The Courteeners

1:57pm Thursday 3rd January 2008

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SLOWLY came The Courteeners. A distant rumour of 2006 rolled into the essential buzz of 2007. Out of north Manchester they emerged, armed with a bulging songbook and supreme self-confidence.

Soon they would power their way through the sticky lower echolens of indie rock to conclude their year with a string of sell-out dates formed from a rapidly expanding fanbase.

"There is no rush with us. We believe it is the real deal and we are prepared to work extemely hard."

Liam Fray

By the time they reached Machester Ritz in December, they had even eclipsed the stigma of being a Manc' outfit with a precocious frontman called Liam (Fray). Comparisons with early Oasis had been previously difficult to navigate.

"It did get in the way for a while," admitted Fray, in a rather less oafish manner than his infamous namesake.

"But we have the ammunition really. We do have good songs and, once people get to hear them, they will accept them as they are, totally regardless of where we happen to come from. I think we are aleady past that kind of judgement. That said, I am proud of Manchester and Manchester bands...even if the city has been going through a quiet spell."

Though hardly the archetypal Mancunian band, the city's unique atmosphere certainly adds spice to Fray's lyric writing. Fallowfield Hillbillies is one such an example, being a gentle stab at a certain attitide, arguably echoing Morrissey's ability to prise a romanticism from leaden-skied Mancunia.

"It was really just about one guy I met on a bus," he reflected.

"He was wearing eye-liner and one glove and pretending to be completely knowledgeable about Joy Division. This is the sort of thing you sometimes find in Manchester now, sadly. It has been suggested that it is some kind of student-attacking song but that is too simplistic. It is just a light-hearted lyric, really that just points out the absurdity of situations like that."

The Courteeners are no strangers to academia themselves and are unusually degree laden. Apart, that is, from Fray who, after a spell performing solo acoustic sets across the city, leaped prematurely from his studies into his role at the front of the band, a decisive move that hints at high expectations. But was this just reckless naivete?

"I just knew I was writing and continually improving. I knew this was the way forward and I was lucky enough to find myself in a great band," he stated.

"I just carry on writing. It's a little frustrating because, yes, the songs I am writing are way ahead of the songs we are actually performing and that people know, but that's what it's all about. There is no rush with us. We believe it is the real deal and we are prepared to work extemely hard. People respect us for that. It's not a quick dash for the limelight. It's a life-long thing...for us it is, anyway."

Highlights of 2007 included a spirited Glastonbury set, a ferocious performance in support of The Charlatans at The Apollo and general acceptance in the capital.

"People have been incredibly supportive. It has just been amazing really but we are just concentrating on working hard and enjoying playing. We are looking forward to the Warrington gig which we know will be lively. We are not playing Manchester or Liverpool on this tour, so we are hoping for a really good turn-out."

Courteeners play Warrington Parr Hall on Friday January 18. Their single, What Took You So Long?' is released on January 14.