BURY rock band Elbow have denied that they said their hometown "stunk of failure" and was full of "racist scum".

They say the three-page article in the national music paper NME was unbalanced and deliberately focused on the negative things about the town.

The five-piece band, who hit the Top 20 this year with their critically acclaimed debut album, have previously made disparaging comments about Bury.

But lead singer Guy Garvey says that the topic has become "an albatross round my neck".

The NME's article follows the band round the borough, on what it calls a Magical Misery Tour of the town behind the band's gloomy songs.

Among the places visited is the Corner Pin in Stubbins, where they played their first gigs under the name of Soft; the Mason's Arms in Whitefield; Apocalypse studios in Radcliffe; and somewhere the NME describes as Oakham Hill (sic). Guy is quoted as saying: "It's a hotbed of racist scum, like so many towns in the north are. The whole town stinks of failure."

But, speaking to the Bury Times, he says this was unfair and not a balanced overview of the band's sentiments.

"I feel gutted that this keeps coming up," he said. "I want to make sure that people in Bury get a balanced view. People who know me and the band for years, they know the score.

"We're from Bury, we are proud of it in some ways. We only live down the road in Prestwich, it's not as if we moved to London.

"As well as slagging off what's wrong, we were trying to show what's right about the place. People did help us, but they didn't print any of that."

He adds: "There is racism in Bury, but I didn't put it that strongly. Our bass player Pete doesn't feel comfortable in Bury after dark, being a black guy. The only place he's come under attack is in his home town."

The author of the NME article, overlooking Bury, says the town "slicks back its hair with chip fat, sprays CK One down its underpants and straps in its beer belly in readiness for another Friday night of f*****g or fighting". This, it seems, is reflected in several of Elbow's songs.

"The songs are as much about myself as about people in Bury," said Guy. "I'm not trying to put myself over everyone else in Bury. We're not just slamming "lad" culture, but trying to understand it. Some people, surrounded by unemployment and no hopes, have no choice but to get into it."

However, Guy says he is happy to criticise the dole office for its lack of assistance, and Bury Council, of which he says: "It's not proud of its youth, it's more proud of its Marks and Spencer's."

He concludes: "I'll just have to refuse to answer any questions about Bury in future!"

Elbow are recording a new single, inspired by Bury, called "Asleep in the Back". That's also the title of their acclaimed debut album which made the final 12 of this year's televised Mercury Music Prize awards.

They go on a nationwide tour next month, during which they play the Ritz in Manchester on October 14. Another song, "Newborn", is re-released as a single to coincide.