Inter

(c’95-’01) Michael Boylan (bass / vocals), Steven Bray (vocals / guitar / keyboard) and Johnny Gill (drums), and Sid Stovold (guitar).

Boylan, Bray and Gill formed Farnborough’s Inter in late ’95 (just scrapping into the Soundscene timeframe) with ex-Who Moved The Ground? guitarist / vocalist Stovold joining around February ’96. They had already secured and played a number of local gigs, such as The White Hart, Frimley, when they self-released the demo cassette EP “Product” in ’96 carrying ‘Cherry Red, Electric Blue’, Sticks and Stones’, ‘Boss Grasshopper’, and ‘You Lose’. These were all recorded at Monster Studios, Leatherhead on the 30th and 31st March ’96

Now described in Melody Maker as ‘kings of the catchy cheesy chorus’ Inter had their debut London gig at the Bull & Gate, Kentish Town on 14 August ’96. Later that month the band were at the Civic Hall, Guildford, on 30 August, supporting Let Loose – just before the release of their “Rollercoaster” LP that peaked at number 42. Over the following year extensive gigging, including appearances at Interspace at The Bull & Gate supporting Kissing Katy along with Realise, and Farnham ’96, resulted in several more rave reviews in the national music press. In November ’96 Gary Crowley interviewed Inter at The Academy, Brunel University, Uxbridge, prior to their appearance, with five other bands, at the finale of The Academy’s national band competition, titled the Art of Noise. at which they performed ‘Radio Finland’ amongst other tracks.

Their “Cherry Red, Electric Blue” track was released on Fierce Panda’s Screecher Comforts EP [NING 24], having featured on Snakebite City Five with “You Lose” and headlining NME’s 1997 Brats Unsigned. They also featured on a Spanish cinema advertising campaign for Casio. In Oct ’96 the band recorded their “Happy Ending” debut single at Monster Studios, which was released on the Pet Sounds label [pet003cds] in ’97, having been mastered at Abbey Road.

On 25 May ’97 the band record “Radio Finland”, “Cherry Red Electric Blue”, “Think Big” and “Jimmy” at Maida Vale 4 for their first Peel Session for BBC Radio 1, on which John Peel reportedly described “Happy Ending” as ‘the best pop song in the last 30 years’. The band also secured an appearance at the Manchester Radio 1 roadshow, held in Albert Square, Manchester. Earlier that month they shared the Civic Hall, Guildford stage with Supermodel, Jolt and Redwood for a Splatch night. Inter’s “Boss Grasshopper” also appeared on ‘The Best Of Splatch!’ CD compilation, released that year, on the Mother Stoat Recording Co. label [STOAT 006]. In late ’97 the ‘cheeky, young whippersnappers’ of a band got into a spot of bother with Rushmoor Council for fly-posted stickers on street furniture; which the band’s manager, Pete Cole, put down to ‘over enthusiastic fans’. They continued to gig locally throughout ’97; including The Cricketers, Westfield; The Maltings, Farnham; the Civic Hall, Guildford; and Gym Sports Bar, Fleet on 10 April ’97:

Inter signed to independent Yoshiko Records in ’98 and and by year’s end they were in Loco Studios, South Wales to recording tracks for their first LP: “Got My Nine”, all while continuing to gig; including Splatch at the H.G. Wells Suite, Woking with Floor, Freekspert and The Samurai Seven. Early in ’99, their first single from the Loco Studios sessions, “National Paranoia” [YR-002-CDS001] was released, reaching #10 in the NME Indie Top 30 singles chart. This had been produced and mixed by Mark Wallis, who had mixed among others Travis, U2, Go-Betweens, The Primitives, Michael Hutchence, Wet Wet Wet, The Smiths, and Joan Armatrading. Also in early ’99 “Happy Ending” was chosen as part of Radio 1’s Peelennium series to represent 1997 along with Clinic, Helen Love and The Delgados; then on 29 Sept ’99 the band recorded their second Peel session with “Speed Racer”, “Something Criminal”, “Shan’t Quit Ripping” and “Not Curious” forming the set.

Record company issues delayed the singles “Radio Finland” and “Speed Racer”, and the debut and only album “Got My Nine” until 2000; with “Got My Nine” selling over 7000 copies in the first week of release and Peel describing the LP as ‘excellent’ and ‘a real favorite at Peel Acres’. As with many indie labels Yoshiko was suffering and the band was dropped in mid-2000. Inter called time in 2001, but not before supporting Stiff Little Fingers at the Forum in London.

In 2005 they reformed to play a benefit show for the British Heart Foundation in honor of band friend and roadie, Richard Hazell, who had recently died. In 2009, the band members were once again asked to play, this time for the August wedding of their one-time manager Cole. The four duly agreed and performed a brief set at the West End Centre, Aldershot.

Video:

Tracks:

Gallery: