Success beckons

(Morning Star, Friday 13 October 2006)

INTERVIEW: Driving by Night

KIRSTIE MAY talks to pop hopefuls Driving by Night as they look forward to one of Britain's hottest talent showcases.

PRIOR TO hitting this month's In The City seminar, Belfast's Driving by Night are quietly confident of their success, as are those who've swooned over their melancholy pop.

In the world of pop, it has to be said that there's a recipe for success - and Northern Ireland's Driving by Night have it.

Abiding by all the tried and tested trademarks of rock, from charismatic frontman to soulful tunes, soaring melodies to insightful lyrics, the band are a poorly kept secret at best in their native land and even that looks set to change within the next month.

Driving By Night found their feet two years ago in Belfast when the afore-mentioned charismatic frontman Neal Hughes met bandmates Jason McCord (guitar/piano), Dave Gordon (guitar), Dave Newell (bass/piano) and Terry Lavery (drums).

Neal explains, "We used to be in an old band called Tyler and split up. Then we got bored with normality and started playing music again.

We were writing more and more songs and we started thinking about maybe gigging these songs."

From a somewhat inadvertent launchpad, Neal and co have since gone from strength to strength, landing a recording deal with BMG music and they are now lined up to appear at In The City, one of Britain's hottest showcases for unsigned acts.

They have played countless gigs across the six counties, including supporting Keane and The Thrills, and are currently squeezing in some last-minute warm-up gigs before heading off at to In The City. This is a festival known for being a hotbed for the A&R scramble, with every record company in the land sending talent scouts on the sniff for the next big thing.

So, are the guys ready for the big time? There's anticipation, certainly.

"We all do have day jobs, but I think we're itching to get rid of those day jobs," Neal admits. "We have had some interest across the water and there are people coming to see us at In The City," he adds, hopefully.

Depending on the outcome of In The City, there's a plan for a nationwide British tour and then, who knows?

When it comes to their own musical influences, Driving by Night tick all the best indie pop boxes - a little Radiohead, a little Echo and the Bunnymen, well, a lot of Echo and the Bunnymen, actually.

Neal remembers: "I was in my brother's car one day and he was playing The Cutter and I realised then that there was a similarity there."

Listen to Fears of Men and it's an easy spot for any Echo fan.

Still, the band members each bring a little something to the mix and what comes out is a real treat for lovers of well-crafted songs, nothing more.

"We're songwriters, so we write songs," Neal is keen to emphasise.

"Our style is buried in song. We have our own sound now, and it's strong."

He describes their sound as being "melancholic, strong melodies, tuneful, really standard strong indie pop songs. I think our songs are anthemic."

Playing heartfelt anthems of love and loss for the heartbroken, Driving by Night are mere steps away from the adulation that they deserve.

• Driving by Night's single Fears of Men is out now. Find out more on www.drivingbynight.com