Melodic rock band FM’s singer Steve Overland talks about touring new album

Since reforming in 2007, rock band FM has gone from strength to strength and the vibe in the band has never been better.

Singer Steve Overland, who was a prime mover in getting the band back together after 12 years apart, is happy to confirm that fact ahead of the band’s headline tour of the UK.

“It was great the first time around,” he says.

“But this time we know what we’re doing more and we are more in control of our own destiny.”

Smiling, he adds: “Everything, our feelings and the feedback from the fans, is so positive. The band is very enthusiastic and we are enjoying having another crack.”

The band formed in 1985 with two ex-Saxon members – bassist Merv Goldsworthy and drummer Pete Jupp –and singer/guitarist Steve Overland, who are still in the band today.

Original band members Chris Overland and Philip Manchester have been replaced by Jim Kirkpatrick and Jem Davis.

They toured with the best of them: Quo, Bon Jovi etc etc, and unleashed some great albums such as ‘Tough It Out’, ‘Aphrodisiac’ and ‘Indiscreet’.

A ‘one-off’ appearance by the reformed band at Firefest IV in Nottingham confirmed to Steve that the band should reform on a permanent basis and they haven’t looked back since.

Their brand of melodic rock has proved such a hit with fans that they released their fourth album since the reformation – following the success of ‘Rockville’, ‘Rockville II’ and ‘Futurama’ – just ahead of the tour.

The new album, entitled ‘Heroes and Villains’, is their best yet with all the trademark FM qualities of great melodies, power riffs and rock anthems.

It was created over a long period of time. “It’s funny really how we record,” explains Steve. “We tend to write the songs when we’re on tour, then we go in the studios in blocks of three to four days, so it takes a while to record in that way – the album took about a year overall.

“We try and do the best album we possibly can and we’re already working on the next one.”

FM undertook a small UK tour last year. . “As we’d done the big cities early in the year when we toured with Foreigner and Europe, we decided to do smaller provincial places,” says Steve.

“Most were sold out and we all had a fantastic time.”

So can we expect the new album to feature in the set-list on the current tour which visits Manchester’s Academy on Saturday, May 9?

“Well, ‘Digging Up The Dirt’ is a great live track so that will feature as well as at least two or three other tracks from it. It’s tough to pick out a set-list, the more albums we make the more we have to leave out.”

“However, we like to play the new stuff as it’s the next chapter so to speak.

“We’ve been rehearsing and we’ll switch the set around to see what works the best. It changes all the time. In fact it’s changed twice in three days!”