THE Inbetweeners might make most people laugh - but for London rockers Tellison the TV show has proved their salvation.

The quartet, who play Glasgow this Sunday, had their songs featured on the comedy hit's first season.

And royalty payments from the band's music being played on the international smash have helped them continue as a group.

"When the Inbetweeners came out it wasn't really a big success, they showed the whole season and no-one really watched it," recalls Stephen Davidson, their lead singer.

"I watched the episodes we were on but was almost embarrassed that no-one seemed to be watching it. Then it was repeated and suddenly blew up, and became this comedy phenomenon. That's been a relief in some ways, as it's helped the band continue to exist."

Tellison themselves are the perfect example of a band who should be bigger than they are.

Their indie rock is catchy and clever, their lyrics thoughtful and witty, and in another world 2011's excellent second album the Wage of Fear would have kicked open the door to mainstream success.

Instead they remain in the underground, with a hardcore fanbase who are anxiously awaiting news of the group's third album.

It's a record the band are currently finishing off, and Stephen admits the three years between albums have seen him look at different ways of working.

"Rather than have short-term jobs, make money and then quit that to make a record and tour, we've tried to make the two things exist at the same time," he explains.

"We are getting older and we need to pay the rent so we're working Monday to Friday and then going to the studio at nights and in the weekend…

"If you do the maths, being in a band is a stupid thing to do with your time. So we had to sit down and think about how to make music without bankrupting ourselves or our relationships with other people."

There's a cynicism about Stephen's views on the music industry, mixed with an enjoyment about still being in a band.

Those two emotions seem to have seeped into the new songs that they'll be debuting at Audio on Sunday.

"There's a more straight up American rock sound, mixed with a downbeat, sad lyrical focus," explains the singer, who was originally born in Edinburgh.

"It's about coming to terms with something that you're never going to have, no matter how much you want it.

"So much of our culture is about people who strive and struggle but then get the happy ending they wanted. That's not a trajectory for most people that's actually likely."

The band's main Glasgow commitment is their Audio gig, where they'll be playing alongside the American singer- songwriter Kevin Devine. But that's not the only gig they'll be doing on Sunday - after Stephen agreed to play some acoustic songs for a pal's birthday.

"A girl who lives in Glasgow that we know from live shows and is really into her music asked us to play at her flat in the afternoon, because it's her birthday," says Stephen.

"I always enjoy doing things that are more informal and direct, and when something like that works it can be really special. We've been going for a long time and it's more fun to split up the usual dark venues with a novel experience, like playing a flat."

And despite the stress that goes with it, Stephen's relishing Tellison's return.

"It'll be good to feel like a real band again," he says.

"When you play a lot of shows you get better and you feel that chemistry onstage, which is addictive.

"I've found that things happen in a band are never exactly what you'd hoped, it's always at a 90 degree angle, so I hope that my email inbox is still filled with offers to do interesting and weird things."

n Kevin Devine and Tellison, Audio, Sunday, £9, 7pm