Smoked Glass

Self-belief is essential for any band wanting to get anywhere. If someone says you're shit, you need to have the balls to carry on. When making a name for yourself, when no one knows who you are, when no one will even listen, confidence in what you do is vital.

This doesn't seem to be a problem for Edinburgh's Smoked Glass. "Our live shows quite often leave people gaping," says Roddy MacDonald, the band's lyricist and manager. "We are nothing like anyone has ever seen from an unsigned band."

Formed almost by accident when singer John Keenan approached Roddy for help when auditioning for another band, Smoked Glass have swelled to a sturdy guitar-toting, synth-wrecking five-piece with a drive and confidence worthy of the Gallaghers. Their sound too has echoes of Oasis, with traditional rock influences meeting the blues to create tunes with a hell of a swagger. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with being a bit Trad. Arr.

"It's difficult to ring-fence our sound," says Roddy. "We cover almost all bases, and our inspiration comes from everywhere, though we definitely have a retro edge."

It's a sound that seems to be paying off as nobody seems to have a bad word to say about them. Their fanbase is growing rapidly, and their gigs are fast becoming events on the Edinburgh circuit, with one paper being so bold as to describe them as being "destined to be one of the most important acts of our time" following a recent show.

"We sold over 200 tickets for our last gig at The Jam House," Roddy enthuses. "Someone even paid double for one of our t-shirts. We had huge crowds screaming our name and singing our songs. It was a great experience."

Behind the hyperbole, however, is a work ethic of good solid graft, and Roddy confesses it's not always easy.

"The band is a drain on all of our finances and personal lives, but success is what we want. We believe in doing everything ourselves, we leave nothing to others and organise the lot from beginning to end."

That might sound cocky, but they're certainly doing a good PR job. This month, one fan's honest feedback was heftily rewarded with an X-Box 360, earned simply by voting for their favourite song on the band's MySpace page.

"We just wanted to find out what songs people like the most," shrugs Roddy. "Our fans are so loyal and we want to return something to them."

There is, it seems, no stopping the Smoked Glass juggernaut, and plans for an elaborate DVD and a huge gig are already in motion for next year. If a little self-belief goes a long way, it's clear they've got the jump on many of their peers.

"You can be the next big band if you work hard and believe in yourself," says Roddy. "It sounds a bit cliched, but it works for us. We know we can do it - just watch us."