THE Black Velvets, The Glitterati and Hurricane Party all report to Fibbers on Monday for the New School of Rock Tour.

The last time the Velvets played the York music bar, the swaggering northerners were on their own headline tour. This time, they are not sure who will be head of school.

"I think it's an evolving tour, and I don't really care what order we play in - as long as you get there early, you'll see three good bands," says Dave Dutton, the Velvets' bass player.

He has a school motto for the New School of Rock's spring intake. "We are here to have a good time, get wrecked and make people happy," he says.

The Black Velvets are enjoying their first taste of success: a number 34 chart placing for their single 03345, released last month by Vertigo Records, the home of Razorlight and 13 Senses. "To be in the Top 40, we were pretty pleased," Dave says. "The great thing was that we charted when there wasn't that much press about us but we did it on our own and I'm just proud that we've done it.

"The song title comes from Bar 03345, the bar above the studio in Liverpool where we do our demos, and we've been recording our album in the middle of Ireland at this place where all the pagan kings originated from. There's nothing newer than 200 years old there, and the nearest town was called Remote!

"It's the best place I've ever been to, three weeks in a bar, studio, swimming pool, Jacuzzi...spending too much time in the bar obviously."

The Velvets hope to bring out their debut album just before the summer festival season. "If people buy the singles it could come out sooner. Now we've caused some interest, the press will be more switched on," says Dave. "It's happening for us basically because we're a hard-working touring band who will tour and play as much as we can.

"We won't slack around. It's the best thing in the world, playing live. You don't join a band to work in a studio; you do it to share things with the audience, to feel great about yourself and to play the best you can all the time."

The Glitterati, Hurricane Party and The Black Velvets, Fibbers, York, Monday. Tickets: £7 advance, £8 door.

Updated: 16:03 Thursday, April 07, 2005