They can't play gigs but Chesterfield musician's band hoping for record audience this weekend thanks to Radio 1

They may be stuck indoors with no gigs to play – but an aspiring Bolsover musician’s band are hoping for a major audience this week.
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Bolsover guitarist Nathan Keeble’s group, Children Of The State will have their first play Radio One this weekend on Huw Stephens' show on Sunday night, a programme which aims to highlight new talent.

Singer John McCullagh, from Rossington, Doncaster, believes the exposure will be a real boost for the group, made up of friends who met watching bands playing at Social, at Lazarus Court in Doncaster town centre, at a time when performing live to audiences on stage has been wiped out by the coronavirus isolation measures.

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John has already had a taste of fame – he appeared as a teenager on Look North when he was playing accoustic songs as a singer song-writer, after he was signed as a 15-year-old by Alan McGee, the Creation Records boss who discovered Oasis.

Children of the State could have their biggest audience this weekChildren of the State could have their biggest audience this week
Children of the State could have their biggest audience this week

Now aged 22, he is in a band with bass player Corey Clifton, from Armthorpe, drummer Conor O’Reilly, from Finningley, Harry Eland, from Town Fields, and Nathan, from Bolsover.

John said: “We’ve been playing as a band since 2018, but we’ve never been on Radio One before.

“We met through going to bars in Doncaster town centre, and found that we were like-minded people. We spent many a out night in Social, on Lazarus Court, when it had bands that were playing their own material.”

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John lived in Rossington until he was 10, before moving to Australia with his dad for four years. He returned as a 14-year-old, but says he is pleased he lost none of his Yorkshire accent.

Children of the State.Children of the State.
Children of the State.

Since they starting playing together, Children Of The State have played lots of shows in Doncaster, and John says they particularly enjoy playing the Hall Cross. At one stage, they were based in Sheffield, where their guitarist Nathan Keeble, from Bolsover, went to university, and have played high profile venues there inclucing The Leadmill.

He said: “We’re really good friends so it’s really good being in a band together. I’ve known Nathan since we were 17, having been introduced on the internet.”

But because they don’t live together, they are currently being affectly by the current social distancing measures caused by the coronavirus crisis.

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They are still working together by sharing bits of songs with one another. But performing, which is what makes them most of their money, is currently out of the question.

John McCullagh after he was spotted by Alan McGee aged 15John McCullagh after he was spotted by Alan McGee aged 15
John McCullagh after he was spotted by Alan McGee aged 15

“We can send each bits and parts of tunes, but it is hard in some ways. But I suppose that there is something positive for us in that in that people are sat inside so there’s no excuse for them not to listen to our music. We’re on Spotify and iTunes, as well as the radio, now.

“But we’re no different to anyone else, and it is what is is. All we can do is try to get better at our instruments and at writing while were stuck at home.

“You don’t really make much money selling records these days – it is all about gigs. But we all have support from our families, which is a safety net.”

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Last year they performed high profile shows including the Tramlines festival in Sheffield. They were due to play the main stage there this year. They were also booked to play Manchester’s YANA Festival, and Liverpool’s Circafest.

Of the record, the group has said: “Big Sur was born out of a lot of grey days on an industrial estate in Doncaster wanting to be at the beach. We were listening to a lot of Dick Dale and Beach Boys at the time and wanted to capture that 60s surf sound but bring it into 2020. but struggled to capture the vibe in Sheffield. We figured we’d get closer to the coast, so got in touch with Ian Skelly from The Coral, and spent a few days there creating it.”

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