AMEN lead singer Casey Chaos has predicted that Starsailor will be as big as The Verve.

Speaking exclusively to PULSE, before the Manchester leg of the NME tour, Chaos was full of praise for the young group, whose frontman James Walsh hails from Chorley.

Of Starsailor he said: "They are going to be huge. I don't think that guy -- James Walsh -- could sing out of key if he wanted to.

"And he couldn't write an unhooky song if he tried. They have the same energy as The Verve and are so totally on.

Chaos fronts American nu-metal band Amen, and has developed a fearsome reputation for his wild, unpredictable stage antics.

Leaping from high speakers and smashing up equipment are the norm at Amen gigs, while during moments of extreme madness the singer has indulged in self mutilation, cutting his arms with pieces of broken glass.

But relaxing backstage, the most dangerous man in pop for 20 years is the perfect gent. Chilling out to Frankie Goes To Hollywood, it's clear he's enjoying the diverse styles of the tour with Starsailor, Alfie and JJ72 -- even if fans have found that a punk/metal outfit on the same stage as the more middle of the road indie styles is a gulf just too wide to bridge.

Standing firm Chaos said: "It doesn't matter what type of music it is, it can transcend.

"Either it's it's fake or it's real, either it's money-motivated or it's something from the soul."

Brought up on American hard-core punk and inspired by bands such as Black Flag and later, the UK explosion of 1977, surprisingly his first love was for skateboarding.

But as the number of broken bones mounted, he turned his attention to music, for something a little less dangerous, which still had a vent for his anger and violence.

The frontman has developed a special relationship with his audience with his jaunts from the stage to mosh-pit and takes time to listen their views.

He said: "We were just outside signing some stuff and these kids asked for this one song, so we came in and re-wrote the entire set. For me I'm the same person as in the crowd. I'm no different from them".

Following the NME tour, Amen head off to Canada, Japan and Australia with the band currently planning a return in the summer possibly for the Leeds/Reading festivals.

He also revealed the band plan to record some more B sides but the straight talking singer hinted that they may not be around forever.

He said: "The day I go out there and it's just a job or it's the same routine I'll stop, because I won't cheat the audience and I won't cheat myself." Stars out for Kosovo

THE record label of a Ribble Valley businessman is to release a charity album for two organisations working in Kosovo.

Nova Rehman, who is based in Brockhall Village, set up the CollectiV label which releases the Cohesion album on February 12.

The double album features some of the finest music to come out of Manchester.

Established artists like Badly Drawn Boy, Doves, Ian Brown and Elbow have all given tracks to the project.

And alongside newer bands like the highly rated Munki and fingathing, Cohesion is a real kaleidoscope of the city's talents.

As well as giving music, artists also gave memorabilla which were auctioned at the album launch party a the Lowry, in Manchester this week.

Despite Badly Drawn Boy's tea cosy hat being stolen from a city centre cafe, the Mercury Music prizewinner -- alias Damon Gough, from Belmont -- donated another example from his wardrobe, with the fashion accessory being snapped up for a staggering £1,610.

All the net profits from the album are to be split between Mines Advisory Group, which is working to remove landmines, and Manchester Aid to Kosovo which is responding to the conditions in the refugee camps. Acid test for My Vitriol

HAVING spent the majority of last year recording their debut album and relentlessly touring the country, My Vitriol are poised to capitalise on all their hard work.

Heavily influenced by the Seattle grunge sound of Nirvana, the quartet featuring Som Wardner on lead and vocals, will preceed the album with the Always Your Way, single and a new headline tour.

Alongside the excellent Thirteen:13 who have the freshness of the early Brit-pop movement the gig at the Manchester Roadhouse looks light to remember.