What Happens in Glasvegas...

Wandering backstage with a mobile which was just handed to him, James Allan searches for a quiet spot to chat, apologising profusely for keeping me holding, and at the same time describing the thrill of playing to a crowd who spilled well beyond the boundaries of the tent, just to catch a glimpse of rock and roll’s new heroes.

Allan's enthused about the set, but it’s just one great moment amongst many for Glasvegas over the last year, which has culminated with the completion of their debut album. Like almost everything about the quartet, Allan has been intrinsic to the recording process, having recorded, produced and self-released their material to date. "Yeah, well me and Rich [Costey - Interpol, Muse, Franz Ferdinand] co-produced it," he explains of their recent recording sessions in the Big Apple. "And I think that’s the first time he’s co-produced anything. I couldn’t help myself. It would have been too difficult to get a producer in and let go. We’ve got such a specific thing that we’re looking for. I think that’s been a bit of a strain on everybody... maybe I’ve pushed people quite far."

With Allan’s heavy involvement, I ask why there was a need for another set of hands. "The nice thing with Rich is that he’s such a master of rock and roll. I think with him, sonically, it’s a bit more widescreen. It’s just bigger" he offers, before qualifying, "Yeah, it’s really loud man. I know that’s not a very technical term, but it is loud." And that seems to sit well with him. "Last night was the first time I heard all of the tracks together. It was an amazing moment. I’m really proud of it."

Video: Daddy's Gone (2008 Version)

Of course, it's essential that Allan is deeply proud of what Glasvegas have produced, given the intense hype surrounding their rise from providing support for local bands who struggled to compete with their backcombs, to a mainstream media poster-band, and the inevitable backlash to follow the release of their debut, which will no doubt provide the fist truing up of their worth. I question whether their ascendancy has felt naturally progressive, or if there’s a sense of being having been swept along. James confirms, "It’s so fast. There’s not a lot of clarity... it’s like a psychedelic blur. Our lives are changing a lot, there’s no denying that. Truth is, I never expected it to be as much as this." And how is he coping with the threat of impending rock stardom? "All I was ever trying to do was express myself, and you just need to keep doing that. The thing is, in a lot of ways the attention is really sweet. The way I read it is that people are saying 'I like this band, I believe in this guy’. That’s the beauty of rock and roll, I suppose; it can be so unpredictable, and that’s a brilliant quality. The magic can happen in such a short space of time, and I like that with anything in life."

The magic - the transition which Allan speaks of - has undoubtedly been dramatic. By his own admission, pre-Glasvegas, he was on the dole, and doing little else. Having previously had a career as a professional footballer, being in a band had never been a serious consideration. So where did the sudden ambition come from? "Being on the dole, I had a lot of free time spent very isolated. That isn’t always the best thing, but then it forces you to get to the bottom of things, to dig deep within yourself. When I think back now, I guess an interest in music was always there; consciously or subconsciously, I was always taking it in. But it was probably when I saw Oasis that I thought, that looks like a good job, a good thing to do."

Video - Geraldine (Live on Joolz Holland)

The key to Glasvegas’ success is perhaps that they have crafted something which - although there are permissible touchstones - sounds unlike anything else of this time. Part of this uniqueness no doubt stems from their late foray in to music and a certain lack of self-consciousness because of it. "I listen to a lot of classical music, and old rock & roll," says Allan. "And the thing is, I miss a lot of those bands at the moment, so we’re just making up our own world,’ he admits. And does that trouble him at all, given that his band are now very much part of current music culture? "We were on Radio Scotland last night, and they were asking us to pick a track that got us in to music. I picked Starship, Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now. They seemed quite taken aback, but I just picked it because it’s the first time I remember hearing popular music and being amazed by it." It’s clear enough from this anecdote alone that Allan is maintaining his distance from modern influences.

Now he’s making waves very much on his own terms, what are Allan's plans for Glasvegas? "I’d like to think that I’ll always be inspired by and involved in music. I can never guarantee that though, look at what happened with football. But, with [the band], I just hope that I can keep everything together for as long as I can. I mean, if I feel that I’ve still got something worthwhile to say, I’ll still make records. If not, then I guess I’ll just stop." Just like that? "Well, we’re going to make a Christmas record, after that we’ll see what happens." Intrigued, I ask why such a bold, frankly left-field second, perhaps final, album? "I don’t know. Something just tells me I need to make a Christmas album," he offers behind a laugh. And what will define it as a Christmas album? "I’ve always found Christmas to be a romantic time of year, and also a time when people look within themselves, and take stock of where they are. I know that’s what I do. I think it can also be a magical time of year, and hopefully we can capture some of that. In fact, I was writing some stuff for it in New York."

"Oh, and we’re going to Transylvania," he offers in parting. Presumably to research their Hammer Horror themed follow-up.