Big Issue The last time Moqsha played outside their hometown of Bristol they fell foul of a gang of Mancunian thieves. "We were playing the Roadhouse up there," says Kit Mc Kenzie... "They stole all our cider. We had loads of natch in our van. The funny thing was the band who played before us were called Los Nachos."

MOQSHA

A bit too much of a coincidence if you ask me. Moqsha, in their present form, have been an active band for less then a year, but in the best pop traditions have been close for far longer. "We've all been mates for ages," points out Rich the drummer. "We're a gang really." Originally called Moqsha Sound Concepts and dabbling in nine minute experimental pieces, they shortened the name and decided to get serious. "We had a gig lined up and a month to prepare. So we had to write six amazing songs in a short space of time - and we did! When we did that we knew we were onto something." The name derives from the Sanskrit word for liberation - "It's about breaking out from the norm," says Kit. "We're trying to do something that hasn't been heard before." Moqsha's sound is a beautiful bleak wonder to behold - arty, but with enough of a song to hook in casual punters. And in frontwoman Vicky Harrington they have an indie ice maiden in waiting. Of course the lads guffaw at such hyperbole. "We don't see her as glamorous at all," laughs Kit. "We just see her as Vic. "We're not the sort of band who want to concentrate too much on having a focal point," his colleague argues. "She isn't really interested in doing interviews," (hence her absence), "she pute everything into the lyrics, so she doesn't feel the need to explain herself. As far as she is concerned it is all there in the music." So this lot are determinedly talking the Portishead route to carving out a mystique. It's hard to square these down-to-earth souls with the makers of slow-burning epics like 'At Night' and 'BS3'. "I'm not about to nitpick my personality," says Kit. "We're not morose people. It's just the way it comes out. You can't sit there and say 'alright lads, alright Vic! We're going to write a tortured, bleak epic." These chaps are fans of the likes of Joy Division, Mogwai and, in particular, Spiritualised so perhaps it's not that surprising they come out the way they do. The band make their festival debut next week at Ashton Court in Bristol which brings back some suitably happy memories for them. "We're so lucky to have something like that on our doorstep. But Spiritualised and Portishead a couple of years ago has to be the best. If they had advertised that it would have been absolutely rammed. As it was it was pretty packed." At present the members are still struggling with their day jobs. Bassist Cheyne works as a chef, whilst keyboard player Owen makes sandwiches and Kit is call centre fodder in an Insurance firm. "It's pretty bad there," he laments. "I just sit there and make music in my head all day. I can just sit there with my headset on and drift into states where I go out of it. All these old women will look at me and go (old dears voice) 'you're in your own world'. There are advantages to having a job you can switch off to." At present the group are with Sugar Shack Records, but the plan is to sign to a larger company. "We've had a few 17-year-old A & R men come round and see us," the guitarist says disparagingly. "I think though at the moment they prefer groups to be the finished package before they will touch them. "But I think that is good," he points out. "Five years ago any old shitty indie band could get signed. Now it is a case of the really good groups rising to the top." Which is good news for a group with a beautiful, bleak concept of their own. "We do have a vision but you can't describe it." Kit adds. "You can't compare it to anything else. But it's on the way". Hold on to your Natch. (Will Simpson)