大象传媒

Taking in the sights at Ness Point

6^o got off to a pretty incredible start - their first full band gig in 2005 was filmed and used on Channel 4. It happened by accident though - the Rock School programme was filming in Lowestoft and stumbled across their concert.

"We turned up to play at a very small venue called the Seabreeze Club and all of a sudden we had some producer asking us to sign release forms," said band member McCloud. "One of the team from Rock School was attending the gig and the cameras were following him.

"There was a short clip of him at the gig and it was nice to have something like that at our first ever gig. We were being cited as the sort of thing that happened on the local music scene.

"We were hoping Gene Simmons [of Kiss, who was the teacher in Rock School] would roll up, but it didn't happen!

The band consists of Jamos (lead vocals, guitar, bass), McCloud (guitar), Chris (bass) and Lee (drums) aim. McCloud and Jamos both went to Kirkley High where The Darkness went to and Rock School was filmed.

"I've spoken to Justin Hawkins a few times and I've seen Ed Graham's new band Karaoke For Beginners at Halesworth's Gig in the Park. I had the first Darkness album and I did enjoy it.

"It's not entirely my thing, but it's always nice to see someone make it very big from somewhere as small as Lowestoft."

From the west coast to the east coast

Six Degrees acknowledge their main influences as being bands from the early '90's Seattle grunge scene and McCloud said they don't mind any comparisons:

"I don't think that would bother us - it's something we all enjoy and I think, listening to other bands, it's coming back. I think we put a more modern twist on those old bands.

"The guitar and drums are more modern and I think it's the vocal more than anything that gives it that grunge feel. As far as fairly modern music goes the Seattle scene had some of the greatest bands of my generation."

Gone but not forgotten

Aside from playing at the Gig In The Park for three consecutive years, the band say it's a struggle to play locally.

"The scene is difficult at the moment. We used to have a really brilliant scene when The Brewery at Oulton Broad was open," said McCloud.

"That alone kept the Lowestoft music scene alive, but it closed down at Christmas 2008 and there's not been anything to take its place.

"There's a few pubs that welcome cover bands but it's difficult for an originals band to get a gig in Lowestoft at the moment. I just don't think there's the money in it for anyone to keep a place like that open at the moment.

"We're looking to play places like Norwich, Ipswich and Cambridge and that's the only way forward for us. It is sad - Lowestoft is a great place and it could have a really good music scene if only there was somebody with the backing to keep a music venue running.

"I did hear that The Brewery was going to be knocked down and turned into apartments and to lose that place with so much history would be awful. I do hope somebody with money can take it over and start again with it."

Visit the band's MySpace pages for the latest news on gigs and recordings.