WHEN Chris Fox picked up a Gretsch guitar he just wanted to find something that matched his playing style.

But the instrument ended up transporting the 22-year-old to a whole different world of music.

That voyage of discovery helped turn rock and roll duo Kindest of Thieves into the band it is today.

Chris said: “I started playing Gretsch guitars because I knew that was a great sound for the way I play.

“Then I realised those guitars were distinctly used in the 50s in rockabilly music so I listened to all that kind of music.

“At the time I had an encyclopaedic knowledge of blues and when I heard this music it was like fire.

“It was a crazy sound to me. To others it might be old fashioned and boring but to me it’s just perfect.”

Chris originally starting making Americana music under the pseudonym Kindest of Thieves as a three-piece with drummer Ben Foster and bassist Joe Lockwood.

But when Ben moved to Australia they all went their separate ways.

Chris played as a solo artist for a while but then reached out to Sam Lightfoot in November 2013 and things just clicked.

The pair found they had natural chemistry on stage and in rehearsals.

“A lot of the time it feels like telepathy,” added Chris, who can count Xfm DJ and Inspiral Carpets DJ Clint Boon among his fans.

“We rarely speak at a rehearsal. It’s bizarre. We’re friends and we’ll go out for drinks afterwards or whatever.

“But when we’re making music we don’t need to speak to each other or nod.

“Sam was brought up on prog and grunge music and Pearl Jam and all that stuff.

“But we go to a club in Leeds occasionally which is just total 50s rock and roll and Sam absorbs it like a sponge. As a drummer he’s got an amazing groove.

“What we’ve decided to do is rather than be a band that plays Little Richard songs and essentially just changes the lyrics we wanted to be a band that took that music somewhere. We want to make this music a progressive thing.”

Kindest of Thieves have recently recorded their EP, Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen, at Edge Recording Studios in Alderley Edge.

They worked with producer John Delf, who has recorded albums for the likes of Plan B, Kylie, New Order and Lana Del Rey.

Chris, whose favourite music duo is American psychobilly band Flat Duo Jets, said: “John is a really wonderful guy to work with because of the faith he has in this band.

“He stays in touch when he’s on tour with some of the biggest bands in the world. It’s bewildering and lovely and he’s a man that I really trust with our music.”

Chris also praised Edge’s sound engineer, Mark Winterburn, a former Culcheth High pupil.

He added "Mark is an engineer who fully deserves to have a number one record with his name attached to it. His belief in us and patience with us is wonderful and totally appreciated.”

- Kindest Of Thieves play with Antelopes at Dog House in Buttermarket Street on September 20