Crank up the volume and paint your face blue and white—Scotland’s football fans have a new battle cry! Introducing Tartan Army ’24, the brainchild of Andrew and techno wizard Guy Fforde. Their track “We Are The Tartan Army” is storming the charts and stadiums alike, fueled by a heady mix of ’90s house, techno vibes, and raw Scottish pride.

Crafted in the heat of an inspired moment at a Primal Scream gig, and with a nod to the legendary Fat Boy Slim, this anthem packs a punch that’s set to resonate from the streets of Glasgow to the stands in Munich. As Scotland prepares to face Germany in June this year, a catchy chorus from a song has truly become a prophecy! Tartan Army ’24 quickly returned to the studio after their first hit began climbing the charts. This led to the creation of a mix called German Acid, which enhanced the vibe of the original, turning it into an energetic anthem that still captured the essence of their debut track. Shebahn Aherne, a household name in sports broadcasting, even endorsed the remix, adding a notable layer of recognition. Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with the members of Tartan Army ’24 to learn more about everything in detail. We talked about their latest single, their love for football, and, indeed, more about football.

photo by Tartan Army ’24

Hello, guys! Great to have you here on Indie Boulevard. It’s our first time featuring football-inspired music, and we’re excited to hear more about it directly from you. Can you walk us through the initial spark of inspiration that led you to create an anthem for the Tartan Army?

Scotland are not in many international tournaments and we don’t really have our own anthem (although we have borrowed plenty of others :-)) I wanted to make something fun and catchy that would help build a great atmosphere for the tournament and Scottish fans.

What was the biggest challenge you faced while creating “We Are The Tartan Army”?

I had ideas, but no music making experience so didn’t really have a clue how to get started, and then luckily I found Guy on YouTube and he liked my idea enough to help me bring it to life. Without Guy I would never have got this far.

How did your collaboration with Guy Fforde come about, and what unique elements did he bring to the production of “We Are The Tartan Army”?

I love a lot of the same music as Guy and really enjoy watching his videos on YouTube reconstructing classic 90’s dance tracks. I could immediately see that he had the expertise and the knowledge to pull together all the essential elements of a dance track that would pay homage to the 90’s. It was the first time he’d ever used bagpipes on a track though!

I’d love to dive into the musical influences behind your track. The 90s and 00s were iconic for house music. Could you share some specific tracks or artists from that era that really shaped your sound?

Yes, I love 90’s house! Some particularly inspirational tracks for the original track were: Primal Scream “Loaded”, Gat Decor “Passion”, Bassheads “Is There Anybody Out There” and N-Joi’s “Anthem”. Primal Scream brought a piper on in Glasgow a few years ago to do the intro to “Loaded” and the crowd loved it so I wanted to try and recreate that energy.

With “We Are The Tartan Army” set to energize the crowd and players at the upcoming high-stakes match against Germany, what are your hopes for the impact of the song during the game?

I would just love it if it helps to bring a smile to the faces of fans and players alike and helps to get the party started. The Tartan Army are famous for their fantastic support of the team and their hard partying and I just hope we are part of the soundtrack for that.

photo by Tartan Army ’24

You’ve also created a German Acid mix and a Shebahn Aherne remix. What inspired these variations, and how do they differ from the original track?

It has been really encouraging to see Scottish fans add the track to Tartan Army playlists on Spotify and I know of a couple of DJ’s who will be playing the track at gigs in Germany. I can’t wait to see some video of the fans (and maybe the players!) going mad for the track.

What’s the craziest fan moment you’ve ever witnessed at a football game?

I was on a stag do in Barcelona and we went to the Nou Camp to watch them play Valencia and there were Barca fans climbing up the gantries and setting fire to the Valencia flags. Barcelona is a crazy but very fun city!

Who do you think is the most underrated player in football today?

I’m not sure Lawrence Shankland gets the respect he deserves for a great season, and I really hope Stevie Clarke is able to bring out the best of him in the Euros. I have this mad hope that Shankland scores the winner for us against Germany in the opening game.

Looking ahead, are there plans to create more music for football events or other sports? What can your fans expect next from Tartan Army ’24?

We are in the middle of working on Scottish influenced covers of two 90’s classic house anthems, and we hope to drop them in the middle of the tournament. If Scotland keep winning, we’ll keep producing banging tunes to support them!

*This interview was made possible by Quite Great PR