Teenage Fanclub

Teenage Fanclub are a Scottish power pop and indie rock group formed in Bellshill, United Kingdom in 1989. They are also known as the Boy Hairdressers and have two informal nicknames, “The Fannies” and “The Bellshill Beach Boys”. The band is associated with chiming, Byrds-inspired guitars and close harmony vocals.

Early releases and sound

Their debut album, A Catholic Education, is released in 1990. It has a dark, abrasive and cynical tone compared with their later work, and it draws on grunge and heavy metal influences. The album’s two title tracks are direct attacks on the Catholic Church. Its opening song, “Everything Flows”, has a more mellow, power pop-influenced sound and later appears on the compilations Deep Fried Fanclub and Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Seconds – A Short Cut to Teenage Fanclub.

The follow-up album, The King, comes out in 1991 and moves towards a more chaotic alternative rock style that divides listeners and critics.

Bandwagonesque and wider recognition

The band’s third album, Bandwagonesque, is released on Creation Records in 1991 and becomes their best-known record. It is noted for helping anticipate later Britpop and indie pop, and it is voted album of the year by Spin, ahead of Nirvana’s Nevermind. The album brings them stronger success in the United States, where “Star Sign” reaches number four on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. “What You Do to Me” and “The Concept” also reach the Top 20 on that chart.

In 2006, the group perform Bandwagonesque in full at two special concerts in London and Glasgow.

Songwriting and membership

Songwriting is shared between the three permanent members: Norman Blake, Raymond McGinley and Gerard Love. The group has also included several drummers and other players over time, including Francis MacDonald, Brendan O’Hare, Paul Quinn, Finlay MacDonald, Dave McGowan and Euros Childs. Francis MacDonald is the original drummer, while Brendan O’Hare and Paul Quinn also play in later periods; Francis MacDonald later returns after Quinn. Finlay MacDonald plays keyboards and is no relation to Francis MacDonald.

Later work

Shadows, their ninth studio album, is released in 2010 on the band’s own PeMa label in Europe and on Merge Records in North America. The single “Baby Lee” is promoted from the album and continues their chiming, emotionally direct style. Their tours are described as widely successful, and the group remains active from 1989 to the present.