Music writer, author and journalist Allan Glen interviews the bands, musicians, songwriters, filmmakers, record label bosses and writers who create the best Scottish pop. Allan is the author of Stuart Adamson - In a Big Country, the critically acclaimed biography on the Skids and Big Country legend, and a former NME writer and BBC broadcaster.
Sir Ian Rankin (author): 'Some of the greatest Scottish songwriters were Jekyll and Hyde characters'
As he prepares for the release of his highly anticipated standalone novel The Heights, Sir Ian Rankin joins me on the podcast this week to talk about the state of music in Scotland.
As anyone who has read Ian's Rebus books will know, his writing is peppered with Scottish music references – from characters called Burchill to in-jokes about Mogwai, from tributes to folk heroes to homages to his own Cardenden punk band The Dancing Pigs.
We also discuss the fragility behind some of Scotland’s greatest artists, from Alex Harvey to Stuart Adamson, Jackie Leven to Frankie Miller.
This is the second, and concluding, part of our interview, which was recorded just after the Friends Again show at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow earlier this year.
In the interview we talk about the impact of that show - and the surprise appearance of Lloyd Cole as support act – and the power of nostalgia on the wider Scottish music scene.
Don't forget you can sign up for the Scotpop newsletter on Substack (https://scotpop.substack.com/) - featuring extended shownotes, behind the scenes info, Scottish music news stories and the best new bands.
For the latest news on the podcast and music updates, make sure to follow Scotpop on:
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/allanjglen/?hl=e)
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/allan-glen-1228496b/)
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1615843776347565)
X ( https://x.com/allanglen1)
TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@scotpoppodcast)
https://www.tiktok.com/@scotpoppodcast
If you have any queries about sponsorship opportunities, you can email me at scotpoppodcast@gmail.com.
16 Sept 2026
Clive Ford (Awrite Records/ex Skids roadie): ‘Stuart [Adamson] gave me the tape and said, "You'll know what to do with it".'
25 years after the death of Stuart Adamson, secret recordings of his first band the Skids are emerging. They were recorded in Edinburgh in 1977 11 weeks after the band formed, with all songs written by Stuart, who died in 2001. What can they tell us about this mercurial talent?
On this week’s Scotpop podcast I’m joined by Awrite Records founder and ex Skids roadie Clive Ford to talk about those early days of the Scottish punk legends.
Clive also explains how he got his hands on the tape, and why it's being released now as '1977' on his Seattle-based record label.
“The new album brings the story full circle,” he says on this week’s show.
Don't forget you can sign up for the Scotpop newsletter on Substack (https://scotpop.substack.com/) - featuring extended shownotes, behind the scenes info, Scottish music news stories and the best new bands.
For the latest news on the podcast and music updates, make sure to follow Scotpop on:
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/allanjglen/?hl=e)
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/allan-glen-1228496b/)
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1615843776347565)
X ( https://x.com/allanglen1)
TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@scotpoppodcast)
https://www.tiktok.com/@scotpoppodcast
If you have any queries about sponsorship opportunities, you can email me at scotpoppodcast@gmail.com.
2 Sept 2026
Clare Grogan (Altered Images) - "The music press in the 80s was vitriolic – particularly to women'
In the summer of 1981, Altered Images exploded on to the post-punk scene in the UK in a blaze of chutzpah, charm and chisseled cheekbones – and that was just the boys. That posters of the band’s frontwoman Clare Grogan were already pinned on bedroom walls following her breakthrough performance in Bill Forsyth’s classic growing-up movie Gregory’s Girl the previous year seemed to seal their fate as the nation’s favourite new band; even the London-based, hypercritical NME loved their briliantly bright pop tunes and street-urchin antics. (Well, for a bit anyway …) For many, the arrival of the Glaswegian punk upstarts on Top of the Pops looking like the ultimate gatecrashers – with Clare wearing a bamboo hat the size of a small country – signalled the moment pop switched from black and white to colour. The 80s had arrived.
On this week’s episode of Scotpop, Clare relives the highs and lows of being in Altered Images, who are back on tour in the UK.
She also talks about:
- Travelling the world with “the boys- which was fun. Until it wasn’t.”
- Recording with superstar producer Mike Chapman (Suzi Quatro/Smokie/Sweet/Blondie) in America. “Were we subservient? Nah. We were a bunch of gobby Glaswegians.”
- Her blossoming friendship with [future husband and MMMBop producer] Stephen Lironi who joined Altered Images for third album Bite.
- And - it’s TRUE - what it REALLY feels like when you inspire one of the biggest hits of the 80s. (Altogether now: ‘Ah, ha ha, hahhh … ha”.)
- Plus, so much more.
Don't forget you can sign up for the Scotpop newsletter on Substack (https://scotpop.substack.com/) - featuring extended shownotes, behind the scenes info, Scottish music news stories and the best new bands.
For the latest news on the podcast and music updates, make sure to follow Scotpop on:
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/allanjglen/?hl=e)
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/allan-glen-1228496b/)
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1615843776347565)
X ( https://x.com/allanglen1)
TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@scotpoppodcast)
https://www.tiktok.com/@scotpoppodcast
If you have any queries about sponsorship opportunities, you can email me at scotpoppodcast@gmail.com.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
4.5 / 5
8 ratings
Contact Scotpop
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
