Scene Stealers

The four-piece formed in Birmingham in 1989 and the NME raved about them, with their second single Yesterday Today going Top 50.

Their local indie label sold out to Phonogram and the band found themselves in the Fontana stable. Things didn't work out, the debut album was recorded, rerecorded and finally rejected.

The Scene were left with no option but to sue the label to get out of their contract.

Bass player Damon Minchella believes that it was a combination of youth and determination - and a freedom from other responsibilities - that drove them on.

The band returned to the music arena stronger than ever, their breakthrough being a support slot for Paul Weller.

OCS so impressed Mr Weller that they were invited to guest on his album and became regular members of his live band.

Noel Gallagher and Chris Evans are among the band's other famous fans. Evans used their track The Riverboat Song as the theme for his TFI Friday show, giving them weekly airplay.

When Damon spoke to What's On, the Scene had just returned from touring with Paul. As for the Gallagher connection, Damon says: "Noel we see occasionally, just as a mate really."

They may have made some friends among the rock hierarchy, but the music press was not so flattering, dismissing their music as "dad rock".

It seems there's no love lost on either side. The press is still harsh towards them, despite the fact that the music scene today appears to have caught up with OCS's retro approach.

However, Damon explains that there are different degrees of perceived "cool" in the retro world.

"The Coral are not described as being retro, yet the Coral are far more retro than we've ever been.

"The Verve were described as retro and Oasis were more retro than us. It's just whether they see your retro as being cool or not.

"The day we get a good review from the NME we'll split up. We've always said that - they've never liked us.

"When we first started we were on the cover of the NME and called 'the best band since the Beatles'," he explains.

"Now it's an accepted standard that we are retro, uncool, old people."

Cool or not, they seem to have a magic touch when it comes to selecting up-and-coming bands to support their live shows.

It was OCS who gave Coldplay their big break. If you usually skip the support act to arrive for the main event, we'd advise you to reconsider in this instance.

"We were playing five nights at the Astoria in London," says Damon.

"Our agent wanted an up-and-coming band to play each night.

"We had Coldplay and Toploader among them and, of course, Coldplay made it superhuman large."

Southampton's very own Delays will be preceding OCS onto the stage at the Guildhall this weekend. Whether they make it "superhuman large" we'll have to wait and see - though all the signs are good.

Talking about the Scene's new album North Atlantic Drift, released in the summer, Damon says: "It's the best one we've done since Moseley Shoals, definitely.

"It's a very natural approach and we based it on how we perform live, with a harder edge."

The title conveys a harder edge too, taking a swipe at the situation in Iraq.

"It's basically about how the Western world is trying to take over."

An edge is guaranteed at the Guildhall on Sunday, with OCS promising "some great new tunes" and favourites from their last decade and a half in the business.

Retro is very now. Whether you think the Scene are cool or not, there's no denying they've got their finger on the pulse.

Ocean Colour Scene are at Southampton Guildhall on Sunday, with support from the Delays. Performance: 7.30pm. Tickets: £18.50. Box office: 023 8063 2601.