* * * * * * * * * * * * * The Band

* * * * * * * * * * * * * The Past

The Radish story starts in Greenville, Texas in 1993 when lead singer Ben Kweller was just 11 years old. Ben and his mates Ryan Green ( Radish’s original bassist) and John Kent started jamming together for fun. Ben ‘At school we were considered the greasy haired kids in a Rock’n’Roll band that was going nowhere.......there was no way the cool kids would hang out with us........but we had our band , so we were happy.’ After a couple of years playing in halls in and around Greenville, they put some songs out on an album called ‘Dizzy’. Although only 5’000 copies were made they all sold and Radish became known. Bryan Blur was then recruited after Ryan Green left the band. After a lot of business types and celebrities ( including Madonna and Courtney Love), began taking an interest, Radish finally signed to Mercury Records last June. So far 1 single ‘Little Pink Stars’ has been released off the album ‘Restraining Bolt’.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * The Music

Radish produce fresh, simple, pop songs mingled in with loud, brash guitars, which basically rock. they have been called the new Nirvana many times, much to Bryan’s annoyance, " We don’t want to be the next Radish, we want to be the first Radish." They’ve been compared to everyone from Weezer to The Cure, but their unique songs mean they have no category or label but there own, Sugar Metal. Ben: " We wanted to create our own tag so that we couldn’t get labelled.......Sugar Metal, it’s got loud guitars over simple pop songs, that’s our Beatles side were not afraid to sing in falsetteos once in a while, were not afraid to be happy.......It’s like a razor blade inside a candy" Their influences of Sonic Youth, Pavement, The Beatles and the Beach Boys and lines like ‘School’s not working today, failing in every way,’ (Failing and Leaving) and ‘ You said you’d call, but I fall into you,’ ( My Guitar), means that us ( the ‘Yoof’ of today) can totally relate to what they’re on about.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * The Madonna Meeting

As an attempt to lure Radish to her Maverick label, Madonna invited the band around for dinner...... Ben ‘That was just so Hollywood, you know, we just wanted to meet Madonna.’

* * * * * * * * * * * * * The Courtney Connection

Ben received a phone call from the Queen of Grunge saying how much she liked them..... Ben ‘ She called d said you know my drummer has one of your early tapes, and I really like it, she was really nice and I’m a fan of hers.’

* * * * * * * * * * * * * The Skate Boarding

Ben on skating: ‘We’re posers, but it’s OK because we have some tricks of our own.’ Bryan: ‘I did a lot when I was at collage, my knees are all scarred up though!’

* * * * * * * * * * * * *