POETIC indie band Tompaulin's love-hate relationship with their home town has made them what they are, according to singer and guitarist Jamie Holman.

The seven-piece have played five shows and released just one single but have have already been played on Radio One and are one of the hottest new bands around.

Featuring four members from Blackburn, the group's debut single has sold across the globe and their sell-out shows have received critical acclaim.

Preparing for their debut home town gig at Tony's Ballroom on Monday, member Jamie Holman talked about Tompaulin's meteoric rise.

It's 10 months since Jamie returned from London to lecture in film and video at Blackburn College. Once the day-job was secured, he enlisted the help of keyboard player Ciaron Melia, pianist Lee Davis and vocalist Stacey McKenna to work on the early demos.

Although Lee also played lead guitar and drums, Jamie sent the tapes to some old college pals in London. With the addition of Simon Trought on guitars and Amos Memon on drums, the musical side was completed when fellow Londoner Katie Grocott joined on bass.

As the material took shape, the band went to Shamrock Studios at Balderstone where they recorded their debut single Ballad Of The Bootboys. On the strength of a handshake, Preston's Action Records released the track and the early copies sold out before their first gig. Jamie said: "There has been so much media attention that some people are beginning to doubt us, thinking we are all hype like Terris, but Tompaulin is a really well-constructed unit."

Tompaulin have a gang mentality with a punk ethic, where every member is equal. Being creative on their own terms is the bottom line for the group, who spend as much time working with the sleeve designer as with the music.

Asked about comparisons with Belle and Sebastian, Jamie said: "It was really flattering for the first 30 seconds but before B and S there were The Pastels and before them the Jesus and Mary Chain. Maybe we take from the same influences. But the difference between us and B and S is that they sound nice and are nice. We sound nice but aren't nice".

He added: "Much of our music is sugar-coated. There's a lot of angst and failure in there. That comes from living in a town like this, where it can be really difficult to earn more than £150 a week. It's that love-hate relationship that makes us what we are." The dark undertones of their poetic pop are illustrated on Slender, a ballad about the sort of 20-minute love affair which might happen behind a Blackburn nightclub.

The song is set for release on May 7 on their new Car Crash EP, which should soon be followed by Tompaulin's debut album.

But the group won't be rushed into anything. Selling out their ideals is not an option.

Jamie said: "We could sign a deal tomorrow but if we became puppets for a record label the band wouldn't last two minutes."

Tompaulin play Tony's Ballroom, Blackburn, on Monday, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5.