A HOT band fresh out of Swindon are about to release their first single. Without Me will be British Beef's debut single, hitting the shops on July 4. And bass player Gaz Brookfield, from Stratton, is ecstatic that the pop-punk band could soon be enjoying the limelight.

The quartet has a similar sound to American group Green Day and are hoping for the same chart-topping success.

Three of the members Gaz, 25, Felix Milburne-Foster, 21, and Jam Lindsey, 22 are all from Swindon while Pat Smith, 23, is from London.

Jam and Gaz are both former Kingsdown School pupils.

They clinched a six-album deal with Sony BMG in November and since then have been working hard to get their music out there.

Gaz said: "I am so excited about the single. It's already been played on London's XFM and I can't wait for it to be in the shops.

"Each step is so exciting for us and we're going to keep on going, bit by bit, until we get there."

Even though the boys have moved to London, they have not forgotten their roots.

Gaz said: "We used to play Area 51 in Stratton and we're coming back on June 16.

"It's such a great gig. It's always a pleasure to play because everyone there really appreciates real music. It's a nice homecoming."

The current band line-up has been together for 18 months.

They decided for them to be in with a chance of making it big they had to move to London.

Gaz said: "We just felt that we had to come up to London to get on the scene."

So far the boys have played the Islington Carling Academy and have supported Pete Doherty's band, Babyshambles, The Mooney Suzuki and Good Charlotte.

"Good Charlotte was such a great gig. It was phenomenal, there were a couple of thousand people there going nuts for us", said Gaz.

"We gig once or twice a week and are rehearsing and writing songs the rest of the time.

"It's a hard slog but so much fun."

The band writes their own material.

Gaz said: "It's really important for us to write our own songs. We do chuck a cover in for fun but we are not going to ram that manufactured rubbish down people's throats."

According to Gaz, the best thing about being in a band is the freedom it gives you.

He said: "Before I was in the band I had been doing every job under the sun in Swindon, from bar work to delivery driving.

"Now I am doing what I love and it's great.

"The best thing is that we have complete control over our lives."

But Gaz is not taking anything for granted.

He said: "I'll know I've made it when I can buy more than cheap cider and pasta."

'It's great for Swindon to have a top band'

WHILE they say anyone can appreciate their music, British Beef are targeting 15 to 18-year-olds.

We asked two Kingsdown School pupils, Virginia Silberberg, 16, and Sandy Gill, 15, both from Stratton, to listen to the band's first single, Without Me.

Here's what they thought...

"We don't usually listen to this kind of music but we were surprised. If it came on the radio or TV we would definitely listen to it.

"The track starts with a lot of heavy drumming and has loads of energy.

"They use a lot of English words like 'darling', which is good because it makes them stand out from other American bands, like Green Day, that usually do this kind of music.

"We thought their sound was similar to Green Day or Blink 182.

"It's really good that they are a local band and sound so professional.

"It's great for Swindon to have a top band.

"We think they'll be successful, they do sound quite original. Most pop-punk bands are American so it's good they are English.

"When they were in Swindon they used to play Area 51 and when they come back we'll probably go and see them. Everyone who has seen them there already says they're really good live."

Lyndsay Scanlan