5ft Fez set to hit the studio

Photo: Cai Dixon

GROWING in popularity . . . the lads are ready to record their debut album

MUSIC EXTRA: HOT prospects 5ft Fez are preparing for another stint in the recording studio - with their maiden album planned for autumn.

Oldham’s exciting mod-influenced trio — frontman Matt Cummings, drummer Joe Leach and bassist Ross Fearns — continue to make huge strides live, and smashed the “Revolution Live — Love Spreads” showcase special at a packed-out Whittles at the weekend.

There are plenty more high-profile gigs in the lads’ diary, but attention has also now switched to the as-yet unnamed album. Recording will be under the guidance of popular young producer Adam Briffa at the Futureworks set-up in Salford - someone the band has worked with befoe on their live EP and last year’s “Watch Me Fall” studio offering.

Cummings said: “We want to take that step up from releasing EPs now. We think it’s a bigger statement to say we’ve got a full album of material to get out there. There will be tracks from the EPs on it, but half of it will be new stuff.

“We’ve just polished a new one off last week. We debuted that at Whittles — now it’s about more writing.”

Last summer’s “Watch Me Fall” EP was hugely popular and had to be reordered to meet demand.

Drummer Leach, who clearly favours an old-school approach to distributing his music, added: “It was really well received. To be honest, we got a lot more interest in it as a physical thing as opposed to online, which was quite surprising.

“There is something quite special about having the track in your hand, as opposed to on your phone or whatever.”

Leach, like his band-mates, is also a big fan of tech wizard Briffa: “Adam does a great job, he’s really talented, and it helps me because he’s a drummer as well,” Joe added.

“It’s just great to have somebody like him there, he can point things out to change and overall he just makes the tunes sound so much better.”

The band looks set for another fun-packed year. There’s another Quadrophenia Night appearance at the Waterside Arts Centre in Sale on Saturday, February 27, as well as gigs at Manchester’s Ruby Lounge, the Mossley Music and Arts Festival at Seel Park, and in Blackpool at a special Queen’s Lancashire Regiment fundraiser.