County bands in the running for regional music final

Feb 25 2010 by Chris Clements, Hamilton Advertiser

THREE Hamilton groups have made waves in an unsigned music competition.

Eightball, John’s Weans and MissBehavin have all reached the regional final of the Live and Unsigned music competition, which will be held in Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall on March 13.

They will join Hamilton singer-songwriter Scarletz – real name Stephanie Cheape – and Hamilton rock outfit Kontroband.

All of the acts have the chance to progress to the competition’s national final, which will be held later this year in London’s O2 Arena.

Judges at the national will include former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, broadcaster Mark Goodier, ex-Atomic Kitten Liz McLarnon, Another Level singer Dane Bowers and Annie Nightingale, Radio 1’s longest-serving DJ.

Live and Unsigned is the biggest original music competition in the UK for unsigned bands and artists. Attracting over 30,000 entries in the past three years, it has set itself apart from its predecessors by offering and promoting originality. It is now established as the definitive music competition for original acts and is open to all genres of music from heavy rock to rap.

Funk-rock quartet Eightball hope to secure their place in the final before they head off to Wales for some gigs later in the year.

Members of the band are Paul Loughran (34) on keyboards, Richy Streng (24) on guitar, Tony McCauley (24) on drums and Andy Mushat (20) on bass guitar. All the guys are from Hamilton, with Richy and Paul sharing vocal duties.

Eightball formed in 2005.

The band’s main influences are late-60s and 70s rock outfits such as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zepplin, as well as a lot of progressive rock from that period.

Eightball also recorded an EP at Red Eye studios in Clydebank recently and are actively looking to get signed by a label.

Elsewhere, young up-and-comers John’s Weans are going for glory in the competition.

The band – who only formed in August last year – are Conor Cartwright (18) and Jude Smith on vocals, rhythm guitar and bass, lead guitarist Stuart Anderson (19) and Simon Coakley on drums.

Connor explained: “The band’s name came about when it was discovered by some divine coincidence that all the band members dads are called John.

“It also helps that it’s a play on the name of the legendary John Wayne.”

The band count Bruce Springsteen, The Killers and The Rolling Stones among their main influences.

Girl group MissBehavin have doubled their numbers for the contest, with original members Kerri O’Raw (19) of Hamilton, and Barrhead’s Debbie McGovern (21) being joined by Hamilton girl Carol McLaren (18) and Dionne Reynolds (18) from Stirling.

With their new line-up, the girls hope their pop sound will impress the judges and land them a place in the national final.

Kerri said: “It would be nice if we did get further, but at the moment we’re just using it as experience.

“Our main aim is to apply for X Factor later in the summer.”