During Summer 1996, Alan McGee vowed to stop signing bands for forseeable future. Then the impresario and infamous chancer, Des Penny, played Alan a clutch of home demos by a band that he taken under his fly-by-night wing. The band was ARNOLD.

Suitably impressed, McGee offered them 1000 pounds to do some studio recordings and has since admitted that he thought Des would use money to finance a nice little holiday in Ibiza - he was right. By chance, some of the cash found its way back to the band, who rented a medieval barn in Kent for 12 days. They installed their home recording equipment and a portable cooker (if you listen you can hear the bacon sizzling), and had the times of their lives recording songs and alarming the local horses. McGee was so blown away by the quality of the new demos - the best he's ever received he broke his promise, and signed the band on the spot. This made ARNOLD very happy and opened Des's eyes to a whole bunch of financial possibilities.

Once everyone one had calmed down, McGee insisted that the tracks recorded at these sessions be released. And here they are.

ARNOLD formed in London during Christmas 1996, and feature Phil Morris (lead vocals, drums), Mark Saxby (guitar, vocals), and Phil Payne (bass, vocals) - and solid characters to a man. Not ones to let the gras grow under their feet, they are currently mixing their first full album in a old hop kiln in Hampshire, and putting together a UK Tour.

ARNOLD's mini-album 'The Barn Tapes' will be released on 5th May on CD and 10" vinyl - 8 songs of pain and experience, love and loss.