Glasvegas V Metallica

Scottish band's debut battles one of the world's biggest bands to top the charts

14 September 2008 - Glasvegas go head to head with Metallica for the number one spot in the albums chart this weekend.

The Glaswegian band were tipped to go to the top earlier in the week but it’s been reported that Metallica rushed the release of their fourth album, Death Magnetic, to beat them.

However, Glasvegas guitarist Rab said they weren’t bothered what position they went in at: “We don’t actually care and I mean that genuinely because we’ve shifted a lot of units - more so than what you would normally need to sell to go to number one. And there’s nothing you can do. If it goes to number 2 we’ll be happy. If it goes to number 1 we’ll be happy.”

Glasvegas drummer Caroline seconded that sentiment: “It’s business as usual for us. We’ve got a gig so we’ll be more concerned and focussed on that than any kind of chart position.”

“The amount of albums you sell over a period of time is what matters and the amount of albums we’ve sold shocks me already.” Rab Allen - Glasvegas

Glasvegas’s self titled debut album came out on Monday (8 ^th September) and was hotly anticipated after receiving rave reviews right across the press.

Rab said that the band's priorities now are not their position in the charts: “I don’t think the charts are as important as they used to be,” he said.

“The amount of albums you sell over a period of time is what matters and the amount of albums we’ve sold shocks me already.”

He also didn’t believe it was Metallica themselves who were behind the battle: “I think it was probably the record company who released it [the album] earlier. I’m sure they [Metallica] are not really worried about us. But everyone is trying to make it into this big Oasis versus Blur thing and it’s really funny because I don’t we don’t care where we go genuinely.”

After over 25 years of building a steady fanbase Metallica are the favourites to win the race this week and Rab said they are fully prepared for defeat: “They’re going to sell a lot of albums whenever they release it. Their music does nothing for me but they’re a good band and if they go to number one they go to number one.”

He then added: “I’m going to the bookies to put money on Metallica when I leave here because either way I’m going to win. Either I get money for that or I go to number one.”


Elizabeth Alker