WHEN Tom Ogden from Blossoms started writing songs all he was listening to were his heroes, Oasis.

A decade has passed since then and now, following Blossoms’ massive success with a number one album in 2016, the singer is still trying to get around the fact his band is the main support for Noel Gallagher at next year’s Neighbourhood Weekender.

The Victoria Park festival on May 26 and 27 is the biggest in Warrington since V Festival in 1996.

Speaking exclusively to Weekend, Tom said: “I think it’s a great line-up. There are a lot of people on the bill we’ve been heavily influenced by while growing up like Noel Gallagher, the Courteeners and The Coral so I think it will be a great weekend.

“It’s a surreal moment to go from being in a band with your mates to be on at a festival just before Noel.

“It’s kind of what you dream of when you start playing. It’s an honour.”

What makes it all the more surreal for the band is that they were never out to conquer the music scene. Everything just sort of fell into place.

Tom added: “We started the band as just something to do as we were bored in Stockport.

“I was writing songs but you never know where it can take you.

“We’d been in bands before but when we got together as Blossoms it clicked and immediately it felt right – so that spurs you on to do more.

“We quickly got the bug for it and met the right people and kept writing good songs.

“But you never get used to things like getting a number one album or playing with Noel.”

It’s a journey that Tom has gone on with some of his closest friends.

The 24-year-old said: “We were all born in the same hospital and Joe (Donovan, drummer) and I have been best mates since we were 12.

“My house is five minutes from Joe’s and Joe’s is five minutes from Charlie’s and so on. We’re all within a two-mile radius .

“It makes it more real. It keeps your feet on the ground that we’ve gone through this together.

“Our parents are dead proud and supportive. My mum and dad are massive music heads so they’ve gone to gigs growing up. They were at Spike Island in 1990 and they met Ian Brown when we supported the Stone Roses at Wembley.

“Stuff like that, I imagine, is quite surreal for them but they’re just so proud.

“You look at what the rest of your mates are doing and you realise how lucky you are. We’re grateful for where we are and that we get to travel the world. We’re enjoying every minute of it.

“Some of them are doing stuff that they like but others are doing things to get by. I know they’d rather have a different job.

“We’ve all had those sorts of jobs, working in offices and that kind of thing.”

Before he took on music full time Tom worked at Alma Lodge Hotel with Joe and keyboardist Myles Kellock.

Tom added: “Myles was working at the Co-op. He went to Leeds Festival and ended losing his job because of it so I got him a job at the hotel.

“They were pretty flexible with having time off for gigs.

“So we did that until it got to the point where we were taking too much time off and we had to make the leap.

“We were going on tour for a month by that point so we had to quit but we never looked back.”

What made it a good job was that they had a very forgiving manager who had a sense that the lads were on to big things.

Tom said: “He’s really sound. We’ve gone back and filmed stuff at the hotel.

“There were times when Myles and I would be in the wine cellar and I’d be playing demos of songs I’d written.

“He’d catch us doing it and would say: ‘Look, I hope you get a record deal but for now you work for me’.

“But after our shift had finished we’d all have a drink together.”

Blossoms are no strangers to Warrington either thanks to their connection with Viola Beach.

Viola Beach were part way through a tour with Blossoms when the band and their manager Craig Tarry tragically died in a crash in Sweden in February 2016.

Tom added: “They were on tour with us when it happened. We’d done about five gigs in Ireland and the UK. We’d done some dates with them the year before so we did about 10 gigs together.

“We were becoming friends on that tour as we were going for drinks and having a laugh together in between the shows.

“They were just like a ball of energy. They were always up for a night out. They never moaned once. They just turned up and did their thing.”

Blossoms were also part of the Viola Beach tribute celebration at the Parr Hall.

Tom said: “It was nice to see everyone celebrating their lives but I’m sure everyone would rather it be in different circumstances. I remember coming home from that gig in bits.

“It was like nothing I’d ever experienced before and it kind of puts things in perspective. There are no words for it. Nothing can make it better. You can only try and do positive things to celebrate their lives which I think everyone did.”

The Neighbourhood Weekender will also see Blossoms share a bill with The Coral.

It will be another special moment for Tom as The Coral’s James Skelly has worked with the band since day one.

Tom added: “He’s produced all our stuff and is kind of like our Jedi Master.

“The Coral played with us at Castlefield Bowl. They were a big band for us growing up so for them to be supporting us is mad.

“James is a great songwriter so he’s been a great help to me. As the band’s got bigger he’s given me advice.”

Courteeners headline the first day of the Neighbourhood Weekender and Tom also hopes the band stick around on the Sunday for a catch up.

He has known Courteeners singer Liam Fray for about three years and Blossoms were invited to join the band at a huge Old Trafford show this year.

Tom said: “Liam’s a great guy and he’s done loads for us. The exposure we got from supporting the Courteeners has been massive. We’re forever grateful for that. It’ll be one of them where everyone knows each other backstage. It always helps when the bands are friends.”

Blossoms also hope to showcase new songs at Victoria Park.

Tom said: “We’ve recorded the album so we’re waiting now for the right time to release. We’ll have a little bit of a break over Christmas and then see what next year brings.”

DAVID MORGAN