THEIR songs have been able to capture social and political changes over the years – but the Proclaimers are disappointed at the lack of politics in modern pop.

Singer Craig Reid has been left bemused at the fact there’s few writers penning songs about what’s going on in the world.

“I’ve been amazed at the lack of political writing or even social commentary in recent years,” he says, as he and brother Charlie gear up for two nights at the Royal Concert Hall next Tuesday and Wednesday.

“It doesn’t have to be directly political, because you can do social commentary without that, but there’s so little of it. There’s so much going on with politics and world events that I’ve been astonished by the lack of songs.

"I’m disappointed a bit but more really surprised by it."

The duo may be one of Scotland’s most loved exports, but they haven’t lost their knack for writing about challenging material – this year’s album Let’s Hear It For The Dogs features songs dealing with subjects like sectarianism on What School? and the recent string of celebrity sex scandals on Then Again.

“I think if you can find something you haven’t heard someone write about before or have only heard rarely then that’s always interesting to us,” says Craig.

“What School? came from a phrase that someone had used to me ironically, about how they were living in England and there wasn’t that ‘what school did you go to thing’, and I’d heard that phrase many times before.

“I built the song around it, which is unusual for me.

"Then Again was something that I thought nobody would write about it – you can’t put into it everything that’s happened over the past few years, but you can give an impression of it, which is what we aimed to do.”

The band are now mixing tunes from the new album into live sets, along with old favourites like 500 Miles, Sunshine On Leith and Letter From America.

They’re also discovering a whole new fanbase, who have fallen for the band after film and musical Sunshine On Leith reworked the band’s songs to hugely successful effect.

The film was a box office smash, much to Craig and Charlie’s surprise.

“When we first saw it, it was in a viewing place in Soho and the first thought was that Dexter Fletcher (the director) had done a great job with it and that people would like it,” adds Craig.

“The level of people that went to see it though, that was astonishing. We’ve tailored a few songs in the set to suit it – there’s a few we haven’t done for years like Sky Takes The Soul and Over And Done With in there now.”

Away from the stage, the brothers have always been known as staunch supporters of Scottish independence. Although last year brought a No vote, Craig believes it’s now inevitable.

“Charlie reckons about 10 years before another referendum, but I reckon about five years,” he says.

“The conditions will be right by then.

"It’s virtually certain we’ll be independent within the next 10 or 15 years and it’s a question of when, not if.

“I think the right conditions are if Scotland gets taken out the EU by English votes that would be one condition, and with Labour looking unelectable for the next decade that will focus people’s minds as well.

"If the Scotland Bill ends up cutting the money that goes to Scotland then people will wake up to that as well.”

By that point, who knows how many generations of Proclaimers fans there will be…

“What we’re getting at the gigs now is three generations of the same family,” he chuckles.

“People have grown up with their parents having played them the Proclaimers– if the kid was forced to listen to the Proclaimers and it hasn’t put them off then that’s great.”

The Proclaimers, Royal Concert Hall, Tuesday/Wednesday £26.50/28.50, 7pm