Scooty's biggest sound

Scooty and The Skyhooks.

THE problem of having the big, big soul sound of Scooty And The Skyhooks is trying to get 11 members all together at once.

But with the band about to play the Ironworks for their third annual reunion gig, we managed to catch them all together for our picture at their rehearsal space.

Singer Davie Ross, one of the band’s original members, laughed: “This year we’ve added in new backing singers Sarah Mackay and Taymar Woodhouse and with creating the four-piece brass section last year, we’re going to have to cap it at 11!

“We do get asked to do small gig for something like 100 people, but much as we would like to, with 11 of us, we just can’t do the small, more intimate gigs – much as we’d like to!”

When the band first formed in 1983 got together again three years ago for a one-off reunion, Scooty had no idea how popular the event would be, selling out quickly and getting as enthusiastic a response to the 60s soul sound they first enjoyed back in the 80s.

“It was because of the response that we decided to make it an annual thing and it has sold out so far with just a few tickets left for Saturday’s gig now,” said Davie.

Last year the band did just five gigs. They included Belladrum Festival and the Sunflower Music Festival for Highland Hospice raising £3,500, but it is tough to get all 11 together as all Scooty’s members, except Davie, are involved in other bands too. Though Scooty isn’t planning to film this year’s reunion – they made a live DVD of the first Ironworks gig back in 2009 – Davie revealed they are thinking of updating the cassette of original songs Time’s A Healer they made back in 1992.

“We keep getting people asking us if we are going to put it out on CD, so we’re not dismissing that idea,” he said.

But one thing’s sure, there are no plans to stop the big annual Ironworks get-together.

“We know there are friends who just meet up again at Scooty gigs, but we are also seeing younger people in their 20s coming along too. And alongside the classic soul numbers we’re known for, we’ve added in some new songs to keep it fresh. For us, there’s the best buzz about the Ironworks gig every year. It just has the feelgood factor!”