No hoo-ha, just great music

11:08am Wednesday 11th October 2006

Fears that his bedroom walls would be the only audience for his music are far behind Stuart Brown these days.

He alongside the other members of Jacksonswarehouse, have signed their first record deal with independent label SX Records and are looking forward to the release of their debut EP later this month.

"It was other people's reactions to be honest that stopped it from staying in my bedroom," laughs lead vocalist and guitarist Stuart, "People were just into it."

The latest success comes hot on the heels of winning an unsigned bands competition on London radio station X-fm.

However there is no danger it going to their heads despite having just shot their first video as well, as first and foremost making music is what matters to these boys.

"Our sound is different for every song," explains Stuart who is joined in the band by Cy Chant on drums, Rich Hawkins on bass, Mark Barnacle on guitar and his cousin Simon Brown on vocals.

"We never try to jump on the latest bandwagon. I would say our sound is passionate and emotive and sounds like we mean it."

Indeed the best thing about being in a band according to Stuart is having his song writing accepted by his fellow band members.

"If I have written a song that is important to me and the band agree that is great, " he grins, "and you can't fake that sort of thing."

The five piece hail from Basildon and are more than proud of their Essex town roots.

"We take influences I suppose from modern life in Basildon. We are fiercely proud of coming from Basildon," Stuart declares.

"It is not the best place in the world but there is a great music scene in Basildon, it is just untapped. We are five different people with different tastes and that influences us as well."

Taking their name from a former discount clothing shop in the town has helped the lads established quite a following locally where they are famed for inspiring the only stage invasion at their home venue The Castlemayne pub in 12 years.

It is clear the boys are as fond of their fan base as their fans are of their music, to the extent of laying a free coach to their gigs.

Their appeal lies in the fact they refuse to look or dress the part, preferring instead to let their catalogue of over 90 songs do the talking.

"There is a nod towards the problems the music industry has with our image," explains Stuart, " but we hope to inspire other people to think that if they can do that so can I.

"It feels like we are a proper band. Five different people, with five different tastes who come together as with music rather than being manufactured.

"There is no hoo-ha about us. We are an old fashioned band in that sense. We might look like sh*t but when we get on stage it is the music we want people remember."

With things on the up and up it would be easy to make grandiose claims about the future, but retaining a degree of humility is important to Stuart as the band prepare to select the material for their first album.

"We don't dream of global domination," he grins, "just making enough money to make another album and so on."