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Anyone who's followed the Stoke-on-Trent music scene will know the name 'Friends of Ken'. The band fronted by Big 'Un (guitar and vocals), and completed by Sven on guitar, Ali on bass and Hoff on drums, celebrated a decade of playing together in 2009, by releasing their debut album 'Il Tempo Gigante'.

After starting off at gigs where they played to ten mates and a dog, FOK have built up a loyal fanbase and a reputation for an amazing live performances.

10 years together

Testament to this are the bands annual Halloween gigs, (named Halloween Hell) where they play in full corpse paint and costumes to hundreds of fans at local venues like the Sugarmill and Victoria Hall. The band even documented Halloween Hell 3 and profiled the band in a special DVD made by a local film company.

FOK guitarist Sven live on stage

Their careers in front of the camera didn't stop there either. They were invited to play on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks after impressing producer Bryan Kirkwood with their energetic, raw sound. They appeared as a band playing the Hollyoaks Student Union bar in an episode in November 2007.

Their debut single "Backwards" (which came out on local label Soul of North Staffordshire) went top 10 in the indie chart, and the band followed that up with DIY release "Pockets" which went top 20.

Il Tempo Gigante

Both tracks feature on the new album 'Il Tempo Gigante' - but how do you compact 10 years of work into just 12 tunes?

"Some of the stuff on it's quite old, but they're new recordings," says lead singer Big 'Un. "We've sent it out all over the place, and what we're finding is that a lot of people are giving us really good reviews."

"Not that we need validation of anyone, but it’s always nice when people other than my Mum says it's good. It's people like Kerrang, NME radio, and Big Cheese that are really positive and showing loads of interest."

FOK album cover designed by Eightbit

And with good reason. From the storming opener 'Wilhelm Scream' with it's pop-punk pogo and football terrace-style clap along chorus, through to the contemplative acoustic heartstring-puller 'Milk and Cookies' which ends proceedings - the album is a 38 minute triumph.

A new direction

But to continue the football analogy - it seems a record of two halves. The first 6 tracks is more in keeping with the Blink/Sum 41 style punk, with a more quirky college-rock feel for the rest of the album. So was that a conscious decision?

"We took ages recording this - it's been recorded over 2 and a bit years. So what's happened as we've developed as a band the songs have changed slightly," says Big 'Un.

"So, yeah, the first half is like a pop-punk record. No sort of like willy and fart jokes but more cartooney, just sort of 2 or 3 minute instant tracks. The second half of the album's kind of American garage band. Not on purpose - but it just turned out more of a Pixies-type sound which is definitely the direction we're going now anyway."

"Loads of the reviews have said they love how it changes through the album and ends on the stuff that's less poppy but still catchy."

UK tour

The band also embarked on a week-long tour to promote the album at the beginning of August, visiting Manchester, Liverpool London, climaxing with a home town headline show at the Sugarmill.

Friends of Ken's Big 'Un live on stage

"Because we've been doing it (gigging) for ages, we know who to talk to, without sounding corny about it. So it means on this tour, off the back of the album, we're getting to play bigger venues."

But could those stages get any larger? Well certainly if the quality on show on 'Il Tempo Gigante', and also the high standards of their live performances are anything to go by. And Big 'Un knows all the current positive publicity can do no harm.

"It's doesn't mean step aside Bob Geldof, bring in the big cash (lol)! But what it means is hopefully we'll get to support some good bands on some good tours."