We are delighted to announce a brand-new feature to the AFC matchday experience. Each week members of the Red Army will select some of their favourite tracks to be included in the pre-match playlist. For this Sunday’s match against Celtic, we’ve teamed up with Aberdeen rockers, The Xcerts as they reveal their top picks for the Pittodrie playlist.

Despite being in the middle of a nationwide tour, Guitarist and Lead Vocalist, Murray MacLeod took time out to chat about about the band’s journey so far, which started in a headmaster’s room at Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen.

“I met Jordan Smith in the headmaster’s office at school. For the life of me I can’t remember why we were in there, but after that encounter I asked if he could play bass guitar and if he would join my band. He said yes but it turned out he was lying, and he went home that Christmas and asked for a bass. Initially it was young lads looking to do something on a Saturday in Aberdeen.”

“When we were first starting out we used to play the bars and clubs in Aberdeen. From Tunnels and Cafe Drummonds to the Lemon Tree, we’ve grown up playing pretty much every bar in Aberdeen. We were very fortunate that at 16 years old we recorded an EP with Fat Hippy Records and they were the first people to take an interest in us that wasn’t a family member. We moved down to Brighton the following year and that’s when we started getting noticed more by the music industry in and around London.”

2018 is a busy year for The Xcerts and they recently released their fourth studio album, Hold On To Your Heart, which is available on Spotify now and have embarked on their biggest tour yet, playing venues up and down the country before touring round Europe for a month. The festival season begins at the start of the summer and Murray has big plans for the band, but his heart is always near home.

“Headlining our own gigs at The Music Hall and Barrowlands would be big for us. We’ve got to work hard this summer and see what happens, but it’s on our list. As artists, you’re only as good as your last gig and we want to be the best possible band we can be with each show.”

Like most, Murray’s love of The Dons started from a young age and Pittodrie holds special memories to the singer. “My family were very big sports fans, so it was ingrained in me from a very young age. My Dad took me to my first game, although I can’t remember the year, it was against Dundee United at Pittodrie and I just thought the place was real-life magic.

“My love for the club came before music.”

This Saturday sees The Xcerts come back to Aberdeen to play “The Garage” before heading down south to continue the tour. “We planned on coming to the Celtic game on Sunday and we told our booking agent that we wanted the day off, but we got a really good offer to play down in Stockton-on-Tees. We’ll be keeping an eye out on the score though.”

The XCERTS’ Pittodrie Playlist Picks

1. The Xcerts – Drive Me Wild – This song very much tips the cap to Bruce Springsteen and The E Street band. It’s got the saxophone turned up to eleven and is the most playful song on the record with a positive vibe and fun for all the family. We thought it would be good for Pittodrie.

2. The Who – Baba O’Riley – This is without doubt one of our favourite songs of all time! It’s powerful, invigorating and as inspiring as music gets. If this doesn’t fill Pittodrie with unprecedented belief, we don’t know what will.

3. Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run – Of course we had to include ‘The Boss’…it’s The Boss! This song is proof that real life magic exists and I’m 100% convinced the man is a higher being.

4. The Cure – Inbetween Days – When those moody Goths get out of bed on the right side and conjure up a pop masterpiece! Try and be sad whilst listening to this song.

5. Fleetwood Mac – Everywhere – Deceptively simple, incredible songwriting chops with a love triangle thrown in to boot. A great example of the idea that truly great art is born rom suffering.

6. Aerosmith – Sweet Emotion – Every band needs their “lighters-in-the-air” moment on a record. Aerosmith found theirs on their 3rd, then again on the 4th, and the 5th, and the 6th, repeat ad Infinitum.