BBC Introducing... Retroscopic

"We are hoping the new CD release will get us noticed more around the UK"

Who are Retroscopic?

Retroscopic consist of Mark Pickering, Greg Merrison, Matt Pearson, Jack Kyte and Matt Wharton

Where are you based?

We are mainly based in Ashby de la Zouch and Coalville

How was the band formed?

A few of us were in a band before Retroscopic but we didn't write our own music, just played cover songs. So we decided to start writing music.

We soon recruited second guitarist Jack and after going through three different singers we finally introduced Mark into the band after his band Minus Sam split.

What inspires you to make music?

The hope of one day is being able to do it as job.

What do you do when you're not making music?

One day the band hope to play music as a full time job

Well apart from all of us working its mostly spent with one half of us playing football and the other half being at the pub.

What do you make of the music scene in Leicestershire and Rutland?

We're lucky to have the venues we do around the area, however the scene in general isn't as good as it could be.

If more people got out to see more bands and make Leicester a thriving scene, more and more known bands will travel to Leicester.

Who are your favourite local bands at the moment and why?

Not too sure what local bands are about at the moment. Freefallfelix were good, catchy songs. Need to listen to more local bands!

Where have you toured? Do you have any singles or albums out?

We've managed to get around quite a bit which is awesome, have done small tours but nothing big as of yet.

We shall be playing shows from the end of this year onwards.

We have got a CD out at the moment but we have a new CD ready to be released that we recorded with John Mitchell who has worked with the likes of Enter Shikari, You me at six, Architects and many more of the UK's best up coming bands.

Best gig so far?

We've had some awesome opportunities playing with some of the UK's best bands such as Flood Of Red and Attack! Attack!, but we played at the Kasbah in Coventry not long ago with Attack! Attack! and despite it being in the worst area ever it was the nicest venue with good sound.

And worse?

"We've had some awesome opportunities"

We've played a few bad shows usually ones which are never even promoted by the promoter.

But the worst has to be when we played in Hinckley in the back room of a bar where it was colder in there then it was outside; you could see your breath cold!

Anyway, we played two songs, drums broke, bass amp broke. Wasn't good at all.

If you could change one thing about Leicestershire what would it be?

We'd have an o2 academy

What's the best line you've ever written?

Not really a line, but the whole chorus to our song 'Jacks Song' seems to be catchy.

Will more people like you in three years?

Yer definitely, we are hoping that the CD that we are about to release will get us noticed more around the UK, so fingers crossed!

Who's your biggest fan?

Probably some of our friends who have been there from the start of Retroscopic and supported us all the way up to now.