page_title: Biffy Clyro
section_title: 1995–2000: Early years and formation
hierarchical_section_title: Biffy Clyro / History / 1995–2000: Early years and formation
caption_attribution_description: Biffy Clyro
context_page_description: Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, composed of Simon Neil, James Johnston, and Ben Johnston. Currently signed to 14th Floor Records, they have released eight studio albums, four of which reached the top five in the UK Albums Chart, with their sixth studio album, Opposites claiming their first UK No. 1 album. The latest three consecutive studio albums have all peaked at number one in the UK official albums chart.
  After their first three albums, the band expanded their following significantly in 2007 with the release of their fourth album, Puzzle, creating more mainstream songs with simpler rhythms and distancing themselves from the more unusual dissonant style present in their previous three albums. Puzzle peaked at No. 2 on the official UK album charts on 16 June 2007. The album went gold in the UK, selling over 100,000 units, and later in 2012 went platinum in the UK, having sold over 300,000 copies.
  The band released Only Revolutions in 2009 which reached No. 3 in the UK chart and went gold within days of its release in 2009, going platinum later in 2010 and receiving a Mercury Music Prize nomination.
context_section_description: The first incarnation of what would eventually become Biffy Clyro was formed in 1995, when fifteen-year-old Ayr-based guitarist Simon Neil started playing his songs with friend Kilmarnock-born Ben Johnston. Soon brought in was Ben's twin brother, James Johnston, and the three spent the next two years rehearsing, writing and covering songs. On 31 January 1995, they played their first gig under the name "Skrewfish" as the support for a band called Pink Kross at the Key Youth Centre in East Kilbride, now known as Universal Connections East Kilbride. In 1997, the trio moved to Glasgow, where Neil went to the University of Glasgow, and the Johnston twins went to Stow College, studying Electronics with Music and Audio Engineering, respectively.
  After playing gigs around Glasgow and receiving positive and enthusiastic reactions from audiences, the band were spotted by Dee Bahl, who soon became their manager. Bahl offered them a chance to release an independent single on Aereogramme's Babi Yaga record label: "Iname" was released on 28 June 1999, with Northsound Radio's Jim Gellatly (later of Beat 106 & Xfm Scotland) giving the band their first radio play. This first release led to the band being chosen by Stow College's Electric Honey record label to release a record: thekidswhopoptodaywillrocktomorrow was released on Nerosa on 13 June 2000, receiving airplay from BBC Radio Scotland DJ Vic Galloway. A few days prior to the release of thekidswhopoptodaywillrocktomorrow, the band were spotted at the Unsigned Bands stage at T in the Park 2000 by a Beggars Banquet representative, and were signed to the independent Beggar's Banquet soon thereafter.
caption: Biffy Clyro performing in Leeds, 2006
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