The La's

One of the great lost British bands, John Power and Lee Mavers' rambling gang The La's burst to prominence with the jangling beauty of classic single There She Goes first released in 1988. Six years going through nine different drummers, 13 guitarists and seven producers eventually resulted in their fine debut album The La's (1990), before they disappeared without trace amid rumours of drug problems. Full of their home town Liverpool's rich melodies and scampish charm, the album received huge critical acclaim (although Mavers often claimed to hate it and publicly criticised producer Steve Lillywhite), and it is often cited as key in paving the way for Brit-pop and influencing bands such as The Zutons, The Coral and The Libertines. Power left to form Cast and the band split in 1992, reforming briefly in 2005 to play a series of festivals and release a 4-CD box set of rarities entitled The La's - Callin All (2010). Their myth remains strong and their influence continues, but their tales of excess, clashing egos and record company spats had a predictable outcome, leaving only a frustratingly fleeting reminder of what could have been.

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