The Supernaturals

The Supernaturals

The Supernaturals are a Glasgow rock and indie group formed in 1993. The line-up includes James McColl, Alan Tilston, Gavin Crawford, Mark Guthrie, Paul Malcolm, Ken McAlpine, Derek McManus and David Mitchell, with McColl as the singer-songwriter fronting the band.

Career

The band signs to Parlophone in 1996 and goes on to release three albums and four EPs. Across that period, singles are drawn from those releases and the group achieves five UK Top 40 singles. Their recordings also include tracks used in television advertising, including Smile and I Wasn't Built To Get Up.

Sound and style

The Supernaturals’ music is built around guitar-based pop and rock, with two guitars often used together, usually one acoustic and one electric, along with effects and restrained drumming. Their sound draws on 1960s rock and later 1990s synth culture. Their lyrics are self-mocking, witty and often playful, and songs on the same album are sometimes connected by shared themes.

Activity and later releases

The band tours extensively, appearing at summer festivals and supporting acts including Robbie Williams, often with costume and comedy elements in their performances. They disband in the early 2000s after the 2002 album What We Did Last Summer, then reunite for a new album in 2015. They remain intermittently active and release their fifth full-length record, Bird of Luck, in 2019.