The key to the longevity and continued relevance of Scottish post-rock legends Mogwai is love of music, insists frontman Stuart Braithwaite.
Formed in Glasgow in 1995 Mogwai are set to headline the Music Hall, Aberdeen, on Tuesday December 20.
Having released 10 acclaimed albums, Mogwai are one of Britain’s most influential bands of the last two decades. In celebration of their legacy Mogwai are set to reissue their first two albums Mogwai Young Team and Come on Die Young in February.
However, they also aim to work on a follow-up to chart-topping album As the Love Continues next year.
Mogwai born out of Stuart Braithwaite’s passion for bands
Stuart formed the band as a teenager, fuelled by a passion for bands like Spacemen 3, The Stooges, Slint, My Bloody Valentine, Loop and Ash Ra Tempel.
Now 46, Stuart and Mogwai are still pushing sonic boundaries.
He said: “The key is that we all still enjoy it. I think people can tell when you are doing something because you need to or you can’t think of anything else to do.
“We are very lucky to be doing what we really love, playing music.
“I’m really excited about playing the gig in Aberdeen. We are very grateful for all the support we get from people.”
A Zoom party to celebrate No.1 hit
That support propelled Mogwai to the top of the British album charts in February last year.
As the Love Continues fought off grime artist Ghetts to take the top spot.
That was despite Ghetts taking to the streets of London in an armoured tank to promote his third album Conflict of Interest.
Mogwai topping the charts was a vindication of autonomy and independent music – it was released on their own Rock Action Records.
There was no big party to celebrate the landmark achievement, only a Zoom call.
Stuart said: “Getting to number one was massive and wasn’t on our radar.
“It came as a really pleasant surprise and it was great to see all the support for the record. The other records we were competing with were all on really huge, major labels.
“Our label has two people working for it and is very much a small operation.
“We had a wee zoom call and a glass of wine with a lot of the people involved such as Dave (Fridmann) who recorded the record and Nick and Craig who run the label.
“It was a really nice moment although it was a shame we couldn’t have a party. If we had been running the country we could have had as many parties as we wanted.
“But we are just lowly rock musicians.”
The enduring influence of Mogwai
Mogwai hope to begin work on the follow-up to the number one album next year.
On new material, Stuart said: “It is the very, very early stages. But that is something we are going to get more into next year.”
Mogwai’s influence is far-reaching.
It can be heard in bands such as Red Sparowes, This Will Destroy You and If These Trees Could Talk… to name a few.
Stuart said: “Sometimes I will hear a band and think they have maybe grown up with our music or taken something from it.
“I’m totally happy with that. “I think that’s how music should be.
“That’s the tradition of music, taking bits of bobs of what you hear and interpreting it through your own lens.”
Seal of approval from Iggy Pop
Mogwai’s 1997 debut Mogwai Young Team and its follow up, 1999’s Come On Die Young are set to be reissued.
Both will be out on coloured vinyl on February 10.
Mogwai Young Team was recorded for just £2,000 and hailed as a groundbreaking release.
Follow up Come On Die Young is darkly elegiac and equally influential.
Come On Die Young opens with a sample of Stooges legend Iggy Pop on the power of music.
Stuart said: “Iggy played that on his radio show last year. It is one of my proudest moments. You can’t get more of an endorsement than Iggy himself playing it.
“Iggy was and still is a huge influence. I just think he is the living embodiment of punk rock and rock n’ roll. I’ve never met him… maybe one day.
“We were kids when we started Mogwai. At that point I don’t think I saw us making two albums, never mind 10. It has been quite the journey.
“It’s all I’ve ever really known. I’ve been in this band since I was 17. I have always really loved it.”
For more information and tickets for Mogwai at the Music Hall visit aberdeenperformingarts.com
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