GRIM Mancunians The Courteeners are hitting the road next month to support the release of their second album Falcon.
The indie group ended 2009 by playing the biggest gig of their career to date.
The gig, at Manchester Central was a brave gesture from a band with just one album to their name.
But when all 10,000 tickets sold out in just five days it was clear that their fans were still with them.
Now dubbed ‘Britain’s biggest cult band’ by the NME, The Courteeners were invited to support Morrissey last year and have been praised by ex-Smith’s guitarist Johnny Marr.
Frontman Liam Fray, said: “It was amazing finding out they like our stuff. I got my first guitar when I was 13, I started by trying to learn The Smiths songbook but it was way too difficult, so when that wasn’t happening I tried the easy Beatles songs, and bits of Blur, Suede and Oasis.”
But it was kings of the noughties, The Strokes, that really ignited Liam’s interest in guitar-based music.
He added: “They looked good, they sounded good. They were the benchmark. I just loved the idea of being in a band, I used to write lyrics down and I started turning them into songs when I was 15, 16.
“I did my first gig shortly after, just me and an acoustic guitar in a pub, and it snowballed.
“Word of mouth travelled fast, by 18 I was starting to take it really seriously, that I could make a living from doing this.
“I’d be playing all my own stuff, songs like ‘What Took You So Long’ and ‘Cavorting’ which ended up on the first record.”
It was at that point he decided to form a band and looked to his pals for help.
The Courteeners played their first gig at Manchester’s Roadhouse in October 2006. More than three years on their 16-date national tour culminates at Leeds Academy on March 26.
Tickets £16 – buy online at www.gigsandtours.com or www.ticketmaster.co.uk / 24 hr cc hotline 0871 2200 260 and 0844 826 2826
