Glasvegas is an alternative/shoegazing band which formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 2003, the band is composed of James Allan (vocals, rhythm guitar), Rab Allan (lead guitar), Paul Donoghue (bass guitar) and Caroline McKay (drums). Their music is influenced by artists such as Wall of Sound producer Phil Spector and other, more recent, bands which share that same aesthetic such as My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain.
The band’s line-up came together in early 2003, and later that year were seen for the first time by Scottish music industry mogul Alan McGee at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut club in Glasgow. Former Creation Records boss McGee would go on to become one of the band’s most vociferous supporters. In May 2004, the band released their debut single I’m Gonna Get Stabbed. The band’s original drummer Ryan Ross left in 2005 and Caroline McKay was asked to replace him.
On 30th October 2006, the band released their first self funded limited edition 7” single, Go Square Go!. Following the release of their second limited edition 7” single, Daddy’s Gone in November 2007, Glasvegas found themselves at the centre of a bidding war from several major record labels. Later that same year, Daddy’s Gone was voted #2 single of the year in an end of year poll by the NME.
After releasing their third limited edition 7” single, It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry on 14th February 2008 the band opted to sign for Columbia. Exactly two weeks later at the NME Awards, the band won the award for best new band: the prestigious Philip Hall Radar Award.
Glasvegas recently worked at Brooklyn Recording Studios in New York to record their debut album, produced by Rich Costey and the band’s primary songwriter James Allan. The album was released in September 2008, and includes re-recordings of early songs Daddy’s Gone and It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry, as well as new songs Polmont on My Mind, ‘Dream, Dream, Dreaming’, Lonesome Swan, SAD Light and Geraldine. On 23rd June 2008, Geraldine was released by Columbia as the first single from the album.
