FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Chris (LadBanter) To Release Debut Single 'Bernard's Watch'

It's a transition that's been successfully navigated by only an exceptional few, from Davy Jones to Antony Costa and Briyan McFadden to Andrew Ridgeley. Now Chris from LadBanter is the latest to take the bold step away from boyband member to bona fide solo star with the release of his heartrending debut single 'Bernard's Watch'.

"See if I had Bernard's Watch we

Would still have our Tamagotchis

And maybe then you'd still love me

Like the song

By Stooshe"

Citing influences as diverse as Feet Foxes, David Grey and Next Of Kin, it's clear to see that Chris has always been a bit different to his LadBanter bandmates. While they spend most of their time insulting women, he can often be found in his room, listening to Ed Sheeran and staring at a wall. It's that kind of sensitivity that earned him the tag of "the one that might find out your name before taking you home", and that he places on show with his solo material.

Says Chris: "I've always written my own songs and I've never really had the opportunity to showcase that with the group. Don't get me wrong, I'm not leaving them (LadBanter's second album, '#bantmobile', will be released in November), I just wanted to do something a bit more real to myself. Real music."

'Bernard's Watch' was co-written by Chris with award-nominated lyricist Jason Toast (Kristian Leontiou, Kubb). Of working with Toast, he enthused: "It was good."

The song is just one of many that the pair have worked on for Chris' debut album, 'Outside Anagram'. Others include the YouTube comments-inspired 'I Remember The 90s (When I Was 3)' and the Twitter-centred '@Notebook', both showing that while Chris always has one hand writing a song or strumming an acoustic guitar or something, he has the other pressed firmly on the zeitgeist.

But what does 'Outside Anagram' mean? When the album title was revealed last week it sent social media sites abuzz with activity. Well, Chris can only further add to the intrigue, mysteriously suggesting that it was chosen because "they told me it and I thought it sounded cool".

'Bernard's Watch' is out on August 6, with 'Outside Anagram' to follow later this year. In the meantime, fans can whet their appetite with this leaked viral clip of Chris' moving acoustic rendition of Flo Rida's 'Whistle'.

On The Radio One Playlist Right Now

Lostprophets on the A List and Newton Faulkner on the B List. It's what The Kids want to hear!!!

Also on the B List are Santigold, The Gaslight Anthem and Young Guns, while the C List features Kasabian and Lianne La Havas.

Presumably Radio 1's reliance on these type of acts - ie ones that not many young people really want to hear - is due in part to the unique way the BBC is funded. They have quotas to fill, having to prove as part of their remit that what they do isn't being and couldn't be done by a commercial rival. To their credit, they consistently achieve this, through their attempts at producing 'engaging' and 'exciting' 'online content', and the continued employment of Fearne Cotton. But at the same time, also because of the unique way the BBC is funded, they are obliged to ensure that the average age of their listeners falls somewhere between 15 and 29. Last year, some people made a bit of a brouhaha over reports that the figure they were actually pulling in was 32*. One man, a Radio One historian, said this: "there's a difference between what young people want and what hip people think they should want". So that's interesting.

In all likelihood even without the contradictory constraints of having to be 'unique' (playing Ben Howard and The Ting Tings) and attracting a young audience, the playlist would be much the same. If anything the people behind it would be quicker to drop Cheryl than Enter Shikari, because they probably do think their misguided and outdated hipster training school schtick is somehow cutting edge. But it's still a shame that it has to be like this.

Still, at least there's always an alternative in Capital.

:(

*It probably doesn't help that people under the age of 15 aren't included in official ratings, but there we go.