大象传媒

The five-piece came into the spotlight in 2007 when they won Channel 4 reality TV show Road to V, going on to perform at V Festival. The break-up followed lead singer Kris Andrew鈥檚 announcement that he was leaving to concentrate on other projects.

"Over the last six months, there was so much going on in the band, with so many heads going in different directions, I think the others would agree that we weren't into the music as much as a unit and I felt that someone had to just end it," said Kris.听

"I think, at one point, our synth player Ben Groom was going to leave, and at one point our drummer, John Randall was thinking of leaving. I thought I wasn't enjoying it as much as I had enjoyed it over the years, so it was probably the best time to leave and pursue something else."

Rosalita circa 2007

Bassist Jay Goodrich agreed that the split was expected: "When we first got together we were buzzing, with all guns blazing, but over the past few months we haven't really been firing on all cylinders.

"The band split up because, over the four years that we were together, we all started to change and like different things. It became more difficult to find happiness together, so it was more sensible to try to find happiness apart."

Despite a mutual agreement that the separation is for the best, Ben admitted that he had high hopes for the five-piece: "You always expect that you're going to go to the very top, you have blind faith that you're going to get there, but sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't.

"However, I have lots of good memories, especially the first few years of building up a profile and people enjoying what we were doing. Specific highlights would be playing V Festival and Ipswich Music Days three years in a row, playing to big crowds, touring, that sort of thing."

Kris meets fans at Ipswich Music Day 2008

Kris felt the highlight of the band's career came when they organised and headlined a sell-out gig at the Caribbean Club in Ipswich, but Jay was most proud of their performance at Popadelica Festival in Sweden: "Swedes singing along with our songs, that was great!

"We haven't gone the whole hog just yet, putting everything about the split on our MySpace site and emailing the mailing list. We're not in denial but does anyone care?

"I think people do care, we had a good number of fans, and, if there was demand for it, then I'm sure we'd be persuaded to play some of the old songs again. Everyone is still doing stuff - Ben's writing his own songs, guitarist Richard is still playing and so is Kris.

"John and I are working with a friend of ours called John Brett, and his band, the B.Goodes. It's not 100 per cent serious, I just heard the songs and I loved them, I really wanted to play them and get the enjoyment back.

"It had started to feel like a job, and jobs are nasty things. Nobody likes work, I just want to have fun with music and I'll keep in touch with everybody and we'll still do things together, just not as a five- piece."

Rich recording at Maida Vale for 大象传媒 Introducing

Kris is already working on a new project, and gigging with Rich and Scruff from the Adicts: "I'm starting a country band, it's a bit of an odd direction to go after Rosalita I guess, but I really enjoy doing it and it'll probably sit better on the Radio Suffolk playlist.

"That's what I'm aiming to do, I've been on there a few times and I feel bad that I haven't been on there a lot recently. I want to get back on the Radio Suffolk playlist as quickly as possible."

The members are full of advice for fellow Ipswich band, Underline the Sky, who are finalists in 2009's Road to V competition. Ben advised them to stay grounded: "The competition is a huge help but it's not going to make or break them, they have to just enjoy the day and go on to join the people who go back to festivals every year, not just once."

John, Jay and Ben pose for a photo

"They need to keep working hard!" said Jay.

"They must keep doing everything they can and putting everything into it and if they need one, we have a van for sale. Contact us if anyone's interested, and if you're a fan, we'll even sign it for you!"