Countess Of Fife

White Church, Comrie, August 24; Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline, September 7

“I’m not namedropping, this is actually true,” says Rezillos icon Fay Fife as she begins a credible anecdote to support her view that a live music scene exists beyond Scotland’s main population centres.

“I remember years ago in the early days of punk rock we were in New York and we knew Lux (Interior) and (Poison) Ivy from The Cramps really well. We used to hang out and all the rest of it. I remember them saying to us they were playing in some obscure southern states and the mid-west but when it came down to it, from their perspective, rock’n’roll is rock’n’roll.”

With more than four decades of colourful pop-punk antics behind her, it’s hard not to see the logic behind the Dunfermline-born performer’s reference to America’s psychobilly pioneers – especially given that her second band, Countess Of Fife, are about to take their unique “insurgent country” brew to often gig-starved Strathearn. “The stuff we’re writing about might connect with people if they’re prepared to listen to it because it’s just stuff that all human beings experience,” Fay adds, looking ahead to tomorrow’s show.

“It’s more connected to personal things than my other projects.”

Formed by the singer and her guitarplaying sidekick Allan Mcdowall in 2016, Countess Of Fife also features bassist Gary Pycroft and drummer Nora Noonan.

The slow-burn surrounding the Edinburgh-based outfit has largely been down to them playing a limited number of gigs, mainly due to their leader’s ongoing Rezillos activities plus her role in experimental rock-meets-art ensemble Shamanic.

Bucking that trend, theremin-playing Fay and cohorts go to Comrie ahead of the last of four Festival Fringe shows at the capital’s Natami design studio on Sunday. A third Shamanic outing alongside Goodbye Mr Mackenzie legend Martin Metcalfe follows for the band’s frontwoman at Dunfermline’s Fire Station Creative on September 6, albeit a downsized, teaser-type offering to highlight the opening of a new exhibition showing three project members’ work.

Fay – whose real name is Sheilagh Hynd – is also playing the Carnegie Drive venue with COF as part of next month’s Outwith Festival.

“As somebody who grew up in Dunfermline with a complete wanderlust I was desperate to leave the place – which I did,” she admits.

“I ran away but in recent years I’ve been more and more drawn back to Dunfermline.

“The name Countess Of Fife is obviously an ironic look at something, but also there’s something there about reclaiming my identity.

“Even the Fay Fife name was other members of the Rezillos wanting to take the p*** out of me because of my accent.

“It was much stronger back then but it’s faded since from many years living across the water.”

Picture: Liz Tainsh. Fay Fife with her Countess Of Fife bandmate Allan Mcdowall.