Jonathan Geddes

The early days of punk rock might have focused around a back to basics ethos, but musical dexterity soon followed. From John Lydon to Joe Strummer and Pete Shelley, there was quickly a desire to integrate different musical styles.

Few, however, have managed it with such variety as Chris Bailey, frontman with Aussie punk pioneers the Saints.

Over the years Bailey has kept the Saints going in a host of different forms, while finding time as a solo artist to perform with the likes of country songstress Judy Collins.

The current version of the Saints, in Glasgow tonight for a gig at Stereo, have reverted to a full-on trio, instigated by former member Barington Francis rejoining a couple of years ago.

"It's primarily down to Barington that we're a power-pop combo again," reflects Bailey.

"If it was up to me I'd have us as a 62 piece band because I tend to get awfully over-indulgent, whereas Barington is very fond of the live set-up being guitar, bass, drums and that's all she wrote.

"I quite like being challenged in my own little tiny empire, and I'm enjoying being back in a more classic rock band. It won't stay this way forever but I'm enjoying it."

It's perhaps that inclination for self-indulgence that has seen the Saints weave through 14 albums and a membership club that rivals the Fall, not to mention Bailey's famously tempestuous relationship with Saints founding member Ed Kuepper.

They were one of the very first punk acts to form, arguably doing in Australia what the Ramones were delivering in America - a return to short, sharp, no frills rock n' roll.

They found their way to the UK just as the fuse was lit on British punk, released the seminal single I'm Stranded and delivered three albums that rapidly displayed a taste for brass and jazz elements.

Those tendencies saw them leave EMI after 1978's Prehistoric Sounds. Bailey feels the Saints were never cut out for playing the record company game.

"I don't think I could have been Billy Idol, no matter how hard I tried," muses Bailey.

"This isn't even with the benefit of hindsight, because at the time it was obvious what a sausage machine the mainstream labels are. The behind the scenes image making machine isn't much fun, and although I can be quite agreeable there were too many hoops that were impossible for us to jump through and wake up the next morning with any pride or credibility left."

They have followed their own path instead. Bailey is a gregarious and likeable interviewee, and the sense that the band can follow a whim or stray thought is strong. Their most recent studio album, King of the Sun, was released in Australia back in 2012, but only reached European shores last year.

One of the most polished studio records of the group's career, its European arrival was accompanied with a live disc showcasing a harder side to the band.

"That came from a meeting I had with Fire, our European label, and they wanted some special thing to go with it," recalls Bailey.

"I think we talked about re-recording a couple of tunes, and that must have stuck in my head - the next morning I had a hangover but I was still thinking that Sun's a very studio album, and as the plan for this year was to spend time in the tour bus, paying the dues and being a rock band, something live seemed a good idea..

"I've never been a big fan of recreating an album note for note, because I'm young enough to try and mix it up a bit live, and I've always felt a live show should be different from the record."

Which brings matters to Glasgow tonight. There will be new and old material alike on the cards, while they'll also be sharing the bill with Glasgow's own Primevals. The two groups were previously on Paris label New Rose Records in the 1980s and have a lengthy history together over the years.

"I'm very fond of Scotland, so I'm depressed we've only got one show there and the rest are in England," adds Bailey.

"I love Glasgow, always have - I've never had a bad time there and that's with visiting pretty consistently since the 1970s. I'm also getting to play with the Primevals again, who I'm fond of on a lot of levels. Funnily enough, the last time I played Glasgow they were also on the bill, so I'm expecting some sore heads the next day...

"We're not particularly flogging a new concept record or anything and I'm not running away from the past."

Bailey is planning ahead, too. He currently lives in Amsterdam but is "uncontrollably in love with the Iberian peninsula," so plans to record a new Saints album in Spain later this year.

He's also enjoying some added recognition, after Bruce Springsteen covered the Saints 1986 single Just Like Fire World last year. However his strangest recent connection was touring with Judy Collins.

"It's an odd coupling, which on paper shouldn't work but it was actually a really pleasant tour," he adds.

"Several years we put out a couple of records in the States through her label, and through that we got to meet.

"For an American she's very left wing, if such a thing can exist, and if I'm as sprightly at that age as she is then I'd be quite pleased."

The Saints play Stereo in Glasgow tonight