Surprises in store for Perthshire fans of Calvin

May 20 2008

DISCO nerd Calvin Harris says he’d love to return to T in the Park this year - but hasn’t been asked.

The Scottish hit-kid, who is due to appear at Perth Concert Hall later this month, admits he’s more than a mite miffed at being given the cold shoulder by the Kinross-shire extravaganza’s overlords.

Despite reaching the UK’s top ten with his debut album ‘I Created Disco’ since appearing at T last July, the electro songsmith says he’s not expecting to receive an eleventh hour offer to play at Balado this time around.

“I’d do T in the Park every year if I could, it’s the best festival I’ve played by a mile,” said Kylie Minogue collaborator Harris (24).

“But they tend not to book people in consecutive years unless they’re huge.

“I’d love to do it again next year if I get an invite.”

The singer-turned-producer, who is one of the headline acts at this year’s Perth Festival of the Arts, says he gets a buzz from stepping on stage, and insists that all but his most diehard Big County fans can look forward to a few surprises at his May 30 show.

“I worked hard at changing my live set in November, and since then it’s just got better and better,” said Harris.

“It’s totally different - it won’t be the same for anyone who saw us last summer.

“I enjoy being on stage. It only takes a few drinks and I’m away.”

In between his summer shows, former shelf-stacker Harris plans to complete work on his as-yet-untitled second album, potentially due for release early next year.

Ever keen to reiterate his expect-the-unexpected warning, the dancefloor wunderkind now describes his debut as “the sound of a boy and the crappy equipment he’d amassed as a teenager”.

“There was nothing more to it,” declared Dumfries-born Harris.

“It would be ridiculous to stick to that. I’ve got pretty much what anyone would want at this level, so I’ll be taking advantage of it.

“Without a doubt, the new album’s going to be a progression. I’m going to have lots of guests on it, but not the big commercial type.

“It’ll be people I think are talented, plus my mates like Dizzee Rascal.”

For all his solo success, Harris admits the pop star tag rests uneasily with him and he hit out at the “hype” that accompanied his first singles, ‘Acceptable in the 80s’ and ‘The Girls’.

“I seem to have got this pop tag and it’s great having it,” he claimed.

“But to have it you need to sell records, and that’s not something I’ve really done.

“I’ve only just gone gold, which is 100,000 copies. You can’t put me alongside these pop stars who sell millions.

“My album wasn’t really a reflection of what I wanted to do with my career. Production is where my future lies.

“I’ll tour a lot with the new album, but it’s not going to be my long-term career.”