2 impressive albums, 10 years of experience and dedication and countless tours have brought The Xcerts a long way from their genesis in the headmaster’s study at school in Aberdeen, where Murray Macleod (vocals/guitar) and Jordan Smith (bass) first met when they were 13. In the build up to the release of their much anticipated 3rd record, the trio are more self-assured than ever, and rightly so. Patience, hard work and emphatic belief have fuelled this group; when so many of their peers have fallen by the wayside, The Xcerts are ready to step up.

Since 2009’s In The Cold Wind We Smile, The Xcerts have built a devoted fanbase, winning over musicians and industry

professionals alike. ITCWWS’s ‘distorted pop’ sound was greeted warmly by fans of indie-pop and heavy rock alike, and set the bar for work to come.

In 2010 Scatterbrain, The Xcerts’s second LP, signified a move to a more brooding sound. Produced by Mike Sapone (Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, Public Enemy), this second effort was met with yet more praise from critics and fans alike. In October 2010 they performed at CMJ in New York.

Following Scatterbrain’s release, The Xcerts toured relentlessly for the best part of two years. In October 2011 Murray returned to CMJ for a series ofintimate solo shows, before the full band supported Frank Turner on his European Tour that Winter. In 2012 the three-piece stormed SXSW Festival, playing four raucous shows.

2013 has seen The Xcerts cross the channel to support Biffy Clyro on tour in Europe, before returning to the UK to support Lower Than Atlantis. For the past few months they have been working on their third record, which is set to be the biggest yet.

Who are you and how did you come together?

My name is Murray Macleod, i sing and play guitar in The XCERTS. We started the band when we were 14 years old out of sheer boredom and we have been together ever since.

Where are you from?

We are from Aberdeen, Scotland.

How would you describe your music style?

We like to call it 'distorted pop' but i guess in essence it's just rock music.

What’s been your best live experience?

The first time we sold out King Tuts in Glasgow will always standout for me personally, purely because Tuts is such a prestegious venue in Glasgow and whilst growing up in Scotland it's the venue every young band wants to play. The fact we didn't think anyone liked our band at the time really caught us off guard and blew us away.

You have a new single and album coming soon can you tell us more about that?

We have a new single coming out in May and the album will be released a little later on in the year. We are incredibly proud of what we've accomplished, we definitely think it's 5 steps forward in terms of songwriting and that was our main aim, to showcase what we can do with melodies and pop music. We like to think of the record as if it were Tom Petty playing alternative rock.

What can people expect from your forthcoming Bristol gig?

A really good time....i think. I believe we are on quite early so hopefully the good folks of Bristol will fill up on coffee before we take to the stage.

Will you be coming to Wales sometime in the future?

Of course, we love playing in Wales so we will most definitely be back when promoting the new album.

Where can people hear your music?

www.facebook.com/thexcerts or http://thexcertsband.bandcamp.com

Catch them at Bristol’s Hit The Deck Festival on April 19 Visit hitthedeckfestival.com for ticket and venue details.