Helicon are psychedelic haze & gaze merchants formed in East Kilbride / Glasgow by brothers John-Paul and Gary Hughes (both guitars/vocals), and Laura O'Brien (keys/violin). Soon after, they recruited Steven Jamieson on bass and Martin MacVicar on drums. The band has now been together since around early 2009 and continue to build on an already expanding psychedelic sound, live show and fan base. Lifelong comrade Gary Sharp, who aside from occasionally playing live with the band, contributes to musical ideas and chips in with percussion and instrumentation on recordings. More recently, Helicon added a 3rd guitarist, Craig ‘Gally’ Gallagher, who adds to their already unmistakable effect ridden, thunderous live sound and layered instrumentation.
There is definitely something inherently Scottish, especially Glaswegian, about Helicon’s lyrics in the sense of their sneering sarcasm and cynicism and relation to the darker side of love and life. They feel they cannot fail to be influenced in some way by religion, drink and drugs in this part of the world such is their effect on our society... for good and bad. Their mis-spent youth, listening to The Doors and The Velvet Underground, hiding from the rain and trying not to become tracksuit wearing bigots seem to have helped shape Helicon’s tastes and opinions. The major issue for them is how few people here get them or the psychedelic genre as a whole in this country. Its Helicon’s belief that it’s high time there was some decent smoke and psychedelic drugs slipped into the mainstream to turn the kids off the fucking bile they are being subjected to. When various bands they adore hail from your front door step, and 90% of the population don’t know who they are, it’s their belief there’s something deeply wrong with our society.

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