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Hurrah for MySpace! In today’s world bands are famous almost before they’ve even left their mother’s womb. Pre-teen sensations Tiny Masters of Today recently took over the cover of Artrocker, while numerous other hip young things are all vying for position in this new rock ‘n’ roll hotbed. So step forward Look See Proof, a band that follow up the current indie disco influx headed by current favourites The Maccabees and The Dykeenies.
Only forming in January the bands first rehearsal together spawned what has now become their debut single ‘Tell Me Tell Me Tell Me’. LSP have had a whirlwind year. After playing local venues for a few months they were quickly snapped up by London’s trendy indie label Tigertrap. Who promptly put out the first song they’d ever written as their debut on a beautiful limited edition white vinyl. This was just as quickly picked up by DJ and legend Steve Lamacq, who promptly invited them to do a session at Maida Vale for him. Guitarist Jason Slender cannot contain a wide grin as he recounts his year, “I’ve had a single out, and I’ve played in Maida Vale!” They’ve also supported the likes of The Fratellis and The Rifles, and played Manchester’s prestigious In The City conference.
The band comprises of two brothers, Dave (21) and Lee Sells (17) who play bass and guitar respectively and share the sing along Futurehead-style vocals. Both have massive personalities, Dave chatting away to audiences in between songs, while Lee literally cannot be contained by the parameters of the stage, bouncing off of amps and the drum kit, or appropriating amps to perch on like a beautiful Johnny Borrell action figure. A recent gig in their hometown led to Lee launching himself off stage. Describing it as “the best gig we’ve ever done” Dave explained how the excitement got to Lee. “I just saw him throw his mic stand to one side and go careering into the crowd.” That sell-out show ended with two of the band members’ crowd surfing, and a stage invasion by their hoards of followers.
Second guitarist Jason Slender is the oldest of the pack at an ancient 24 years old. He backs up the band and coolly hides behind his hair as the other lads show off, at a recent gig he told Gigwise, “I’m a nervous that I’m not nervous enough!” Wearing his Gang of Four badge on his hoody, he is also the most vocal about the current music scene. Describing The Kooks as “sounding like they’ve just been taught a bunch of styles and used each one on every track on their albums.” Referring to the bands formation during their time at Brighton’s Institute of Modern Music. The Horrors, he marks “overrated, whereas The Maccabees and Dykeenies are “brilliant”. The band all have varied tastes, Lee is a massive Razorlight fan, Dave loves The Police, the only group that they really completely agree on being The Futureheads.
Drummer Johnny Harry (21) provides the catchy beats that get all the indie kids dancing and is possibly the wildcard of the group, frequently getting them into trouble with parking fines and even hitting a local Maida Vale resident’s car nearly making them late for their set. When asked if they’d had much more female attention since the band started taking off all band members laughed and pointed to Johnny. He’s the first to take advantage of his position when it comes to chatting up the girls. “The other night he was chatting to a girl in Manchester,” Dave recounts, “they’ve been chatting for a while about his shoes and then he nonchalantly slips in, “well I haven’t because I’ve been really busy touring with my band…”” It seems as if the boys already have a following going on and have gained themselves some groupies. At a recent gig at London’s Fly Bar mainly comprising of starchy music-industry types, two girls stand at the back of the crowd giggling uncontrollably. One dressed as some kind of white trash come Fratellis video harlot in very very short shorts literally starts convulsing when Johnny removes his shirt about four songs into their set.
So what will the next year bring for these beautiful boys? Well with another single in the pipeline and an ever-growing cult of young myspace fanatics, it looks like they can only get bigger. If their next single is half as good as their debut they look set to blow the roof off the industry next year.
