Hugh Reed and the Velvet Underpants

Hugh Reed and the Velvet Underpants were a cult Glasgow band who have supported Debbie Harry^[1], Simple Minds, The Fall and John Otway^[2].

It was founded by Hugh O'Hagan, now universally known as Hugh Reed, circa 1990 from an amalgam of members of The Harlequin Cabbage Bugs, Halcyon Days, The Rythmn Kittens and the Trouser Coughs including at different times Lawson Campbell, Stewart MacDonald and Lindsey Watt.

The band has had a large number of different members throughout its existence in addition to core personnel Hugh O'Hagan, and slightly later, Tom Docherty - Tom's younger brother, Terence was the first guitarist but returned later as part of the Hugh Reed Explosion. Tom's youngest brother, Tony, was an occasional bassist but still follows and promotes the band. The association between the Docherty brothers and Hugh Reed still carrys on.

The Velvet Underpants was particularly noted for its highly theatrical presentation and witty use of pun, titles "Take a Walk on the Clydeside" and "Smells Like Troon Harbour" being examples, and also, of course, the name of the band.

Hugh Reed and the Velvet Underpants lasted until Valentine's Night, 1998 but was later reborn as the Hugh Reed Explosion.

Song material would range from discussion of public perceptions of trainspotters and descriptions of hangovers to accounts of what can happen when you drink in Glasgow's east end during an Old Firm game while wearing the wrong football scarf.

A typical Underpants gig would feature a stage dressed with numerous television sets all turned on, glitter balls and an overhead projector having coloured oils dropped on it. Hugh would go through numerous costume changes and actions ranging from a Policeman to a Bride to illustrate each song.

Quite often he would leap manically about the audience, lost in an almost primal scream presentation.

However, underpinning this, was a very tight backing band who could shift from Punk Rock (Trainspotting) to Skat-Funk (Salt, Sperm, Saliva, Sweat) in a heartbeat.

Media Exposure

The band's first single, Six tae Wan, was used by BBC Radio 1 as the theme to a series on Scottish Rock Music. Hugh O'Hagan and various band members also appeared on Scottish Television's late night drunken-student oriented debate programme, Trial By Night in 1994.

On the recommendation of a friend who saw Hugh Reed and the Velvet Underpants on local television, Deborah Harry^[1] invited the band to support her 11 date UK tour in 1993.

Hugh O'Hagan also appears in the cult 1996 film, Trainspotting, as the man failing to chat up Renton's love interest, Dianne played by Kelly Macdonald.