Arab Strap front-man Aidan Moffat has revealed the Scottish alt-rock legends were formed as a reaction to the Britpop movement.
The duo began making music in 1995 when the Britpop phenomenon with bands like Oasis, Blur and Ocean Colour Scene was at its height.
Arab Strap singer Aidan felt out of step from that scene and found it “suffocating” and not honest.
He felt there was more to be said.
Now the duo will headline Aberdeen to revisit one of their legendary albums that delivered on that vow to say much more Britpop.
Aidan, 50, and Arab Strap partner Malcolm Middleton, 50, will play 1998 album Philophobia in its entirety at the Lemon Tree on Friday, January 19.
The show is rescheduled from December 6 which was cancelled due to illness.
Aidan said: “In the nineties there were a lot of the lad behaviour that was a hangover from the Britpop stuff.
“I enjoyed myself during that era and had many friends who did as well.
“I didn’t really see that period as a particularly masculine time.
“However that laddish thing was very popular with the Loaded magazine and everything like that.
“The male culture was all abut football and drinking and there was very little emotion.
“You can enjoy that for a wee while but I found it suffocating.”
‘I felt there was more to be said’
Formed in Falkirk in 1995 Arab Strap were the antidote to Britpop culture by bringing a refreshing, and sometimes brutal, honesty in their songs.
They have remained a unique and powerful voice since – tackling emotions and issues many artists fear to.
Aidan said: “It (Britpop) was not honest and I think we were a reaction to that, why aren’t men being honest?
“I participated and enjoyed a lot of the Britpop era, but I felt there was more to be said.”
The enduring legacy of Philophobia
Aidan and Malcolm will revisit classic release Philophobia in Aberdeen by playing all 13 tracks from the album.
Originally released on Chemikal Underground Records in April 1998 Philophobia was the follow up to debut The Week Never Starts Round Here.
The Aberdeen show is rescheduled from December which has to be cancelled as Aidan was ill and his voice was affected by a sore throat.
Aidan said: “Philophobia was quite a sparse record anyway and there aren’t many songs on it that had more than three or four instruments.
“Most of the songs sound pretty much like they do on the record although there are changes.
“My voice is very different.
“It’s interesting to hear how we can do it.
“For example Here We Go was one of the singles and a song people like hearing.
“I can’t do that vocal anymore the way it was done.
“So there is a bit more singing involved and I think it works well.
“If our first album was a ramshackle oddity filled with in-jokes and private tape moments that we never expected to bother many ears.
“Then it was Philophobia where everything started to come together.
“When we began to realise making music might have a future for us, and the Arab Strap sounds and themes began to take shape.
“If you’ve seen us play in the past few years, you’ll know we still include quite a few of its songs in our set lists.
“These tunes seem to have endured, and it’s probably the only album we’d ever consider performing all the way through.”
VOICE UPDATE: After a medicine-packed night in a Travelodge, my throat's still not ready for action, sorry. Apologies to Aberdeen & Galashiels, we need to reschedule those too – will confirm January dates later today. All fingers crossed for Friday and beyond.
– Aidan pic.twitter.com/FD3wSoWzt9
— Arab Strap (@ArabStrapBand) December 6, 2023
Brexit is a disaster for musicians
Arab Strap have completed the recording of a follow up to 2021’s acclaimed album As Days Get Dark.
The new album is scheduled for release in May.
Arab Strap completed a European tour prior to last month’s run of Philophobia Undressed shows in Scotland.
They played dates in Germany, Norway, Sweden and France.
Aidan admits Brexit has been a “disaster” for British musicians.
He said: “It is a lot more expensive to tour in Europe now.
“You have to get a carny for all your equipment which costs money.
“The taxes seem to be a lot higher and stricter than they used to be.
“Brexit is a disaster still for musicians.
“To be a young band starting out today it is really prohibitive.”
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