For Eleven: Mudhoney

Q. Which group famously burned £1,000,000 on a remote Scottish island in 1994? Bonus point for the name of the island or the Scottish musician involved in that group.
Steve: Would that have been Primal Scream?
Mark: Oh God, they wore hoods and shit, right? It was three letters, initials...KDM?
A: The KLF, Jura, Bill Drummond

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Q. Which punk rock band from Dunfermline (formed in 1977) had a hit called Into the Valley and a lead singer who went on to become a film director?
Steve: I know that song...were Simple Minds Scottish? What were they called before... no, that was Johnny and the Self Abusers! I’d have to be down in my record room to get this. I have this Killed By Death compilation of purely rare Scottish punk records, but I can’t think of any of the names right now.
Mark: Is it Alex Cox? I am stumped.
A. The Skids
Steve: The Skids? I didn’t even know they were Scottish; I have their single, a four song EP! I didn’t even realise a few of them became Big Country. They went away pretty quick, right?
Mark: I didn’t realise they were Scottish either.

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Q. Andy Brown (Divorce) asks: Which legendary Scottish group most recently signed to Sub Pop?
Steve: Was that The Vaselines again?
Mark: Mogwai! Steve would have never guessed that one!
A. Mogwai
Steve: Mogwai signed to Sub Pop huh? Every so often they ask us to open up some big show of theirs but they never give us time, like three weeks advance notice. I think they’ve asked us a couple of times and we’ve said no – nothing personal, we’d love to play with them. Dude, we need like six months warning at this point!

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Q. Which internationally successful Scottish group was originally known as Johnny and the Self Abusers?
Steve: Hahaha, I’m on this one – Simple Minds!
A. Simple Minds
Mark: All I really know is that they’re on that Iggy Pop record, Soldier...never paid any attention to them other than that. But hey, Don’t You Forget About Me!

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Q. Which garage rock ‘supergroup’ from Edinburgh debuted with the single Just Like Me in 1995?
Steve: Would that be The Wildebeests?
A. The Wildebeests
Steve: Death Molecule is an awesome album, one of my favourites.

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Q. Vic Galloway asks: What were the Edinburgh beat group The Thanes originally known as?
Steve: Jeez, I don’t know, The Thanes have been around since the mid 80s right? We played with them in 1989.
Mark: I have no idea, but we did play with The Thanes.
A. The Green Telescope.
Steve: Wait, they were The Green Telescope? I have a flexi of theirs somewhere.

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Q. Name the cult Edinburgh label which put out albums by Josef K and the fire Engines? 
Steve: Ah, Postcard!
Mark: Oh, Postcard!
A: Postcard Records.

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Q. Which Scottish band of recent times features a lead singer known to work under the guise Richard "The Turd"?
Steve: I have no idea, that’s too hard. I can’t even think of a contemporary Scottish band...Vaselines? How about an English contemporary band – Arctic Monkeys?
Mark: I have no idea. Richard The Turd? Hahaha.
A. The Phantom Band
Mark: Such a Phantom Band that I’ve never heard of them!

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Q. Craig & Charlie Reid (The Proclaimers) ask: Can you name the Scottish guitarist who spent a spell as a roadie with Nirvana and ended up playing electric guitar on a few of their live shows?
Mark: John from The Exploited, also played with Goodbye Mr MacKenzie.
A. 'Big' John Duncan, of The Exploited.

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Q. Eugene Kelly (The Vaselines) asks: What was the name of the record store Mudhoney had a signing at on the day of your first Glasgow show?
Steve: I don’t know, but thanks for putting me up that night Eugene!
Mark: Haha, was it Records R Us?
A. Realistic Records.

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Q. For half a point, which record store did you do a signing in for your last Edinburgh show?
Mark: Oh, Avalanche.
A. Avalanche.

Final score: A respectable 5.5 points between the godfathers of scuzz – worthy of a chip buttie, but not quite the full supper.