{{short description|Scottish rock band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}} {{Use British English|date=October 2016}} {{About|the rock band|the American football player nicknamed "the Leg"|Greg Zuerlein (American football)|the protagonist of a ballad|Jock the Leg and the Merry Merchant|other uses|Leg (disambiguation)|the English rock band|Legss}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Leg | image = | caption = | image_size = | origin = Edinburgh, Scotland | genre = Indie rock, alternative rock, lo-fi | years_active = {{Start date|df=yes|2006}}–present | label = SL, Song, by Toad | associated_acts = Khaya, Desc, Withered Hand, Meursault, Paul Vickers | website = {{URL|http://www.ihatetheleg.co.uk/}} | current_members = * Daniel Mutch * Pete Harvey * Alun Scurlock }}
'''The Leg''' are a Scottish rock band from Edinburgh formed in 2006 by Daniel Mutch (Vocals, Guitar), Pete Harvey (Cello, Piano) and Alun Scurlock (previously Thomas, Drums). The band is formed from members of ''Khaya'' and ''Desc'', following the break-up of the latter in 2005. The band have released four albums, first with SL Records and then Song, By Toad Records.
==Biography== ''The Leg'' were formed in 2006 by Dan Mutch, Pete Harvey and Alun Scurlock. Mutch and Harvey began playing together as members of ''Khaya'', an acclaimed Edinburgh band who released a number of albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s, along with Greg Dodgson, John Mackie, Caroline Evens and Richie Anderson.<ref>{{cite web|title=Khaya biography|url=http://slrecords.net/khaya_biog.php|website=SL Records|accessdate=4 June 2014}}</ref> The band gained national attention after recording two 'Peel Sessions' with legendary BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel in 1999 and 2000.<ref>{{cite web|title=Khaya Peel Sessions|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/k/khaya/|website=John Peel Sessions|accessdate=4 June 2014}}</ref>
Following the demise of Khaya in 2001, Mutch, Harvey and Mackie formed ''Desc'', being joined by Alun Scurlock and Helena MacGlip.<ref name='desc bio'>{{cite web|title=Desc biography|url=http://slrecords.net/desc_biog.php|website=SL Records|accessdate=4 June 2014}}</ref> Desc released one album, ''Up Here In The Heat'', before disbanding in 2005.<ref name='desc bio' /> After the break-up of Desc, Mutch, Harvey and Scurlock continued as The Leg.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Leg biography|url=http://songbytoadrecords.com/artists/the-leg/|website=Song, by Toad Records|accessdate=4 June 2014}}</ref>
==Music== Their first release was '8 Songs by the Leg: A musical tribute to the Forest of Dean', self-released in 2006. The record received little but positive attention in the media, and was described as 'mildly unhinged, but truly original' by The List.<ref>{{cite web|title=Review: 8 songs by The Leg|url=https://www.list.co.uk/article/1911-leg-the/|website=The List|accessdate=5 August 2014}}</ref>
Their full-length debut album, ''What Happened to the Shrunken Tina Turner'' followed in 2009, released by SL Records. The album was reissued by Song, by Toad Records in 2013 as part of the label's fifth anniversary box-set release.<ref>{{cite web|title=Review: Five Years/Five Records, Song, by Toad|url=http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/music/review-five-years-five-records-song-by-toad-1-3274339|website=The Scotsman|accessdate=5 August 2014}}</ref>
In 2012 The Leg released ''An Eagle to Saturn'' with Edinburgh independent label Song, by Toad Records. The album received strong positive reviews in publications such as The Skinny and The Herald.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Leg - An Eagle to Saturn|url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/reviews/albums/301563-the_leg_eagle_saturn|website=The Skinny|accessdate=7 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Morrison|first1=Alan|title=Recent Scottish CD releases|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music/recent-scottish-cd-releases.17476393|website=The Herald|date=6 May 2012 |accessdate=7 September 2014}}</ref> The album was described as 'staggeringly brilliant' by The Scotsman, who likened the band to artists such as Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Captain Beefheart.<ref>{{cite web|title=Albums to look out for in 2012: The Leg|url=http://radar.scotsman.com/viewpost.aspx?id=613|website=The Scotsman|accessdate=7 August 2014}}</ref> The album was named as number 15 in The Herald's top 50 Scottish albums of 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=2012 review: Top 50 albums of the year|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music/2012-review-top-50-albums-of-the-year.19792840|website=The Herald|date=30 December 2012 |accessdate=7 August 2014}}</ref>
Follow up album ''Oozing a Crepuscular Light'' was released in 2013. The album again received positive reviews from The List and The Herald.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cooper|first1=Neil|title=The Leg - Oozing A Crepuscular Light|url=https://www.list.co.uk/article/56292-the-leg-oozing-a-crepuscular-light/|website=The List|accessdate=7 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Morrison|first1=Alan|title=The Leg: Oozing A Crepuscular Light (Song, By Toad)|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music/the-leg-oozing-a-crepuscular-light-song-by-toad.22560066|website=The Herald|date=3 November 2013 |accessdate=7 September 2014}}</ref> The album was named number 35 in The Herald's best Scottish albums of 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Morrison|first1=Alan|title=The Scottish albums of 2013|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music/the-scottish-albums-of-2013-x.23040765|website=The Herald|date=29 December 2013 |accessdate=7 September 2014}}</ref>
In 2020, they released their fifth studio album ''Chromatic Perversion'' on Tenement Records.
==Side Projects== Alongside their work as The Leg, the band are involved in a number of other projects. They have released four albums with Edinburgh musician Paul Vickers, under the name ''Paul Vickers & The Leg''.
Pete Harvey has played cello with a number of artists, including Modern Studies. Alun Thomas also plays drums with Withered Hand.<ref>{{cite web|title=Withered Hand interview|url=http://www.isthismusic.com/withered-hand-2|website=Is this music?|date=30 January 2010 |accessdate=4 June 2014}}</ref>
==Discography== '''The Leg''' *8 Songs by the Leg (2006) *What Happened to the Shrunken Tina Turner? (2009/2013) *An Eagle to Saturn (2012) *Oozing a Crepuscular Light (2013) *Chromatic Perversion (2020)
'''Paul Vickers & The Leg''' *Tropical Favourites (2008) *Itchy Grumble (2010) *The Greengrocer (2014) *Jump (2019) *Winter at Butterfly Lake (2025)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.ihatetheleg.co.uk/ Official website] *[http://songbytoadrecords.com/artists/the-leg/ The Leg at Song, by Toad Records]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Leg, The}} Category:Musical groups established in 2006 Category:Scottish indie rock groups