Ones To Watch: Lonsdale Boys Club

Published May 24 2012, 16:21 BST  |  By Lewis Corner

With pop's grip on the charts looking likely to stay firm for a while longer yet, the traditional guitarist is finding it harder than ever to get a foot in the door.

Fortunately for the fast-rising trio Lonsdale Boys Club, they have no intention of using guitar hooks in the traditional sense.

"We have another side to us, which is quite aggressive and hip-hop, but still anthemic and pop at times," frontman Charlie told us, speaking about what we can expect from their upcoming debut album.

So are the funk-driven beats heard in their first single 'Light Me Up' a good reflection of their sound? "I'd say that's one side of us," Loz admits. "We're all into disco and especially when we DJ it's always great to get the party started with that funky groove."

After forming several years ago, the group swiftly caught the attention of the press and public after supporting Olly Murs's UK arena tour and signing to Gary Barlow's Future Records label last year. Their name comes from their own personal London studio, which they've used to record their debut album - due for release later this year.

While Charlie is a guitarist with a love for all things reggae and Loz is a DJ, third member Topher hails from New Zealand with yet another perspective on music, meaning the group initially didn't see eye-to-eye. "There was a lot of disagreeing at first," Topher reveals about the band's first sessions, before Charlie added: "We became more open minded to each other's tastes."



Once the three-piece sorted their differences and produced their first demo, even they didn't think Barlow would call with an interest in signing them. "To have someone like Gary Barlow sit and pass comment on our music was just really nuts," Charlie said. "We weren't looking to be signed, it was just an offer we couldn't ignore because it was so great."

So will the Take That crooner be penning tracks for their LP? "We were already heavily into the writing process when we got signed, so I don't think he wanted to disturb that," Charlie explained. "He put together the team that works around us. In terms of his direct influence, he worked across the album in a more holistic sense."

Their first single 'Light Me Up' is out this week, and they're surprisingly calm about it. "We're excited," they insist. "That song has been in our repertoire for a while, so we're excited for everyone to hear something new now." With a summer packed full of gigs and festival appearances, they're going to have plenty of opportunities to debut the new stuff.

Watch the music video for Lonsdale Boys Club's 'Light Me Up' below:



Lonsdale Boys Club's 'Light Me Up' is available to download now.