It's a familiar fable. A story that spans three decades and three generations. Their elasticized bass tones have touched the lives of everyone in Scotland's biggest city. They are the devilish duo responsible for Glasgow's techno city. Ex-NME hack, Channel 4's Stuart Cosgrove, might be spouting a load of old techno bollocks, but he is just one such infamous Scot who has been influenced by DJ Stuart McMillan and Orde Meikle's twisted funk.

Every teen to thirty something has raved and craved Slam. They are the dirty disco duo who forms part of the cultural fabric of Glasgow's clubbing society. Each year Slam DJ to 55,000 people in Scotland alone. Ask around the city and most people will have had a life changing moment at Slam at the Arches. This is the sound of Glasgow and Slam made it. Lock up your children.

Ten years on and more than 100 releases after the classic debut 'Eterna' on the fledgling Soma label, Slam's Orde Meikle and Stuart McMillan are set to release their greatest accomplishment to date, Alien Radio. With classics such as 'Stepback', 'Dark Forces' and 'Positive Education'; remixes that include Death in Vegas, Daft Punk and Underworld; debut album Headstates and last year’s critically acclaimed Past Lessons, Future Theories mix CD already under their belt, Alien Radio echoes the drive behind Glasgow's electronic house gurus. It's a venture into twisted dance music that nods its head to Detroit, jacks off to Chicago and hails the all-consuming British dance music sound.

Slam came together over ten years ago over a passion for music and a debauched past which started with soul weekenders, punk and reggae through to The Clash and early acid-house at the Sub Club. By the late '80s Slam had already taken the baton. Acid house exploded in Scotland with the legendary Slam at Tin Pan Alley. "For most people," Orde remembers, "Slam was their first clubbing experience." Soon after, in 1989, full of acid house enthusiasm, Slam produced the City's first all-night rave. Stuart claims this was the seed that sprouted the Slam family tree. "We literally caused havoc in the streets. There were coaches from the Hacienda, 808 State playing live and thousands of people unable to get in. The police had to shut the streets off."

It turned out to be the best marketing campaign ever done. Posters dotted around Glasgow simply stated '3 Weeks To Go' counting down to '2 Weeks To Go' the following week. The whole city was hooked and farfetched press stories started ruminating that the aliens were coming. They weren't far wrong, as every young potential clubber-to-be was gagging to lose their acid house virginity.

The next ten years saw the Slam team fire ahead relentlessly with regular nights all over the city, including most memorably Slam at the Arches through to the present days Freelance Science and Pressure. It's no surprise, that with a premiere roster of big name DJs, Slam is the only choice to produce the annual T-In The Park for 25,000 hedonistic revelers.

Like all the best clubs Slam put quality before profit. "We have always stretched the budget to make sure the night was good," says Orde. "We actually owned the sound system at the Arches," Stuart interjects. "It was rocking."

Orde: "Back then we poured everything into it and took no money. I think that is a part of almost everything we have done."

Indeed, this attitude has permeated through to their record company, Soma. Soma introduced Daft Punk and Scott Grooves to the world and is about to have its second wave of success with major label bids for Silicone Soul's 'Right On Right On' and extraordinary releases from Ewan Pearson (Maas) and Envoy. "We made our next track on the profits from the previous and it has been the same ever since," remembers Orde.

So what is that special Slam mix that has touched so many lives? "Er, Cocaine and several bottles of Champagne." laughs Stuart. " No of course, it's the DJs, the people, the production and lighting design. The whole picture, of course".

If the sound of France is filtered disco and London is dominated by sub-urban acid house inflections with more breakdowns than Frank Butcher; Glasgow is dark, funky, bass heavy, sweaty, writhing, sleazy techno, punctuated with house grooves.

"Going to a Slam night is an extraordinary clubbing experience," observes Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter "It contains the exact same thing that you can hear on Slam's 'Positive Education'. Spontaneity, energy, positive things. Soma, the label, Slam, the artists, Slam, the club, are really part of our family and we are grateful to those many unforgettable moments we spend with the crew in Glasgow."

Alien Radio brings together friends, influences and experiences from the last decade's acid house exploits. Chicago's Tyrone Palmer, Dot Allison, Jazz drummer Paddy Flaherty, UNKLE's James Lavelle, synth kingpin and former Rosie Gaines producer Andy Gillespie.

'Lifetimes' featuring Tyrone (Felix Da Housecat vocalist on the infectious 'My Life is Music') is an end of nighter in the classic sense, already an ‘Essential New Tune’ with Pete Tong this cracker recently brought the house down at both the Soma Party in Miami and Bugged Out. Ensconced in Slam's trademark raucous bassline, which follows Palmer's falsetto vocals like an obsessive stalker, it's a recipe for dancefloor eruption. The title track ‘Alien Radio' touches down like Drexciya on temazipan with scrambled electro-waves and funk fuelled rhythms. Meanwhile, ‘Visions’ with long time friend, Dot Allison is the album's understated hit. It's a unique fusion of sublime electro versus Cocteau Twins influenced dreamy vocals.

"Soma was the first label I signed to," remembers Dot. "I've always identified musically with Slam since their early acid house club in the late '80s, so it's great to come full circle and write ‘Visions’."

Slam's own mix of 'Narco Tourist' is a relentless club groover born out of a collaboration (their first since 'Close Encounters' on UFOrb) with James Lavelle's UNKLE. Add to this Slam's itchy groovy ‘Eyes of Your Soul’ and 'Alien Radio' has all the Glasgow trademarks that make it such a unique city: driving power, esoteric soul and alien disco.

Start praying. Slam is transmitting.

Slam will be launching the US release of Alien Radio with a mini tour of major cities in North America including an appearance at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival and will be doing a full tour of the US during the month of October.