Musically, it feels like Tim Storer's been a part of Chesterfield's landcape longer than the Crooked Spire itself.

With Prozac, Lukas, The Chaos Project and solo outings, as well as helping to launch unplugged and then band nights at venues across the town, he's paid his dues – and mine – and probably yours too.

But having gone round the local block more times than a one-legged hooker, he's saying farewell to Derbyshire to start a new life Darn Sarf.

However, his leaving present is not one, but two, albums — issued by very different outfits.

First up is the final recording by former DT band of the year winners Lukas, Cloud 9 — an album that looked unlikely to ever see the light of day after the band came apart at the seams like a Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction.

Ironically, Tim thinks the Lukas album that will end up being the band's epitaph is the best they ever recorded.

"I don't know if you'd call it coincidence, but the album is riddled with little ironies," he said. "Lyrics like 'Oh to have it all and throw it all away'.

"Then there's a song, 8 Clouds, about how you can never reach Cloud 9 and complete happiness."

The break-up of the band, which Tim says left him 'gutted', was the obvious low point of his musical career.

"But I've no regrets, life goes on," he added.

By contrast, the high-points of his time on the scene included the days Lukas spent together and on the road - as well as the double-edged sword of finally winning the Derbyshire Times band of the year contest.

"Winning it was the kiss of death – but we last a bit longer than some of the bands that have won it!" joked Tim

"It was fantastic to win – but it also a relief after entering so many times over the years."

He added that Cloud 9 would be a limited-edition release, aimed at giving the record the life it deserved — and to recoup some of its recording costs.

The lengthy - and expensive - process of cutting the Lukas CD stands in stark contrast to the method of recording Tim's other album with the Chaos Project.

The Projekt began as an arts collective that evolved into a band and will remain as a place for poetry, art and drama after the band's (and Tim's) farewell gig at Stainsby's folk fest, which runs from July 18 to 20.

"The Lukas album took two years and several grand — theChaos Project we did in a couple of live sessions and a couple of vocal sessions — but I think both are equally good in their own ways."

He admitted that the Chaos Poject record was more varied in style and mood, the vehicle to give wings to songs that didn't fit into the Lukas repertoire.

"The Chaos Project record is more eclectic," he said. "The influences are from all over the place; there's rock, operatic bits, quieter songs, weird stuff!"

Tim admitted he's been into music nearly all his life, but said of all the things he's done, he'd most enjoyed just being in a band.

"The time we spent in together in Lukas was great. We used to go out on tour in this old brown van and the times in the van were as good as the gigs."

PHILFY PHIL

To order copies of either the Lukas or Chaos Project album, email tim@thechaosproject.co.uk or call 0794 0731 856