The Vivians

The last time The Vivians swaggered into The Southern, the atmosphere was far from serene. Beer glasses bounced to reverberating basslines; skinny-fit punks pogoed to primal guitar riffs; and women swooned at the sight of five thrusting kids giving it their all in the name of rock 'n' roll.

Today the Newington bar is much calmer, but for a small group of people chattering loquaciously over spring-time beers. And etched into the corner of this decadently furbished ale house, The Vivians sit soberly with The Skinny, reflecting on what they propose to be Edinburgh's lack of musical presence.

"I've been put off by the musical climate in the UK, particularly in Edinburgh, in the past four or five years," reflects guitarist and one time Skinny writer Chris 'The Kiss'. "We've seen so many bands that don't look like they were meant to be on stage, don't act like they were meant to be on stage and don't create music like they were meant to be on stage. The difference between us and them is that we tick every box."

Such bravado smacks of fledgling-band brazenness, but after a string of boisterous gigs, The Vivians' cocksure attitude seems well justified.

Yet, aspiring local acts have often talked themselves into contention without delivering the knock-out punch, so what makes this group of suavely attired bohemians any different?

"We don't want to sound like Edinburgh or Glasgow art-chic," proposes frontman Damon Deville. "Our music has its own sound. We just want to have a good time and so far we've been able to do it. We're doing our own thing and having a fucking great time."

Essentially, The Vivians are all about attitude. Their live performances exude the platoon mentality of The Clash and the unhinged, intense presence of The Voidoids. To top it off, they have the smouldering tunes that make you want to dance, fuck and fight simultaneously. It's an attitude that's had police closing down impromptu gigs and models hankering for clammy flesh. As Damon succinctly proclaims, The Vivians are "dirty, horny, sex punk."

But despite such impulsive depictions, their sound is one that they attach to the past glories of their idols. "There's a base in our music that started in the CBGB scene when everything began to diversify," says Chris. "It wasn't punk, it wasn't new wave; it was a musical melting pot for everything that happened. It all started from there and then we picked up our influences along the way. But, really, we're more influenced by bands we don't want to sound like than anything else."

Support slots with Five O'Clock Heroes and Towers Of London have brought the quintet into the nation's conscience but their meticulous fashion sense has, unsurprisingly, led to the occasional 'scenester-band' jibes. Unsurprisingly, it's a view that the group have a swift retort for. "Every band that's made a landmark in history tends to have a style," states Chris unapologetically. "The Rolling Stones, The New York Dolls, Motley Crue; they've all made an impact with their style. It's all about show-business - seriously, what's wrong with looking cool and playing great fucking music?"