MISGUIDED Missiles have literally launched themselves onto the music scene. Sam Page, 21, on guitar and lead vocals, Andrew Budge, 27, on bass and vocals, Ciaran Wood, 22, on drums and vocals make up the band which hails from the North Herts area, treatin

MISGUIDED Missiles have literally launched themselves onto the music scene.

Sam Page, 21, on guitar and lead vocals, Andrew Budge, 27, on bass and vocals, Ciaran Wood, 22, on drums and vocals make up the band which hails from the North Herts area, treating Hitchin as their mutual hometown.

The new group, whose MySpace site says they sound like: "The tapping of your feet to the music, just after you've had a bullet to your knees", have been busy of late.

Andrew said: "Our first priority when we started was mainly to get some songs written and recorded so people could hear us.

"Now we've finished a demo that we're proud of, we're working really hard on getting the rest of our set together in time for our gigs.

"We've also been trying to get a bit of a following for when we start gigging.

And what do they have planned then?

Ciaran said: "We just want to write music that we enjoy making and listening to. We just want to see other people enjoy our stuff as much as we do."

Andrew said: "I think there are a few decent venues getting going now, like Club 85 and The Hertford Marquee, The Green Room in WGC and Luton seems to be on the up for live gigs too, so it's all good.

"There are also quite a few talented bands in this area and hopefully we can be one of those as well, given time."

And Sam added: "Getting signed is the hope, but not the plan."

The band, whose name was inspired by an article by Prof Richard Dawkins called 'Religion's Misguided Missiles', draw influences from a range of sources.

Andrew said: "Like most bands we've got a varied range of music that we're into.

"Sam likes Dr Dre and Public Enemy, Ciaran's into all the old school heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden and I'm into bands like The Cooper Temple Clause and The Bronx, but the main bands for us are definitely Biffy Clyro, Muse, Reuben, Queens Of The Stone Age and bands we grew up listening to like Radiohead, Soundgarden, Rage Against The Machine and Nirvana."

"And Jaffa Cakes!", according to Sam.

Andrew said: "I've wanted to start playing again since my old band, Beretta split up a couple of years ago.

"Sam also had his own idea of starting a band, so we just killed two birds with one stone. We both knew Ciaran and knew what he could do on a drum kit so it was an easy choice to make.

"I think with the big new wave scene that's popped up over the last few years, people are starting bands for all the wrong reasons.

"They read the NME and see the amount of bands out there and think they can just put on a trilby, smoke a fag and walk straight into a record deal.

"That's why half these lemmings don't get anywhere, they've got no substance."

And these lads know their music as they've been around the block a few times.

Sam added: "I think between the three of us, over the last 10 years we've been in 27 different bands!

"It gives you an advantage because you know what works and what doesn't. Things like taking your time over writing the songs and not just putting something out just for the sake of it."

Misguided Missiles have new songs Spin and Turn and Run Up on their MySpace site, www.mys pace.com/misguidedmissiles, and been putting in practice for their debut gig at The Marquee in Hertford this Saturday, April 21, alongside Vanilla Nightmare, Broken Mile and Silverblaze.