Biffy Clyro: A handy guide to the Scottish rockers

Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro are a staple of the Absolute Radio playlist - in fact, they even helped launch our station Absolute Radio 20s - so what better reason to take a look back at the band's history and their biggest achievements over the last almost 30 years?

After releasing ninth studio album 'The Myth of the Happily Ever After' in 2021, the lads went on tour in 2022 - and are already looking forward to getting "busy" in 2023, with frontman Simon Neil announcing a UK tour! Take a trip with us down memory lane with our handy guide to the band's past, present and future...

NOW WATCH: Biffy Clyro 'INSTANT HISTORY is a good intro…but it doesn’t tell you everything about the album'

Who is in Biffy Clyro?

The band has been made up of Simon Neil (vocals, guitar and piano), James Johnston (bass) and Ben Johnston (drums) since Biffy started in 1995. The more keen-eyed fans will have noticed that James and Ben are twin brothers.

They also have Mike Vennart (guitar) and Richard 'Gambler' Ingram (guitar and piano) as touring members. Boyan Chowdhury was previously a member of the band, having left in 1997 and forming The Zutons four years later.

When did the band form?

Simon began playing guitar with Boyan at the age of 15, soon recruiting Ben into the fold too. James was brought on not long after as the drummer, and the quartet spent two years writing songs as well as working on covers. They played their first gig in 1995 under the name Skrewfish, before Boyan left in 1997.

Where are they from?

They're famously Scottish! Simon is from Irvine in North Ayrshire, and the Johnston twins are from Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire.

The trio moved to Glasgow after Boyan's departure, with Simon studying at the University of Glasgow and James and Ben attending Stow College. They played all around Glasgow, eventually being spotted by Dee Bahl who became their manager.

WATCH: Biffy Clyro - Absolute Radio live at St. James' Church

Biffy Clyro's first song

Dee then gave them the opportunity to record a song on fellow Scottish band Aereogramme's label Baba Yaga, and so the band released 'Iname' in June 1999, which had its first radio airplay on Northsound Radio.

This led to the band being noticed by Stow College's record label Electric Honey, and they put out the band's first EP 'thekidswhopoptodaywillrocktomorrow' in June 2000, which featured singles '57', 'Hope for an Angel', 'Justboy' and 'Less the Product'.

The band went on to play the Unsigned Bands stage at T in the Park 2000, being spotted by a representative from independent label Beggar's Banquet.

WATCH: Biffy Clyro Interview at Isle of Wight Festival 2014

What does Biffy Clyro mean? How did they get the band name?

A very good question - and one that still doesn't have an answer. Simon, Ben and James have decided over the years to all tell different stories about the origin of their band name, and so there's no way to know where it truly came from.

Stories include that it was the name of an Ayr United footballer and on another occasion that Biffy Clyro was a Finnish footballer, that it's an acronym for 'Big Imagination For Feeling Young 'Cos Life Yearns Real Optimism' and that's it was the name of a Scotsman who built his own rocket.

There are two slightly more realistic stories. The first is that the band were considering making Cliff Richard merchandise including a biro pen, thus being a Cliffy Biro that was accidentally swapped around on a drunken night out to be Biffy Clyro. Simon told this story in 2010, saying that it's "embarrassing" and "awkward" to explain if people hadn't heard their music.

However, in 2011, Ben explained: "It's a marriage of two words: Biffy is in fact the nickname of the spy who the James Bond novels were based on and Clyro is a village in Wales where both our families used to go on holiday."

Biffy Clyro: Albums

The rock band have released nin studio albums: 'Blackened Sky' (2002), 'The Vertigo of Bliss' (2003), 'Infinity Land' (2004), 'Puzzle' (2007), 'Only Revolutions' (2009), 'Opposites' (2013), 'Ellipsis' (2016), 'A Celebration of Endings' (2020) and 'The Myth of the Happily Ever After' (2021).

The gang have also released a soundtrack album, 'Balance, Not Symmetry' (2019).

Two of the records have gone to Number 1 in the UK - 'Opposites' and 'Ellipsis', with 'Puzzle' and 'Only Revolutions' going to Number 2 and Number 3 respectively.

Simon Neil's side-project

In March 2023, Simon announced his debut UK shows, with his new grindcore extreme metal side-project Empire State B---ard along with Biffy Clyro live guitarist Mike Vennart.

Announcing three intimate shows, Empire State B---ard opens at Glasgow Cathouse on Sunday 26th March, before heading to Manchester Rebellion (Mon 27th March) and London Underworld (Tue 28th March).

Speaking about Empire State Bas---d, Simon told NME: “I like putting myself in these positions where I’m like, ‘I should never be doing this, so this is what I’m going to do’.

"I don’t just want to do the same s---. Every time between records, I want to do something that’s f---ed up and off the wall. It brings me back to Biffy and I’m more in love with it now than I’ve ever been.”

Read up on the upcoming tour dates, as well as how to buy tickets from Absolute Radio Tickets.

