Snow Patrol are making their version of 'Teenage Kicks' available as a tribute to John Peel.
Recorded last year at the South By Southwest festival in Texas, the track can be found on the band's official www.snowpatrol.net website.

"Unfortunately we never had the honour of a Peel session or meeting him," reads the accompanying message. "We greatly admired him and his maverick radio shows, and in our dreams always thought he'd do the voice-over for The Reindeer Section rock family tree. He was responsible for saving Radio One from chart hell and will be sorely missed. This track is free to download and is given as a gift from us in memory of John."

Meanwhile, the band bring a wildly successful 2004 to a close on December 31 by headlining Glasgow's Hogmanay celebrations in George's Square. With the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band on directly before them, they may want to be discreet about their recreational habits that night. 25,000 people are expected at the gig, which organisers are hoping will give the Scissor Sisters and Blondie-assisted festivities in Edinburgh a run for their money.