TEENAGE rock band Joon are hoping to make their mark on the Manchester music scene after winning this year's Powersound competition.

Band members Olly Kraweckyj (vocals and keyboard), John Clapper (guitar and backing vocals), Oli Barnes (drums) and Nic Southwood (bass guitar and backing vocals) stormed to victory in the Bury contest, despite playing together for just nine months.

Although the group are all aged between 17 and 19, they are heavily influenced by music from the 1980s, including Queen, Journey, Bad Company, Robert Palmer and Thin Lizzy.

Frontman Olly (17), who is a student at Bury College, said: "The music that's around at the moment is mainly influenced by punk and everyone takes it very seriously. I prefer more blues styles from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. We hope to liven music up a bit and create more harmonies. People are afraid of being cheesy, but we love it!"

The band, who hail from Heywood, Rochdale and Haslingden, spend seven hours in a rehearsal studio each Saturday and have written many of their own songs.

They used the summer months to record a demo CD , which can be heard on their website and is available to buy at gigs.

The teenagers are determined to use their success in the Powersound competition, held at Radcliffe Civic Suite, to build up their fan base.

Olly said: "We weren't sure how people would react to our music when we played in Powersound, but they really liked it. Some people went to the heats to support other bands and ended up going to the final to hear us.

"We've been playing quite a few gigs in the Heywood and Bury areas and hope to start playing in Manchester. We feel we're up to the standard of playing there. It is important to us that we establish ourselves in Manchester and hopefully people there will like our music."

Anyone wishing to listen to the band's music or find details of upcoming gigs should log on to their website at www.myspace.

com/joonrock

  • Joon will be performing at the Famous Game Cock Inn, in Rochdale Old Road, Bury, at 9pm on Saturday.