BMX Bandits is 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 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Teenage Fanclub are a Scottish alternative rock band from Bellshill, near Glasgow, formed in 1989. ... The Soup Dragons were a Scottish indie rock band of the late 1980s and early 1990s, named after a character in the 1970s childrens TV show The Clangers. ... Duglas T. Stewart (born 30th December 1964). ... Frances McKee is a singer and songwriter known best for her work in the Scottish indie band The Vaselines. ... The Vaselines were an indie rock band from Edinburgh, Scotland. ... Norman Blake is a singer-songwriter in the Glasgow band Teenage Fanclub. ... Francis MacDonald is a drummer and sometime member of British alternative rock band Teenage Fanclub. ... Norman Blake is a singer-songwriter in the Glasgow band Teenage Fanclub. ... David Scott is the leader of melodious Scottish pop group The Pearlfishers. ...

The group's most celebrated song the autobiographical Serious Drugs (recorded in 1991 but not released until 1993). The song was groundbreaking in its use of lush arrangement ideas and smoothe 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. This Years Love is the title of a 1999 film set in and around Camden Town in London. ... Gigolo Aunts is an alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Potsdam, New York as Sniper. ... For the English rock band, see Oasis (band). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with create. ... Alan McGee is a British music industry mogul and musician famed for founding the independent Creation Records label which ran from 1983 to 2000. ... Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – c. ... Daniel Dale Johnston (b. ... Eugenius wearing imperial insigna, on a coin celebrateing the VIRTVS ROMANORVM, the (military) value of the Romans. Flavius Eugenius (d. ...

Many Bandits fans were shocked when Stewart split with longterm 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 benefitted from the arrival of Stewart's longtime friend David Scott, who with Stewart has created ever more emotive and ambitious arrangements for the group, and new female vocalist Rachel MacKenzie. For other persons named Brian Wilson, see Brian Wilson (disambiguation). ... Michel Legrand (born February 24, 1932 in Paris) is a French musical composer, arranger, conductor and pianist. ... Ennio Morricone (born November 10, 1928; sometimes also credited as Dan Savio or Leo Nichols) is an Italian composer especially noted for his film scores. ... Published by Faber/Profile Books in 2005 Alan Bennett (born May 9, 1934) is an English author and actor noted for his work, his boyish appearance and his sonorous Yorkshire accent. ... Rachel Mackenzie is a singer and songwriter based in Glasgow. ...

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
• Rachel MacKenzie
• David Scott
• Gary Waugh

Francis MacDonald is a drummer and sometime member of British alternative rock band Teenage Fanclub. ... Duglas T. Stewart (born 30th December 1964). ... Norman Blake is a singer-songwriter in the Glasgow band Teenage Fanclub. ... Eugene Kelly is a Scottish musician who was a member of the band The Vaselines and has had a number of solo releases. ... Finlay MacDonald is a keyboard player and sometime member of British alternative rock band Teenage Fanclub. ... Rachel Mackenzie is a singer and songwriter based in Glasgow. ... David Scott is the leader of melodious Scottish pop group The Pearlfishers. ...

External links

• Official BMX Bandits website
• A major, unofficial BMX Bandits fansite
• BMX Bandits official myspace site.