The Blue Nile: The Scots band name-checked by Taylor Swift

The Blue Nile are considered by many music critics to be one of Scotland’s greatest ever groups.

Singer and guitarist Paul Buchanan, bassist Robert Bell and keyboardist Paul Joseph Moore played in bands together at university in Glasgow in the late 1970s before forming the Blue Nile in 1981.

Although Scottish music was flourishing in the early 80s, the group were never pigeon-holed into a scene.

Their debut album A Walk Across the Rooftops displayed melancholic, wistful pop music fuelled by synthesizers and Buchanan’s poignant lyrics.

Released in 1984, the record featured a cover image of the band gazing into a building on the site of a church on Cathcart Road in Glasgow’s Southside.

Considered to be a shy and unassuming group, the trio were reluctant to chase publicity, and took time over their work, to the extent that it allegedly took them several months to finally sign a record contract.

Second album Hats was released in 1989 and is considered a classic, with a 2018 poll by The Herald, external newspaper listing it as Scotland’s favourite ever album.

Two further albums followed but no new music has been released since High in 2004, although the group have not formally disbanded.

Buchanan has enjoyed a lengthy solo career, including an appearance at this year’s Celtic Connections festival.