Last time Cherry Ghost went on tour they were beset by injuries, largely caused by the fact they were having to do their own crewing.

"We were all coming off stage with bad backs from lifting amps up and down three flights of stairs," says frontman and songwriter Simon Aldred.

"We were properly knackered by the end.

I know most venues now by their access doors."

A lot has changed since then, meaning they can employ some roadies this time around.

Their debut album Thirst For Romance soared into the album top ten, helped along by the single People Help The People, with its Wizard Of Oz referencing chorus.

Now they are set to be main supports for the Manic Street Preachers on their next tour.

Cherry Ghost was set up by Simon after many years on the Manchester scene playing in unsuccessful groups.

"Everything that I did was around music,"

says Simon. "It was difficult to get that same level of commitment from other people."

Rather than follow the singer-songwriter route he decided to recruit a band of friends to back him up, but with his hands still firmly on the reins as principal songwriter.

"It puts me off if I see someone's name on a bill," he says. "I'm into bands and noise.

"There are a handful of singer-songwriters who are worth looking at, but the vast majority are the same old type of thing. It's a bit wet."

What sets Cherry Ghost aside from other guitar rock bands is Simon's unashamedly romantic side.

As he says in a MySpace blog: "Romance and wearing your heart on your sleeve is more rock 'n' roll than a crack pipe and an arrogant haircut.

"I respect the songwriting of Cole Porter and Scott Walker," he says. "If done well it can be quite a strong force."

He confesses to being sick of bands from privileged backgrounds that had never had to "kick against the tide".

"It's like spoilt children," he says. "Talking about wearing your heart on your sleeve through adversity is a lot braver than falling into certain little scenes and just going with the flow.

"A lot of bands tend to play the working class card. You have that alpha male swagger, - on the streets of Manchester you see it all the time. It makes me laugh when you see bands from fairly privileged backgrounds doing it. Kasabian might as well be wheeling an erection on stage.

"With Oasis, music was their escape from working on a building site. Now they live in a different world it is difficult for them to retain that authenticity. Music becomes lifestyle maintenance, not something you need to get out of you."

With Simon already talking about Cherry Ghost's second album it is clear he is someone who needs to get music out of his system.

"The first album is quite old, the songs have been around for some time," he says.

"A lot of living, writing and reading has been done.

"They are still songs I am very proud of, but this album will be more cohesive. The songs will have been written and recorded in the space of 12 months rather than four years.

"Every time I get a day off we are rehearsing and it is dead important for me to be writing. It is what your job is - there is no excuse for sitting idle. At every opportunity I get my guitar on my knee."

This serious edge is continued in the band's choice of recording venue for their first album. They rejected the glamour of America's studios for Little Neston in Merseyside.

"I couldn't think of anything more dull than going to LA to record," says Simon.

"You need a little bit of grime around you.

Sunshine and boulevards are not the right atmosphere."

  • Starts 7.30pm, tickets £9.

Call 01273 647100.