Scouting for Girls excited for Sheffield show

That greatest hits album followed a debut album that went triple platinum, a single that went straight to Number One and became a half-a-mllion-copies-selling generational anthem, two million album sales, two million single sales, four top 10 singles, a sold-out Wembley Arena and a sold-out Royal Albert Hall show.

A tough question and one Scouting for Girls admit they did not have an answer for when the Greatest Hits tour finished in late 2013.

However, two-and-a-half years later, with a new album under their belt and a UK tour which kicked off last week, it looks like the band had it all planned out all along.

But that is definitely not the case says frontman Roy Stride.

“We did the Greatest Hits tour and after the last show we had a party,” says the 37-year-old Londoner, one-third of the band alongside bassist Greg Churchouse and drummer Pete Ellard.

“I was thinking we weren’t going to do anything else. We didn’t have a record deal, we didn’t have any dates.

“I was busy writing for other people and I didn’t have any plans to write for Scouting.

“I didn’t know what we were going to do.”

MORE MUSIC NEWS:

The Star music pages

However, an invite to perform in the Middle East helped the band get back on track.

“After Christmas, we got a couple of offers, including a festival in Dubai where we would be there for five days for a 40-minute set, so we said yes,” says Roy.

“We spent that year saying yes to anything – we played nearly 100 shows. And during that year we had time to think about a new album.”

Pete adds: “We just fell in love again with being in a band and playing music, and just doing what we did before.”

“And because of that,” adds Stride, “the songs just started coming out.

“Whereas the last record was all put together by the label, this one came together really organically, like a record should, through a real love for the songs rather than thinking about anything else.”

Still Thinking About You, the band’s fourth studio album, was released last month, reaching number 13 in the charts.

Roy says: “It was like going back to our first record, just writing a record and people coming to see us, like 10 years ago when it was just our friends. It’s been fun.”

“It is a really unforced, natural album,” adds Pete. “It was just done how it should have been done.

“Good songs, simple production, really good fun. And we rediscovered that buzz between the three of us.”

Roys adds: “It’s been a real journey, this record.

“We know everyone always says this, but it is the record we’re most proud of. It’s our best record.

“We tried to make a collection of songs that worked together, which we’d never really done before.

“And we wanted to make songs that connect truthfully and emotionally.

“And if they connect with us, they’ll connect with others.

“People have said it’s like old Scouting For Girls, or the best bits of our old songs rolled into one. The best of everything we’ve done before – and I love that.

“On Still Thinking About You, we’ve embraced what people love about this band and we’ve made the ultimate Scouting For Girls record.”

And Roy admits he is really excited to take the new record on the road.

“Doing the greatest hits tour, you are just playing songs you have been playing for ages, with perhaps one new one that goes on the album.

“I am really excited to play some new stuff. I feel like we are at the top of our game.”

And he is pledging to take a “few risks” with the live shows.

“We also have a Christmas EP out, so the tour is going to be like a month of Chruistmas Scouting for Girls office parties. We just love to get out there.”

Scouting for Girls play Sheffield city centre’s O2 Academy on Saturday, November 28. Support comes from Mike Dignam. For tickets, priced from £22.50, visit www.o2academysheffield.co.uk

MORE MUSIC NEWS:

Busted are back together and heading for Sheffield.

Sheffield stars Reverend and The Makers reflect on new album Mirrors

Christmas song star Roy Wood lines up Doncaster Dome show

Brotherly love as The Fratellis bring tour to Sheffield