Date of issue: 15th July 2003

Accountants Support Band Heading for the Top 10

An up and coming rock/metal band is on course for the top of the charts thanks to support from a local firm of chartered accountants, which specialises in advising people who work in the fields of entertainment and motorsport.

Chartered accountants Clement Keys, Birmingham is providing business support to four-piece group The Darkness, which is currently achieving notable success with the hit single Growing On Me.

Formed in 2000, The Darkness recently secured a major breakthrough by signing a worldwide albums deal with the East West Records label. This move brings to an end three and a half years during which the group played London's pub circuit and issued the occasional single via independent labels.

The Darkness have risen to prominence following a UK tour supporting Def Leppard, a sell-out gig at London's Astoria Theatre and a critically acclaimed Radio One session. The band is also starting to generate interest in the USA, where it played one of the most talked about performances of the SXSW event in Austin, Texas.

Michael Meakin, the partner who heads the specialist team at Clement Keys, Birmingham, takes care of financial planning, taxation compliance and auditing for all four members of
the group, who hail from Lowestoft,

He said: "The Darkness are talented individuals who, after a prolonged period of being unsigned by a major record label have more than paid their dues to the music industry. I am delighted that they are now on course for major success

"Our aim is to take care of financial issues so that The Darkness are free to devote their energies to their music and make their name in what can be a notoriously fickle business," added Michael.

Having opened this year's Glastonbury Festival, The Darkness have just released their debut album, Permission to Land, which has been so well received that it went straight to number 2 in the album chart for the week commencing 13 July 2003. A further two singles are planned in the autumn including a re-release of the anthem I Believe In A Thing Called Love.