Former members of the defunct Welsh rock band Lostprophets have formed a new band, following the death of their imprisoned ex-singer Ian Watkins. Lee Gaze, Mike Lewis, Jamie Oliver, Luke Johnson and Stuart Richardson are working with Geoff Rickly, former frontman of US rock band Thursday, on new music.
Rickly described the sound as 'a little bit of New Order, little bit of Joy Division, little bit of The Cure'. He told Radio Cardiff: 'I think if ever there was a group of people that needed a second chance, it's those guys. What happened is just devastating for them.'
Watkins was charged with child sex offences in December 2012, including the attempted rape of a baby. He pleaded guilty to 13 charges and received a 29-year prison sentence. The remaining members announced Lostprophets' split in October 2013, stating they could 'no longer continue making or performing music' under that name.
Rickly noted that after Watkins' arrest, the musicians 'had to give up everything that they had worked [on] for 15 to 17 years'. The new band's name and singer have not been revealed, but they will be signed to Rickly's label, Collect Records.
Lostprophets formed in Pontypridd, Wales, in 1997, released five albums and sold over 3.5 million records worldwide, with their last four albums reaching the UK top 10.
