THE CHECKS The road from the squeaky-clean world of the Barbershop quartet to the gravel-throated, primal howl of the blues is perhaps one less travelled, but it’s what’s led scarily-young Auckland, New Zealand five-piece THE CHECKS to the precipice of success in 2007.

Since forming at the grand age of fifteen (they all hover between nineteen and twenty now), the band have had a meteoric rise in their native New Zealand, their bluesy, age-defying garage rock racket winning them fans as illustrious as REM’s Michael Stipe and bagging them a 2005 New Zealand Music Award after just one 7 inch single release.

When NME editor Conor McNicholas, on holiday in Auckland, spotted a venue queue snaking round the block for a band he’d never heard of he decided to see what all the fuss was about. Suitably wowed by the band’s now-legendary live show, he offered The Checks a spot on the 2005 NME New Music tour, giving them the chance they craved… to have their music heard outside their native land.

Having relocated to the UK, The Checks started to write their debut album ‘Hunting Whales’ which, with much anticipation, will see release next month.

With accolades following them wherever they go the sky is now the limit for The Checks; still frightfully young and already one of the hottest live bands around you’d better be sure to watch the crowd erupt like a volcano as The Checks check in to HOMEBAKE to deliver a set of swirling, swampin-blues and rock!