Would you be able to scrap all your work and start again?

It’s a question most musicians would be unable to answer in a positive manner as their ‘back catalogue’ is their family tree.

But for Broken Links their past is being “completely wiped from all existence” and remade in their current image as their front man Mark Lawrence explains:

“We decided to make an album of our best stuff to date, all re-recorded, re-arranged, and produced.”

The band have always released a few songs on EPs but as Mark pointed out: “the production of our 1st EP was poor, and our sound and song-writing has evolved over the course of our other previous EP’s.”

This slash and burn approach is admirable because most bands rarely admit they didn’t get it totally right.

But with the experiences of previous recording sessions under their belt, Broken Links have been able to enter the studio knowing exactly what they wanted and who was needed to achieve it.

Which is why they have picked producer Chris Coulter who is also working with acts like Arcane Roots, Subsource, Trails and Romans.

And used the Ranch Production House in Southampton.

Due out in May/June 2012 the album will actually be finished today and we’ll be playing tracks exclusively in Saturday night’s show (South by Southampton on 103.9 Voice FM) – which is exactly what radio should be – fresh and exciting.

Titled “Disasters: Ways to Leave a Scene” it should fully encapsulate the past three years of Broken Links’ excellent electro metal.

“That’s the last competition!” says Mark Lawrence, front man of the Southampton alternative rock trio Broken Links.

The prize was an all-expenses festival gig in Canada, and although they made the London final thanks to their loyal fans voting online, they didn’t have much chance of winning as Mark explains: “it’s down to a popularity contest in the city the final is held in. They’re always decided on audience votes and everything was stacked against us.”

But Broken Links crashed in style “we just went up there, rocked it out and went a bit nuts on stage.”

Unfortunately this week brought more disappointing news with the cancellation of three gigs: two due to “riot revellers” and one to the recession.

However the good news is that Mark did have a rather nasty accident involving a tray.

Thankfully it was all due to make-up and special effects: he’s a lead zombie in “Resurrection” the new indie horror film from Hampshire based Charmed Apocalypse.

Rather than spoil the action we’ll leave the gruesome details to the cinema but Mark is a good friend of Jake Hawkins, one of the directors, and can’t praise them enough:

“I know how much effort and passion he and Andy [Phelps] have put into it from the very start. It’s a huge achievement and they’ve got a great team pulling this movie together.”

So it might be death to competitions for Broken Links this week but with a new album and promo video coming out soon, things don’t look too grave.

This week in Guava Bar (formerly Hamptons) saw the launch of the debut 5 track EP by Southampton four-piece The Lost Boys.

Laced with their tongue-in-check humour ‘Not ‘arf! It’s The Lost Boys’ serves up a classic indie cocktail that should warm the cockles of most Britpop hearts.

We’ll be playing their track ‘Flowers’ in my next Playdio show on Spotify as it is the moment when The Lost Boys gets serious about their music and deliver a song you immediately want to spin again.

That tune should put them in good stead when they support Dodgy next Friday at The Brook, who themselves have written a couple of classic songs that will live forever in the pop songbook.

Another act doing well is Eastleigh’s ‘Broken Links’ who are playing The Railway, Winchester this Saturday.

They’ve just returned from gigging in Italy and according to front man Mark Lawrence it was: “amazing, hopefully we’ll be heading back there soon”.

Every band I know should be playing in Europe – they are crying out for more British music!

Following that Broken Links shot a new video for ‘We’re All Paranoid’ in Bristol which you’ll find on their latest EP ‘Prototypes::Cause+Effect’ – 24 minutes of very well crafted electro indie rock.

Tonight you can catch ‘Long Shore Drift’ who are hosting a Super Colossal Sounding Alternative Rock Night at Guava Bar while launching their EP.

Featuring ‘Blue Screen of Death’ and the eclectic duo ‘Science of Eight Limbs’ whose drummer Mykkl recently toured with Birdpen in Europe: “Allons-y everybody!”

First published in the Daily Echo on 17th June 2011

This week in Southampton three bands released new material that does this area proud.

Dlugokecki, The Rebs and Broken Links have all recorded quality songs that deserve being heard by a wider audience.

But the frustration they all share is that local and regional daytime radio will ignore their music.

It’s true that BBC Radio Solent, Wave 105 and Play Radio have slots giving local musicians air time but you’ll find these at safe moments in the schedule where people have to make an effort to listen.

During the day, however, you’ll hear new music from the rest of the country promoted as fresh and exciting.

In fact the easiest way to spread the look of horror across radio faces would be to suggest that Dlugokecki, The Rebs or even Broken Links should be scheduled into the daily playlist.

Radio’s reluctance is based on fear: fear that the listener will switch stations when they hear something unfamiliar.

This is why most radio stations sound like audio museums.

They celebrate the 80’s as if it’s a recently discovered trend and their ever narrowing taste in music is making many parents’ record collection seem hip and trendy.

But tell a radio station’s news team they can’t report ‘local’ stories, or their sales team to avoid ‘local’ businesses, or that local callers can’t be put on air and there would be wide spread hilarity over your inept attitude towards broadcasting.

Does it matter? Well ask the Liberal Democrats if a little extra airtime helps.