The Leg are an alternative rock band based in Edinburgh made up by Daniel Mutch (Vocals, Guitar), Pete Harvey (Cello, Piano) and Alun Scurlock (previously Thomas, Drums). The band formed from members of ''Khaya'' and ''Desc'', following the break-up of the latter in 2005. The band have released four albums, first with SL Records and then Song, By Toad Records.

Biography

''The Leg'' were formed in 2006 by Dan Mutch, Pete Harvey and Alun Scurlock. Mutch and Harvey began playing together as members of ''Khaya'', an acclaimed Edinburgh band who released a number of albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s, along with Greg Dodgson, John Mackie, Caroline Evens and Richie Anderson. The band gained national attention after recording two 'Peel Sessions' with legendary BBC Radio 1 DJ

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

in 1999 and 2000. Following the demise of Khaya in 2001, Mutch, Harvey and Mackie formed ''Desc'', being joined by Alun Scurlock and Helena MacGlip. Desc released one album, ''Up Here In The Heat'', before disbanding in 2005. After the break-up of Desc, Mutch, Harvey and Scurlock continued as The Leg.

Music

Their first release was '8 Songs by the Leg: A musical tribute to the Forest of Dean', self-released in 2006. The record received little but positive attention in the media, and was described as 'mildly unhinged, but truly original' by The List. Their full-length debut album, ''What Happened to the Shrunken Tina Turner'' followed in 2009, released by SL Records. The album was reissued by Song, by Toad Records in 2013 as part of the label's fifth anniversary box-set release. In 2012 The Leg released ''An Eagle to Saturn'' with Edinburgh independent label Song, by Toad Records. The album received strong positive reviews in publications such as The Skinny and The Herald. The album was described as 'staggeringly brilliant' by

The Scotsman ''The Scotsman'' is a Scottish compact newspaper and daily news website headquartered in Edinburgh. First established as a radical political paper in 1817, it began daily publication in 1855 and remained a broadsheet until August 2004. Its par ...

, who likened the band to artists such as

Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Ca ...

and

Captain Beefheart Don Van Vliet (; born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as Th ...

. The album was named as number 15 in The Herald's top 50 Scottish albums of 2012. Follow up album ''Oozing a Crepuscular Light'' was released in 2013. The album again received positive reviews from The List and The Herald. The album was named number 35 in The Herald's best Scottish albums of 2013. In 2020, they released their fifth studio album ''Chromatic Perversion'' on Tenement Records.

Side Projects

Alongside their work as The Leg, the band are involved in a number of other projects. They have released three albums with Edinburgh musician

Paul Vickers Paul Vickers is the vocalist and lyricist with cult rock band Dawn of the Replicants. After the group went on indefinite hiatus in 2007, he continued to release music with various collaborators as well as branching out into comedy and writing. D ...

, under the name ''Paul Vickers & The Leg''. Pete Harvey has played cello with a number of artists, including Modern Studies. Alun Thomas also plays drums with

Withered Hand Dan Willson (born 23 July 1974), also known by his stage name Withered Hand, is an Edinburgh-based indie rock musician. He lived in Bishops Stortford during the 1990s and played guitar for local band Tin Foil Circus. His first studio album, ' ...

Discography

The Leg *8 Songs by the Leg (2006) *What Happened to the Shrunken Tina Turner? (2009/2013) *An Eagle to Saturn (2012) *Oozing a Crepuscular Light (2013) *Chromatic Perversion (2020) Paul Vickers & The Leg *Tropical Favourites (2008) *Itchy Grumble (2010) *The Greengrocer (2014) *Jump (2019)

References

External links

Official websiteThe Leg at Song, by Toad Records
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leg, The Musical groups established in 2006 Scottish indie rock groups