IT'S been a while since we last heard from them. But now they're back on the road with a clutch of new songs to stand alongside the '90s anthems everyone knows.

And what kind of reaction have they got from their fans?

"Mock horror!" joked Shed Seven vocalist Rick Witter, 30, ahead of the band's gig in Preston next Wednesday.

The three month nationwide tour is not, as Rick is quick to point out, a promotional event.

"We've never done things the conventional way," he said. "And we're not doing this to promote a new album or anything.

"We really just want to see our fans and dip our toes in. We've got quite a few new songs and we want to gauge the reaction. Primarily, we're a good live band and the purpose of this tour is solely to have a laugh."

But although the tour isn't linked to a new release, fans will be pleased to know the band expect to have a new album out early next year, which Rick describes as "90 per cent written".

"I know bands always say their new stuff is their best ever and it's really corny, but I really believe it's true for us," he said.

"All of our songs have Shed Seven written all over them. There's nothing new as far as that goes. But I think the more you do something, the better you get. This is our fifth album and I think there's a lot of really good stuff on it -- more downbeat stuff, but paradoxically it's also quite uplifting."

The York-based band, consisting of guitarist Joe Johnson, bassist Tom Gladwin and Fraser Smith on keyboards, together with Rick, have known each other since their schooldays.

Rick said: "At school you have your sporty group, your hard lads, your good-looking girls and the group who try to be cool and streetwise, and I guess we fitted into those last ones.

"We grew up together with a love of music and we formed our first band when I was 14. We weren't very good, but we went round thinking we were the best thing ever."

However, it was from their heroes the Stone Roses that Shed Seven drew their inspiration. By the mid '90s their catchy indie style had been established and their music was spawning a series of top 40 hits, including Going for Gold, She Left Me On Friday and On Standby. Rick said: "It all happened so quickly. We were suddenly going all round the world and having singles in the charts and appearing on Top of the Pops. It was like bang, bang, bang."

But despite all their success, the band never moved away from their York home. Rick explained: "It's good to visit London, but it's nice to get away from it as well. Granted, if we were living down there, we'd be more involved in the music scene. But the last thing I want to do is be sitting around in Stringfellows every night."

Catch Shed Seven at The Mill on Aqueduct Street, Preston on Wednesday, September 1. Call (01772) 884772 for details..