Biffy Clyro win a BAFTA

The band documented the making of 'The Myth of the Happily Ever After' and this was in turn made into a... Well, documentary on Amazon Prime entitled Cultural Sons of Scotland. The doc was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA, and they won the Best Entertainment Award at the 2022 British Academy Scotland Awards!

Although Simon couldn't be at the ceremony due to illness, James and Ben accepted the award, with Jim giving an acceptance speech: "Our singer and visionary Simon can't be with us tonight. He's feeling a little bit unwell and I know he's really disappointed because he puts so much work into this.

"We're really proud of it, really proud to make it come together during lockdown which was really tough - I know you guys all know how hard it was to film during lockdown ... Thank you so much."

Biffy Clyro's latest music

After the release of 'The Myth of the Happily Ever After' in 2021, Biffy toured the new record around the UK and Ireland in November 2022 - visiting the likes of Leeds, Glasgow, Birmingham and more.

To celebrate the end of 2022, Biffy shared an Instagram post of the three of them looking pretty chuffed with themselves - and even teased new music in the caption: 'Happy New Year to all you beautiful people. Thank you for making 2022 unforgettable. Here’s to a magic 2023! Time to get busy…'

This comes after Biffy announced their intentions in August 2022 to use a "different producer for each track" on their next album. Speaking to Ticketmaster, drummer Ben Johnston said: “We have put out quite a lot of late, so we’re not in a massive rush, but we’ve always got stuff in the pipeline.

“We’ve got an idea that maybe the next thing we record, each song will be with a different producer. That’s something we’re interested in, and ergo that will take longer to do and cost more money and what have you, but it’s a real challenge and I think you’d get a real eclectic album that way and be a great experience.”

WATCH: Biffy Clyro speak about releasing music in 2019

When are Biffy Clyro next touring the UK?

They've only just played a tour! Performing around the UK and Ireland in November 2022, it could be a while before we see them live - but who knows!

Which festivals have Biffy Clyro played?

T in the Park: Having been discovered at T in the Park, it's no surprise that the band have returned to the festival plenty of times over the course of their career. They headlined the festival in 2014, and also came back in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010. They also headlined in 2017 when the festival became TRNSMT.

Download Festival: Biffy Clyro have headlined Download twice - once in 2017 and again in 2022. They've also performed there in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2016.

Reading and Leeds Festivals: The band have performed a whopping 10 times at Reading and Leeds, headlining the show in 2016 and 2021. They also took to the various stages in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2013.

Isle of Wight Festival: The trio have performed at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2010, 2012 and 2014, before returning to the island for 2019 to headline the show.

WATCH: Biffy Clyro discuss pre-show nerves at the Isle of Wight Festival 2010

Have Biffy Clyro ever played Glastonbury?

They certainly have - the band played The Pyramid Stage on Sunday in 2017. Prior to that, Biffy Clyro graced the Pyramid Stage on the Friday in 2011, the John Peel stage on the Saturday in 2008 and The Other stage on Saturday in 2007. The band have stated on multiple occasions that they'd love to headline the festival - so watch this space.

Were Biffy Clyro on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here?

Er... No, they weren't there in person. However, there is a link thanks to TV presenter Nick Knowles, who told a story about meeting the band whilst he was in the Australian jungle himself in 2018.

After being handed a guitar and serenading his reluctant campmates, Nick revealed he'd been "discovered" after playing in a London rooftop bar with some "other bands", and subsequently made a band.

Although he didn't immediately reveal the identity of his rooftop bandmates, he later said: "It’s probably best not to say who they are because it would be embarrassing for them more than anything else. Actually, they won’t mind, they’re nice lads, it was Biffy Clyro."

James then cleared up the situation a few days later, saying Nick had been a "bit fast and loose" with the truth, explaining: "We came back to this hotel in Soho and we’d been informed that Nick Knowles had bought us a bottle of champagne to celebrate on the roof!

"He was lovely, we had a drink and we left and there might have been a guitar there. He was a nice guy! I’m not gonna say anything bad about him, Mr Nick Knowles, he was lovely. But I don’t think it’s quite the Kum Ba Yah situation that everyone might have in their heads," adding that it was a "half truth".

What is Marmaduke Duke?

Marmaduke Duke is a side project by Simon along with JP Reid from the band Sucioperro. They released their debut album 'The Magnificent Duke' in 2005 and follow-up 'Duke Pandemonium' in 2009. Possibly their most well-known track is 'Rubber Lover', which contains a sample from 'Sleeping with the Television On' by Billy Joel.

Ben and James join the band for live shows, playing bass and drums as they do in Biffy Clyro.

Scroll through to see our favourite live Biffy Clyro moments:

NOW WATCH: Biffy Clyro - Absolute Radio Live at St. James's Church

You can hear Biffy Clyro's biggest hits on the Absolute Radio playlist.

Now read:

Biffy Clyro announce short UK tour 'Fingers Crossed' for 2021

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• Biffy Clyro
• Simon Neil
• james johnston
• ben johnston