Biffy Clyro Frontman Simon Neil Once Tried To Enter Eurovision

We're now just over a week away from the release of Biffy Clyro's upcoming album A Celebration Of Endings, but if an attempt by frontman Simon Neil to enter the Eurovision Song Contest had prevailed, things could well have turned out very differently for the Scottish rock heroes.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Simon reveals that his side-project with JP Reid of Sucioperro, Marmaduke Duke, had once tried to enter the beloved international song competition, though clearly it didn't work out.

“I have another band called Marmaduke Duke, and we did actually try entering Eurovision,” says Simon. “You have to dream big.”

Read this: Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil: Finding positivity at the end of the world

Simon continues that he actually became a fan of Eurovision after enjoying the show during an acid trip 18 years ago (because of course).

“I wasted an evening watching the Eurovision Song Contest,” he says. “Eighteen years ago a friend and I took some acid and watched Eurovision, and it was one of the greatest nights of my life.

“The universe opened up to me. I got it, I realised how tongue-in-cheek the whole thing is, and now I waste a night each year watching Eurovision.”

While it might not be to the same sort of scale as Eurovision, Biffy do have their very own streamed performance coming up on August 15.

The trio – completed by James Johnston and Ben Johnston – will be marking the release of A Celebration Of Endings with a worldwide livestream “with such a unique and ambitious live performance from one of our favourite venues” according to Simon.

Tickets are on sale now at this link, with the gig airing globally via YouTube at the following:

Livestream #1 UK & Ireland 8pm BST / IST – Saturday 15 August

Livestream #2 Europe: 9pm CEST / 8pm BST – Saturday 15 August

Livestream #3 North America & Central/South America: 6pm PDT / 9pm EDT – Saturday 15 August

Livestream #4 Australia, New Zealand and Asia: 8pm AEST / 10pm NZST / 7pm JST and KST – Sunday 16 August

The band will also be headlining next year's Download Festival alongside KISS and System Of A Down.

Read this: 13 essential Biffy Clyro B-sides