IT’S a common complaint by bands that the music industry is in a dire state.

Reformed Glaswegian rockers Baby Chaos are looking at it the opposite way - they’re thrilled at what they can create now.

“When we got our record deal it was an elite deal and everyone wanted one, so even an indie deal was the holy grail,” recalls singer Chris Gordon, ahead of a gig with old pals the Wildhearts at the O2 ABC on Sunday.

“Yet we discovered all that got you was a ticket to the show, and then everything else had to fall into place in the right way, not just for you but for your team too, in order to have success.

"Now all that hard work just needs to come from the band.

“For us, even if we were offered a record deal now there’d be no point - none of us want to tour the world and we’re quite happy doing this as our own pleasure, not as an obligation.

“We’re completely in control of all the artistic stuff, which is something people pay lip service to on a major label but ultimately there’s always grinding going on to get you to do things in a slightly sanitised way.”

The group, brought out its third album, Skulls, Skulls Skulls, Show Me The Glory, earlier this year.

It’s their first release in 17 years, since their 90s days when they were loved by the likes of Kerrang! and shot videos with Kelly McDonald, before the group shifted gears and became Deckard.

Chris has since busied himself with other projects, from producing records by Spanish singer Monica Naranjo to releasing acclaimed albums with electro-indie outfit Union of Knives.

Then came the offer to support Wildhearts singer Ginger at a solo gig, which led the band to play together again. They enjoyed it so much that the foursome - Chris, Bobby Dunn, Grant McFarlane and Davy Greenwood - decided to start planning a new record, stressing they wouldn’t just rely on old glories.

And after years away from writing rock songs, Chris has found it terrific to get back to basics.

“Obviously I’ve been involved in lots of other things, so the challenge was writing songs in a genre that I’d largely put to bed for 15 years,” he says.

“Even listening wise, I wasn’t listening to much guitar and rock music in that time, so what I found astonishing was that the parts I enjoyed most were just hacking the guitar on and singing at the top of my voice.

"I’d forgotten how much of a relief this can be.

 

 

“Even in terms of songwriting, there were scraps of songs from the later days of Union of Knives, like ’ah, there’s a chorus, we could do something with that’ and then produce it in a way that suited the Baby Chaos feel.”

The music that Chris makes might change, but his appreciation of Glasgow as a proving ground for bands hasn’t altered over the years

“It’s definitely got bigger and more diverse, but it still feels to me like a vibrant and inspirational place to make music,” he says.

“I think that the diversity (in Glasgow‘s music) isn’t even as prevalent in other great cities like Manchester and Liverpool - people have more of a chance in Glasgow to develop their own style and have some breathing space, rather than jumping on whatever’s hot.”

He’s also delighted to be hitting the road with the Wildhearts, a band who have always backed Baby Chaos over the years.

“When we got back together and decided to make another album we thought we’d do a few gigs here and there, but we didn’t think we’d get to do places like the ABC or Shepherd’s Bush Empire, so we’re stoked to be asked.”

The Wildhearts/Baby Chaos, O2 ABC, Sunday, £20, 7pm