‘LOSE your dreams and you will lose your mind,’ growled Mick Jagger on their famous hit Ruby Tuesday when the Rolling Stones ruled the rock and roll world at the height of the swinging Sixties.

Half a century later, their music and attitude continue to influence and inspire.

“My girlfriend took me to The Saatchi Gallery in London, to see an exhibition about the Rolling Stones and it changed everything,” said William Tucker, the leader of Ribble Valley rabble-rousers The Ruby Tuesdays who culled their name from the Stones track.

“At the end, there was a 3D experience of The Rolling Stones playing Satisfaction live and it blew me away, because the sound was so awesome,” said William.

“I’d never heard anything so captivating and thrilling, so when I returned home I formed The Ruby Tuesdays.”

The Ruby Tuesdays celebrate their first birthday this month following a rip-roaring set at last summer’s Foxy Fest in Clitheroe by headlining their first Manchester show at Gullivers on Saturday.

“I want this band to change our lives and there’s no room for sentiment,” said William.

“I’m 19 and I don’t want to be sat behind a desk all my life.

“We’re trying to make something of ourselves and we don’t play music to try and look cool.

“We aren’t posers like some people out there who do it because it might be trendy and say, ‘Look at me man. I’m in a band’.

“This is not a hobby – we play music because we love it and we just hope that our hard work can get us somewhere.”

They have a rich musical pedigree too, with guitar player George Barnes, the son of Ian ‘Strang’ Barnes, guitarist with Blackburn punk legends The Stiffs.

The Stiffs’ 1980 single - Inside Out - was one of the late John Peel’s favourite songs.

“The rest of the lads have so many different influences, but we do all share a great love of Oasis,” added William.

“Not really for the subculture, more for the music and the street attitude.”

Their excellent EP – The People – is full of crashing guitars and hard-edged lyrics.

“It has taken time to build up our sound, with our roots also in heavy rock, so there’s plenty of loud riffs.

“However, we aren’t afraid to write softer and more melodic songs.

“It is all about finding that balance, and of course me discovering the Rolling Stones, then there’s bits of blues and funk in there now.”

He added: “We are so hungry it hurts and we want to make The Ruby Tuesdays into a force to be reckoned with.”

The Ruby Tuesdays play Gullivers in Manchester on Saturday, October 7 and Sunbird Records, The Circus, Darwen, Friday, October 13. Details from 07854 248464