BBC Introducing

It was eight years ago that Richard first went to Ozone Terrace, a row of terraced houses, close to the Cobb in Lyme Regis. The name caught his imagination and formed the basis for a song of the same name about returning to your roots.

The name stuck and a song-writing partnership he'd formed with now fellow band member Daf Warren was the start of Ozone Terrace.

Album cover of "Sweet Petite"

The two met when Richard was a deputy head teacher at a primary school in Somerset. Daf was the boyfriend of one his staff and the two instantly hit it off. They now write all the material and front the band on vocals and guitar.

Shortly after the partnership was formed American bass player Will Helton joined them and Richard said, "And the others came along later."

Western sound

Describing the sound of Ozone Terrace isn't easy because the band make a point of being unpredictable. "Duke" from their new album "Sweet Petite" has echoes of REM while another track "New Orleans" has a Van Morrison feel to it.

Their influences come from as far and wide as the Pixies, Sonic Youth, Jimi Hendrix and the Smiths.

Richard said of their sound, "It's West-coastish as in the West Coast of America, but we've refined it so that it has a West Country feel... Our music is melodic, it has harmony, a kind of soft rock but it's quirky and unpredictable. We like to go off on a tangent."

Songwriters Daf Warren and Richard Gourd

As for the lyrics, their influences can come from anywhere including a certain street in Lyme Regis. One of Richard's songs "Better Days" was inspired by research into his family history. The result was a song about the Spanish Civil War.

The ambitions of Ozone Terrace are modest perhaps because they all have regular day jobs. Despite being regulars on the pub circuit, the band members are keen to play at different venues including at some of the festivals.

Of course if there's one place they love playing, it's in Lyme Regis. It's probably impossible to play in Ozone Terrace itself because there's no suitable venue but in a pub not far away, their songs may well be rocking the town.