St Albans band The Cautionaries scratching the surface

AN UP-AND-COMING indie band from St Albans has been voted one of the top unsigned acts in the country. The Cautionaries – comprising singer Ricky Manning, guitarists Richard Blagove and Wayne Duncan, drummer Lee Irons and bassist Chris Wing – have secured

AN UP-AND-COMING indie band from St Albans has been voted one of the top unsigned acts in the country.

The Cautionaries - comprising singer Ricky Manning, guitarists Richard Blagove and Wayne Duncan, drummer Lee Irons and bassist Chris Wing - have secured enough public votes to put them in fourth place out of over 20,000 entries in the Surface Unsigned Festival.

The Cautionaries, who played at the St Albans Music in the Parks festival last year, came first in the opening heat of the music competition earlier this month in London and the five-piece group are now busy practicing for the second round of the festival in May.

Lead singer Ricky, 29, who lives in Mount Pleasant, St Albans, said that they were determined to win the whole competition: "The winner lands a major promotional deal and, although there are literally thousands of bands and soloists who enter Surface Unsigned, we are completely fired up to win it."

He added: "We have worked really hard to get people to come to our gigs and we like to look after our fans by putting on as many free gigs as we can. Maybe that is why we have got a lot of public votes! This is our dream and we are asking everyone who likes our music to support the band by voting for us."

The Cautionaries, who are inspired by "everyone from The Beatles to Beyonc�", are hoping to hold on to their top ten position and to help them stay ahead, register your vote by texting 'SOUTH 5030' to 64343.

For more information about The Cautionaries, check out their myspace page at www.myspace.com/thecautionaries