Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus, released in the year 2000, has become a teen anthem for each new generation but its inception had a much darker side.

The American rock band are currently on tour of the UK and Ireland and will stopping off at The Vic in Swindon's Old Town on Tuesday, May 16.

Brendan B Brown, founder and front man of Wheatus, believes the chart busting song continues to strike a chord with young people because it is about being outside the 'cool kids crowd' and feeling all the angst and uncertainties of being adolescence.

"It is about surviving and being yourself, not about being what is popular,'' said Brendan. "I hope that's it now, and not any of the elements of why I wrote it. My childhood and teens were quite violent and dark and I hope the song has moved on from that.''

Brendan wrote the song based on an horrific event that happened in 1984 in Long Island.

"When I was 10-years-old there were satanic rituals going on in the woods behind my house and two kids lured one of their friends out into the woods to kill him. It was in all the papers at the time.''

Today the teen anthem has lighter tones and was recently covered by One Direction which came as a big surprise to Brendan.

"They did us a real favour with all the Twitter kids,'' he said.

Wheatus are currently taking a new direction themselves with their music, working on their seventh album, which Brendan hopes will be released around Christmas this year.

When the band come to Swindon they will be playing two songs from the new album, one of which is described by Brendan as his "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" song.

Brendan had something of an epiphany in music about 12 years ago when he heard Carl Thompson play Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Brendan said: "He dropped a key every two chords and I felt that I couldn't do that so I need to get better. It was like jazz, which was the pop of its time, but not just smoky clubs and weird sounds. I want to create pop that sounded like that, all rich and lush. I understand it from a visceral place because I am a self-taught musician. To get there I wrote the song called Lullaby.''

Last year Brendan finally realised another dream which was to tour with his old friend James Bourne and his band Busted.

"We finally had our chance and it was the most fun on tour ever,'' said Brendan, who frequently co-writes with James.

Brendan set up Wheatus in 1995 with his brother Pete Brown on drums. His sister Liz has sung backing vocals on and off with the band since its formation and is often the tour manager.

"I rely on her so much,'' said Brendan, but it was his father who inadvertently christened the band. He used to call his children Wedus which meant little ones.

"I wanted a nonsense word so we became Wheatus,'' said Brendan.

Wheatus currently have a single, Tipsy, taken from the new album on release as a taster for the album. It will be one of a two hour set of more than 40 tunes Wheatus will play in Swindon. Tickets are £18 in advance and £20 on the door. For more details 01793 535713 thevicswindon@gmail.com - Flicky Harrison