Amsterdam would like to say a big thank you to everyone who bought and downloaded Takin’ on the World, which entered the main chart at number 90 and the indie chart at number 12 on Sunday.

Said Ian: “Thanks to everyone who bought our latest single, I’m glad the b-sides seemed to be appreciated by everyone, and thanks to everyone for their genuine concern that this wasn’t the single that ‘broke’ the band.

“It’s a bizarre irony but it’s true, our single that didn’t crack the top 75 was more succesful for us than the one that got into the top 40.

“The doors it’s opened and the influential friends it has made us will be invaluable in the next stage. So yeah we haven’t had the big hit we all hoped for but it started to shift albums for us and raised our profile a hell of a lot. This single has actually added to the momentum not taken anything away, so let’s not anyone be downhearted…the truth is it’s been a fucking amazing year for Amsterdam.”

Meanwhile, at an acoustic gig in London last night, The Wonder Stuff’s Miles Hunt played a special version of Does This Train Stop on Merseyside?, which was christened Does This Train Stop in Birmingham? and re-written to describe the midlands city.

The song referenced several Birmingham landmarks, bits of folklore and the pub bombings of 1974. Miles promised that the Stuffies would record it as a b-side for one of the singles they will release next year.

Also, check out what Elvis Costello says he’s been listening to in this month’s Mojo magazine…