WHAT a difference a year makes.

And what a difference the next 12 months could also bring for The Boy with the Lion Head.

The Hawick quintet were quietly bringing together a few songs for their debut album last summer.

Playing low-key gigs for mates in and around their hometown was as high as their musical ambitions extended.

But, just a few weeks after the release of The Ebb and the Flow in October, things began to gather momentum... and it hasn't stopped.

Two dates at the the world-famous King Tut's in Glasgow have led to further headline shows across the country.

And anticipation is growing ahead of their follow-up release, Everything is Temporary, which is due out this autumn.

Guitarist John Findlay said: "We saw ourselves as a few boys enjoying themselves making music... nothing more than that.

"Now we are sharing dressing rooms with bands who are talking about recording in LA and other places across the world.

"We're rubbing shoulders with bands who have made it and we're not that far behind them."

The Boy With the Lion Head were formed during a party in Denholm two years ago.

The idea of a covers band was quickly dropped as a few of the idealists discovered a shared enthusiasm for creating something original.

Rave reviews from their small venue, shoe-staring shows in and around Hawick encouraged them to continue.

They lifted their heads... and the haunting beauty of The Ebb and the Flow has opened them up to a much wider audience.

Keyboard player Rob Wood told us: "Word is certainly spreading and we are getting more and more gigs.

"We've had some really good support slots as well.

"There are bands that we supported a year ago that are now supporting us. Things are definitely going in the right direction."

Fresh from playing Dunfermline earlier this month The Boy with the Lion Head took to the Bandstand in Wilton Park last Sunday for an alfresco afternoon with Isla Dogs.

And this week they share the MacArts stage in Galashiels with their mates from Torino on Saturday night.

Rob added: "Every time we come back and play at home we get told that we are so much better than we were a year ago.

"We've been working hard on our sound and we feel a lot more confident on stage."

A big boost for The Boy with the Lion Head has been the successful negotiations of drummer Angus Hamilton with his employers.

The offshore oil worker has been able to move his work pattern to suit the band's busy schedule, which includes headline shows in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen during the autumn.

Angus said: "I was sort of out of the band for a while because of my work but I've talked to my employers and they have allowed me to get the time off when we have the gigs in the cities later this year.

"We are becoming a good band - it's just by chance that you get five guys that come together and gel instantly to make the sound we have."

The five tracks of Everything is Temporary - Battlefield, Blue Blazer, Build, Hybrid and Rainbows - are currently being mastered ahead of release next month.

And they are also in talks with promoters ahead of further gig announcements later in the year.

The Boy with the Lion Head, which also features David Reid and Alistair Clarkson, play the MacArts on Saturday, tickets available on the door.