The Imagineers back on the music circuit
One of Lanarkshire’s bestloved bands delighted a legion of fans by making a surprise comeback last year with a fresh sound and a new line-up.
Now eclectic five-piece The Imagineers are inviting Lanarkshire music lovers to help them celebrate the launch of their hotly-anticipated debut album, Utopian Dreams.
After playing to revellers at T in the Park and The Wickerman festivals, the stylish indie outfit gained worldwide exposure when their captivating Latin-tinged melodic rock sound reached out to millions on The Late Late Show in 2012.
The celeb-filled homecoming special for former Scots-born host Craig Ferguson featured US stars Michael Clark Duncan and Mila Kunis dancing around Edinburgh to the band’s popular track Imagineer.
The foursome parted ways a year later but, with guitar in tow, the band’s enigmatic singer songwriter Steven Young set off for Europe in the hope of finding new inspiration and busked alongside musicians in rural Spain, France and Italy.
Eventually, Utopian Dreams was created and, with the help of Clarkston producer Tommy Phillips (keys), the record began to take shape. With Glasgow-born Scott Forsyth (drums, percussion, backing vocals) and Larkhall lads Marc MacCallum (bass) and Lee Ballard (lead guitar, backing vocals) added to the ranks, The Imagineers were officially reborn.
StevenYoung’s (vocals/guitar) undeniable Scottish twang, as well as the band’s natural cinematic flare, mean that The Imagineers have created a maturer sound uniquely their own. Steven, of East Kilbride, told Lanarkshire Live: “Deep down releasing under The Imagineers name again made a lot of sense to me, as the style of music has always closely resonated with my strengths as a songwriter.
“The members from the last lineup chose not to continue as they had their own projects, I respect that and wish them all the best, we’re still close friends.
“We have a UK tour in May to promote the album release and later in the summer we’ll be branching out to other European countries to play, and should be announcing some festival slots soon.”
Utopian Dreams will be released on May 2 via Hit The Light Records.
Celebrate a mix of The Imagineers old and new at the album launch in Stereo Cafe Bar, Glasgow on Saturday, May 19. Tickets are available from Tickets Scotland.