AN OLD demo tape posted to a record company on the off-chance has clinched a management and record deal for East Lancashire band Missed Her Bliss.

The four-piece, who come from the Ribble Valley and Hyndburn, recently travelled down to Gloucestershire to sign a management and record contract with Gloucester-based Holier Than Thou Records.

Singer and guitarist Matt Richardson, of Great Harwood, said: "We sent a tape off to a number of record companies.

"Although we have been working on a new demo, this was a tape we recorded about a year ago."

The band, whose influences include The Cure, The Velvet Underground and Placebo, had previously generated record label interest but without success.

The group, consisting of Chatburn drummer Scott Turner, 20, bass player Rob Yates, 19, from Read, recently recruited cellist Katie Chatburn, 18, from Langho to embellish their sound.

Matt said: "This is a label and management deal. We're happy because we can do record releases through the label if we want to, but we are not tied down to anything."

The group have pencilled in a song called Predicament, written last year, as a possible single release.

The four-piece have signed a two-year deal although Matt is pleased there is a get-out clause in the agreement.

Under the agreement, the management company take a fee while the band get to keep any proceeds from their gigs and records. The company will arrange gigs for the band, who already have a show lined up at Manchester Roadhouse in late April.

Win Burnley Blues Festival tickets

PULSE has teamed up with the organisers of the Burnley Blues Festival to give away tickets for the event that paints the town blue.

This year's festival is set to be another great, with performers including seasoned harmonica player James Cotton and young British swing band Big Town Playboys.

The four-day extravaganza takes place between Friday, April 2 and Monday, April 5 at Burnley Mechanics.

The host of events which are part of the festival include a blues art exhibition, a film festival, an acoustic stage and a wide variety of fringe events.

For the next four weeks we will be running a series of competitions giving you the chance to win tickets for each night of the event.

For your chance to win one of two pairs of tickets for the Friday night, tell us which of these statements is correct.

The Burnley Blues Festival is in its a) first b) fifth c) eleventh year.

Answers on a postcard to Pulse, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 16 Edgar Street, Accrington, BB5 1PT, or drop entries into your local Telegraph office. Usual Pulse competition rules apply.

Eight acts join together

'MVIROMENT' will be the name used by eight bands who are working together over the next twelve months in the Burnley and Pendle area.

The project was the the brainchild of close friends Bruce Thomas and Damien Manville, who aim to kick start the static music scene in the area.

The acts involved are madcap popsters The Rubbish, Zoe Manville, Necessary Elvis, Walter Mitty's Head, Gecho, Sage, John Turner and Uncowboy.

Under the umbrella of the name the collective plan to gig together, produce a compilation CD and put on a mini festival event later in the year.

Chaplin's silent - music venue safety work

A POPULAR live music venue in Burnley has been told its public entertainment licence will not be renewed until a large amount of safety and other work is carried out.

The entertainment licence for Chaplin's Bar and the attached Arena nightclub in Red Lion Street expires on March 1, Burnley's licensing sub-committee heard.

The venues are allowed to stay open but cannot hold music or dancing events without the appropriate licence.

Mark Dieter Ruge, owner of both venues, told the committee £94,000 had already been spent on refurbishment and further works costing more than £20,000 still needed to be done.

Mr Ruge told the committee Chaplin's Bar was currently in use but that the Arena Nightclub which was run as a separate business was closed for the time being.

Mr Ruge was told the licence, will allow opening until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays,would be granted when the work had been carried out and inspected. The works are expected to take a few weeks.

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