‘We wanted to celebrate it while we’re still relatively young and don’t look too embarrassing,’ say cult Scottish duo, who also unveil new version of debut single The First Big Weekend

Arab Strap, the Scottish duo who were a key part of the country’s thriving indie scene in the mid-90s, have reunited for three shows to mark their 20th anniversary. Though singer Aidan Moffat and guitarist Malcolm Middleton played a one-off acoustic show at a Glasgow club in 2011, these will be their first “official” shows since 2006.

It had been rumoured for several days that they would be returning – a message reading “Hello again” posted on their website perhaps being the most obvious clue. Speaking to BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq, said Middleton: “I think the day we went to the pub and split up, we made a joke about Arab Strap getting back together in 10 years’ time to celebrate. So that’s basically what this is: a chance to enjoy the music we made once more.”

“We wanted to celebrate it while we’re still relatively young and don’t look too embarrassing on the stage,” said Moffat.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Two’s company … Aidan Moffat performing solo at the Scala. Photograph: Marc Broussely/Redferns

Arab Strap were characterised by Moffat’s dark sense of humour, expressed through lyrics that often dealt with inebriation and intoxication, or with an unforgiving view of sexual frailty and desire. The group were signed to the influential Scottish label Chemikal Underground, and were referred to in the title of the third album, by Belle & Sebastian, The Boy With the Arab Strap.

The reference was to the displeasure of Moffat and Middleton. “Arab Strap is quite an interesting name,” Middleton said in a 2001 interview. “The words go well together. That’s why we chose it as a band name. We’re friends with them [Belle & Sebastian], but there’s a limit to putting someone else’s name on an album. They’re taking away something from us.”

Moffat and Middleton announced three UK shows – at the Brixton Electric in London on 13 October; Manchester O2 Ritz on 14 October; and Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom on 15 October.

They also unveiled an update of their debut single, The First Big Weekend – retitled The First Big Weekend of 2016. “It’s probably how it should have sounded the first time,” Moffat said. “We knew we couldn’t really do much to the song because the story has to stay intact, and by extension the arrangement, but we wanted to give it more of a thump and modernise it a bit.”