Doves

• Jimi Goodwin - vocals, bass, guitar
• Jez Williams - guitar, keyboards
• Andy Williams - drums

Andy and Jez Williams met Jimi Goodwin when they were 15. They started playing together 10 years ago but, as Jimi notes, "We were wagging school and jamming way before that". As Sub Sub (graduates of a Hacienda-inspired Manchester clubland explosion of the late eighties) the band scored some dance inflected hits which kind of painted them into a corner. The number three single 'Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)' was released on New Order manager Rob Gretton's label. "We kind of lost our way for a few years", admits Jez.

The last recordings as Sub Sub, featuring guest vocalists Bernard Sumner from New Order and Tricky, and tracks like the expansive and decidedly un-disco 'Firesuite' all but demanded a name change mindful of a rockier and more experimental direction. And if 'Ain't No Love' was a right turn for the hell of it, then 1998's 'Cedar EP' saw them back on course - displaying intentions and influences they had carried with them most of their lives. Three EPs lovingly packaged and released on their own Casino label ('Cedar EP' October '98, 'Sea Song' May '99 and 'Here It Comes' October '99) garnered a raft of glowing reviews. Doves signed to Heavenly Recordings and consolidated with the eerie 'The Cedar Room' in March 2000.

Lost Souls, a debut LP released at the same time, was a genuine thing of beauty, wrought from hard bitten experience. Nobody could have planned for the attention it brought them. "Do we plan things? No!!" says Jimi. Since then they have toured and talked and toured some more. Unafraid of hard graft, they made time to record wherever and whenever. The Last Broacast (2002), a record which realises all expectations, is the unbelievably assured result. These are early days but, save a new LP from a miraculously resurrected Jimi Hendrix, we are talking about a record that clearly deserves early reservation in those end of year lists. "We hope people will hear more optimism in there than last time. We can only write about what happens and what has happened has been good so some of that is starting to shine through in the writing," says Andy.

Biography from Heavenly100 Website