BMX Bandits (band)

BMX Bandits are a Scottish 1960s-influenced guitar pop band who have been making music from 1986 to the present day. They shared members with other Belshill bands Teenage Fanclub and The Soup Dragons. BMX Bandits were formed by songwriter and lead vocalist Duglas T. Stewart out of the ashes of The Pretty Flowers, a group that featured Stewart alongside Frances McKee (later of The Vaselines), Sean Dickson and Norman Blake. The group have had many line up changes throughout the years but have always reflected Stewart's individual, quirky and romantic world view. Their songs mix highly melodic qualities with strong arrangements and humour with, at times, raw and heartbreaking pathos. Stewart has written many of the group's strongest works solo including "Your Class", "The Sailor's Song" and "Doorways" but also has collaborated with many of the other members. Stewart's most regular songwriting partners have been Francis MacDonald, Norman Blake and, more recently, David Scott.

The group's most celebrated song the autobiographical "Serious Drugs" (recorded in 1991 but not released until 1993). The song was ground breaking in its use of lush arrangement ideas and smooth vocal harmonies at a time when "indie" records usually sounded rough and ready. The song featured in the movie This Year's Love and was covered by American stadium power pop group Gigolo Aunts.
Oasis did their first UK tour dates supporting the Bandits as a favour from Stewart to Creation label boss Alan McGee. BMX Bandits admirers include Kurt Cobain who was famously photographed wearing a BMX Bandits T shirt as he had been wearing T shirts of Daniel Johnston and Captain America (later renamed Eugenius) and Cobain claimed on a New York radio show that if he could be in any other band it would be BMX Bandits.

Many Bandits fans were shocked when Stewart split with long term musical partner Francis MacDonald in 2005 but were consoled by a new wave of live concert activity and the 2006 release of "My Chain". The album was Stewart's most personal and acclaimed set yet and his writing on it was compared to Brian Wilson, Michel Legrand, Ennio Morricone and even Alan Bennett. The line up benefited from the arrival of Stewart's friend David Scott, who with Stewart has created ever more emotive and ambitious arrangements for the group, and new female vocalist Rachel MacKenzie.

Discography

* "Totally Groovy Live Experience" (1989)
* "C86" (compilation, 1990)
* "Star Wars" (1991)
* "C86 Plus" (compilation, 1992)
* "Gordon Keen & His BMX Bandits" (mini album, 1992)
* "Life Goes On" (1993)
* "Gettin' Dirty" (1995)
* "Hidden Agenda" (live album with Kim Fowley, 1995)
* "Theme Park" (1996)
* "Duglas Stewart's Frankenstein" (solo album featuring contributions from other BMX Bandits, 1996)
* "53rd and 3rd Years" (compilation, 1999)
* "On the Radio, 1986-1996" (compilation, 2003)
* "Down at the Hop" (2003)
* "Serious Drugs" (best of compilation, 2005)
* "My Chain" (2006)
* "Bee Stings" (2007)

Members

Over the years the membership of the group has fluctuated. Only vocalist Duglas T.Stewart has been a permanent member.
* Sushil Dade
* Sean Dickson
* Francis MacDonald
* Joseph McAlinden
* Duglas T. Stewart
* Norman Blake
* Eugene Kelly
* Jim McCulloch
* Finlay MacDonald
* John Hogarty
* Gordon Keen
* Willie McArdle
* Gabriel Telerman
* Jamie Cameron
* Stuart Kidd
* Brian McEwan
* James McEwan
* Martin Kirwan
* Rachel MacKenzie
* David Scott

External links

* [http://www.bmx-bandits.com/ Official BMX Bandits website]
* [http://onoffonoff.org/bmxbandits/ A major, unofficial BMX Bandits fansite]
* [http://www.myspace.com/bmxbanditsgroup/ BMX Bandits official myspace site.]