Band aiming to hit the big time

9:16pm Saturday 20th October 2007

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A YORK band will come a step closer to hitting the big time when they appear on national TV tomorrow.

Hijak Oscar have made it through to the televised search for the next big thing in British music.

Hosted by T4 favourite Alex Zane, the show's goal is to unearth real music talent - bands that write and perform their own original music.

The electronic indie outfit will feature in this week's episode of Channel 4's mobileAct unsigned' at 12.35pm tomorrow, and are one of just 50 to make it through to the filmed auditions after more than 1,700 unsigned acts submitted their own tracks and photos online.

Bass player Mark Meilack, 36, who also works in the finance department at York Hospital, said: "It's really exciting. The most important thing for us from this is the exposure that we could never get from anywhere else. Getting a recording contract is secondary for us. We want to really widen our fan base."

He said the band formed at the end of 2005 and played their first gig at City Screen's Basement Bar.

"We've been gigging all over the country ever since," added Mark. His fellow band members are lead vocalists Tig Fox, 25, and Emma Keavney-Roys, 23, Carl Hetherington, 28, on keyboards and backing vocals, and Dave Hartley, 27, on drums.

They will perform one song in their live audition at the Leadmill in Sheffield, in a bid to impress a judging panel including Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley, Blur bassist and songwriter Alex James and Simon Gavin, head of A&M Records, part of Polydor Records.

Each week the judges select and reject bands before viewers get to decide the final winner. The bands will receive master classes from their idols and learn all about what it takes to make it as stars. They will battle it out to win places in the live final.

* T4's mobileAct unsigned, 12.35pm Sundays on Channel 4, in association with Sony Ericsson and Orange.