View hoping to beat The Boss

Early indications suggest Dundee band The View will just miss the top spot in the album chart this week

The first few days of sales of new LP Which Bitch? have seen the Dryburgh lads fall slightly behind last week’s number one, Bruce Springsteen.

But the band are still hoping a few days of strong sales across Scotland — and in Dundee in particular — can help them repeat the success of debut album Hats Off to the Buskers, which went straight in at number one in January, 2007.

Bass player and co-songwriter Kieren Webster told the Tele, “We’re behind The Boss just now, but we can still hope for a number one.”

Kieren and fellow band members Kyle Falconer, Pete Reilly and Steven Morrison have been on a whirlwind round of public appearances to promote the album in recent days, including live performances on the Zane Lowe Show on Radio 1 and Channel Four’s Album Chart Show.

“We’re just trying to get people to listen to the album because we spent so much time making it,” said Kieren. “It’s a more musical album, and something a bit different from what people expect.

“We haven’t just done the same thing over and over again like some of the bands that are considered our rivals.”

But despite the excitement of the album release, foremost in Kieren’s mind is the sold-out homecoming gig in Dundee’s Caird Hall on February 13.

“I can’t wait for the Caird Hall gig,” he said. “It’s going to be the best View gig ever. I’ve just got a feeling in my stomach about it that it’s going to be our biggest ever gig.”

By David Clegg, Evening Telegraph, 4th February 2009