Soap stars could be masked for gig

The band’s celebrity fans already included Mark E Smith, iconic lead singer with Manchester indie legends The Fall.

Now it appears that Dominic Brunt and Jeff Hordley, better known to fans of ITV soap opera Emmerdale as Paddy Kirk and Cain Dingle, are also fans.

Mark Whiteside, the singer and drummer in the band, said: “When we played Brudenell Social Club in Leeds as support to The Fall, Dominic and Jeff were in the audience.

“After the show we got talking to them and they said that they were blown away by the band. They had come to see The Fall but said they really loved our set.

“They asked when we play back in Leeds, could they come and guest with us.

“The band has four bass players, no guitar, and both of them play bass, so told us they really wanted to get into the act … and wear masks like we do!

“Since then we have been in touch with Dominic, who has said he’s been playing the promo we sent him of our forthcoming debut album in the Emmerdale dressing room – telling people to check us out. He also offered to make a video for us if it can be sorted, which would be good as he’s a film-maker, and makes horror movies. At the moment we haven’t played back there, but are looking to get them involved once we do.”

In a further screen link, the band will provide their own soundtrack to a free Cinema Around the Corner initiative at The Harris Flights on Preston Flag Market on Friday.

On Friday the 13th, the horror flick of the same name will be screened on a giant screen at the city centre location, after a 30-minute set by Evil Blizzard accompanying a short silent horror film.

The event starts at 7.15pm with classic Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon comedy Some Like it Hot, Evil Blizzard then doing a 30-minute slot from 9.50pm, before Friday the 13th is screened at 10.25pm.

The band are renowned for their alarming stage look, a brand of heavy, and psychedelic music jarring with a theatrical pink boilersuit and Hallowe’en be-masked image.

Evil Blizzard were also courted by John Robb, the music journalist and founder member of late-1970s Blackpool punk band The Membranes, the debut LP set to be released on his Louder Than War record label.

And the indie celeb links don’t stop there either, with Mark adding: “Another person who really likes the band is Dibs, bass player with Hawkwind.

“He regularly chats to us and has been spotted wearing our T-shirt on tour with Hawkwind. He would love us to play with them, although this hasn’t been sorted yet.

“Then there’s Buzz, who was with legendary indie band Southern Death Cult, singing our praises and passing our music on to Ian Astbury.”