Keep on rolling

Alastair McIver speaks with Wet Wet Wet legend Graeme Duffin about his longevity and survival
in the music industry

We’ve all been there, haven’t we?

Sat in a sold-out theatre, dotted purple and red speaker lights ahead of us on stage, the conversational hum before the band arrives on stage, followed by an expectant hush as the house lights dim. And then it happens. Shadowy figures from our past emerge from the wings, legends before our very eyes. The hair may be a bit greyer, the denims a little more faded, but from the moment the first chord arrives, we are reminded that the music has stood the test of time.

There are only a handful of bands these days – with originals in tow – that can claim longevity. The Glasgow-based band Wet Wet Wet is one of them. From the moment they launch into their first song, the audience are on up and on their feet, rising as one to sing and dance to the band’s tried and tested back catalogue, including such hits as ‘Somewhere somehow’, ‘Julia s...