City-based band set for abusy time during the year

2011 is getting off to a busy start for Chichester-based classic rock band Icca’s Belle.

The band are hoping to get into the studio to record an album they are aiming to get out as soon as possible.

They have also entered the Surface Festival competition, an event which will see them play on Saturday, February 19 at 229 The Venue, 229 Great Portland Street, London.

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As a promotional event, they are playing The Chichester Inn, 38 West Street, Chichester, on Saturday, February 5.

Julian Osborne (rhythm guitar), of Sidlesham, explained: “It costs £2 on the door, but anybody who comes to this event and buys a ticket will get £2 off the price of the Surface Festival ticket.

“The Surface Festival is an international competition for new music. The festival is run over several events, and the competition is scored on a points-based system. It is possible to achieve points by selling tickets, achieving votes on the night and text votes. We have been assigned a text number. People texting votes should send: SOUTH 5007 to 64343. It costs £1 to send a text.

“We will be running a 50-seat coach from Chichester to London and back. The tickets are £15 per person. Email us at [email protected] or call 01243673413 and ask for Ed.”

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As for the album, they have got ten or 12 tracks ready to go: “We have got five tracks on the internet at the moment which we will re-record.”

Alongside Julian, the band features Edward Harden (lead vocals), James Huntington (lead guitar), Pete Barton (bass guitar), Nina Jane Allen (drums/percussion) and George Art Baker (synths/alto saxophone).

“We play rock really. We like the older sound, classic rock from the 60s and 70s, and we try to put a modern spin in it, but with the original sound with lots of guitar work and guitar solos.

“The Stones are a bit of an influence on us. There are lots a bands we like. We like Zeppelin and The Who, all sorts of bands, anything with that classic rock sound.

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“We have been gigging for about a year. In that time, I think we have made some quite good progress. We have been playing regularly around Chichester. We have played in Brighton and also a festival in Norfolk. We have done quite a few charity events as well. We did a gig for the Haiti earthquake victims, and we helped to raise money for a girl with cerebral palsy.”

As for the band’s name, it harks back to the legend of the Viking who stole the bell from Bosham Church, Julian explains.

“The Viking ship was sunk by the locals and the bell fell to the bottom of the harbour. The legend is that you can still hear the bell chiming at certain times.”

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