PULSE - Music and more, with Simon Donohue

AVENUE PARADE is a well-known street in Accrington.

It's also the title of a new album jam-packed with Mod-cons.

And the way the debut LP by East Lancashire band The Itch has turned out has left the musicians feeling extremely houseproud.

"Avenue Parade is one of the main streets in Accrington," said Pat Gallagher, lead singer with the scooter-loving outfit.

"Everybody knows where it is and that's why we decided to name the album after it.

"It shows everyone where our roots lie."

The Itch have acquired a loyal following in pubs and other venues around East Lancashire with their live blend of cover versions and original material.

Avenue Parade is the first complete collection of their own work and they are understandably proud of it.

"The track Beginners Luck is about work and being down-trodden, the usual stuff," said Pat.

"Never Listen is about drugs and is based on people we know.

"We had a couple of mates who went downhill when the rave scene started.

"They thought they were controlling it but we saw the change in them." However, the band still plan to stick to their popular and familiar live formula, with a few of their own numbers included for good measure.

"We realise that people don't always want to listen to a load of songs they have never heard," said Pat. "The crowd can quickly get bored. We don't think it but other people sometimes think it all sounds the same.

"But when we played the Borough in Blackburn recently we were surprised how people reacted to our own material.

"They were really into it."

The Itch are bass/vocalist Mark Griffiths, singer Pat, lead guitar/vocalist Colin Benmore and drummer/vocalist David Benmore.

Avenue Parade has been released by Detour Records, a company who have been good to The Itch in the past. It's a simple deal which, granted, won't make the band rich. But it does help them get their material on CD and vinyl.

Helping them along the way was Pete Troughton, at Studio Studio, Whitworth.

"He was really part of the album," said Pat. "He played keyboards and trumpets for us.

"We are going to go back there for the single. "It's a small set-up in like a cellar but it worked well for us.

"Detour like our style. They paid for all the studio time and we get a proportion of the albums to sell for ourselves, with the rest going all around the world.

"It's a big effort coming up with your own label so it's been good for us to be able to concentrate on the music."

After months of hard work, you might think that the band members would want to settle down for a while.

But drummer Mark has been talking to the Chords, the band who led the Mod revival in 1979, about possible support slots.

And they have a busy summer ahead of them with a potential slot alongside Dodgy.

"We have some scooter rallies coming up later in the year, one possibly in the Isle of Wight with Dodgy," said Pat.

A long way from home, you might think, but their hearts at least are still in Avenue Parade.

Avenue Parade is available from Mary's Music, 44 Whalley Road, Accrington on vinyl or CD.

It can also be ordered from Detour Records, PO Box 18, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9YU. Telesales/distibution 01730 815422.

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