"Well, the idea was a band, but we're really a neurotic bunch of obsessive compulsive weirdo’s,” Switches singer Matt Bishop says.

The neurotic obsessive-compulsive weirdo’s, pulled through impressively and way fantastically, and on March 18, 2008 Switches released their debut album, Lay Down The Law, produced by Rob Schnapf (Beck, Elliott Smith) on Interscope.

Strangely, Switches, who now all live in London, came together naturally and easily. Matt grew up in Southend (a low-rent seaside town, something like the old Asbury Park neighbourhood) and formed the band while at college: he just sent a group email and chose the people whose responses he liked best. Even if they didn’t like the same music.

There’s Ollie Thomas, guitar: musical wunderkind aspiring to psychedelic-tinged virtuosity ala Hendrix, but also partial to some tough new wave in the Stranglers and Television. Thom Kirkpatrick, bass: belt and braces, biscuits and tea, Beatles and Ben Folds, he is particularly English, even for someone from Britain. Steve Godfrey, drums, drums and more drums: he personifies his instrument. He likes to drum, drums to live, learned Appetite For Destruction on pencils and saucepans so by the time he got his first kit he could play the record flawlessly.. And Matt: the seventies-leaning songwriter with a love for ELO and 10cc even though he wasn't born while they reigned, and a fully-fledged Child of Britpop.

So, if you would like to win one of these wonderful new CDs, just answer this easy question: Switches were originally called the Others and what other band name before they won a Battle of the Bands contest?!

Send us your answers and if you're correct you'll be in the running to win one of these new CDs! Just send us an e:mail here before July 1st with your answer and the subject title CONTEST: SWITCHES CDs to: exclusivemagazine@flash.net

CD Purchase Link

Quicktime:
Video stream of “Drama Queen”

Audio stream to the first single, “Lay Down The Law”

www.nylonmag.com/summertour

www.switchesmusic.net