Nevertheless, The Proclaimers’ profile is at its highest since they famously got their big break on The Tube 20 years ago. They’ve changed very little along the way – still proudly wearing their crew cuts and heavy-rimmed glasses, although now with seven children between them (Craig with four, Charlie with three).
“We were distinctive in that no-one looked or sounded like us at the time,” recalls Craig. “We were straight off the dole queue with our unfashionable specs and old clothes. The record company hadn’t expected any huge hits, being satisfied with selling a couple of albums to a specialised market, so they left us to our own devices.” Over the next 10 months they performed 145 times in 18 countries. Sunshine On Leith became a million seller, popular throughout Europe and America, platinum in the UK, Canada and New Zealand and triple platinum in Australia.
“I feel a wee bit sorry for today's musicians in that it has got to the pre-Beatles stage, where acts are told what to be by managers,” he says. “Now, the record companies are doing it. They recognised youngsters' hunger for fame and use it to gain control.”
Instead, the band are happy to plough their own furrow. Their summers are spent playing festivals, the winters doing their own gigs.
“There’s certainly no problem finding work in the summer – we could be doing two gigs every weekend, and a nice thing about festivals is that it attracts people who would not ordinarily see our show,” says Charlie.
Their taste in music is fairly traditional – they listen to Dexys Midnight Runners and James Brown, although in recent years their taste has broadened to include Martha Wainwright and The Zutons.
They are a band pitched in the middle of the road, with an audience to match.
“We get everyone from students to pensioners at the gigs,” laughs Charlie.”
After the twins finish their UK tour they’re all set to head off round Europe and possibly to America, where they have an enormous fanbase.
One thing is for sure – they are enjoying every step along the way.
“Our profile has been raised again so this show should be even better, we can’t wait to get back to Liverpool.”
THE Proclaimers play Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on October 28. For more information, see www.liverpoolphil.com or call 0151 709 3789.
