Formed in London in 1997, the Scoundrelles are a strange, shifting entity centred around the singular talent of Tony Thewlis. Thewlis was one of the raw talents behind legendary garage rockers The Scientists, whose star shone brightly 10 years ago with a motherlode of critically acclaimed recordings on labels such as Sub Pop & Big Time.

The Scientists imploded in a mess of unrealised potential and tortuous court cases in 1987, but their cult reputation continued to spread thanks to retrospective CD compilations in Europe and America, and endorsements and reported cover versions from Alan Vega, Sonic Youth and Mudhoney.

Meanwhile, Thewlis formed the Interstellar Villains and, when they were abandoned in a Spanish desert in a mess of unrealised potential in 1992, he retreated from the limelight into a fog of disillusion and took a job as a courier of organs for transplant operations.

Thewlis finally re-emerged 3 years ago with a set of wonderfully otherworldly songs expressing a surprising optimism and off-kilter sense of humour in the face of adversity. The sound of The Scoundrelles is more melodic and expansive than before, often suggesting the abstractions of The Flaming Lips or Mercury Rev.

Songs like Head On also display a propulsive, rocking chug reminiscent of Slade, although Thewlis's lyrical concerns are more stellar than Black Country, and tracks like the insanely catchy Calling All Cars display a pop heart worthy of the Beatles and Big Star. The Scoundrelles also contain the laconic Hugh Gulland, formerly of Hackney low-lifers, Dragster, on bass and Diggory Kenrick, whose startlingly edgy Like-Flies-On-Sherbet-era Alex Chiltonesque guitar twang has adorned recent releases from Venus Ray and Electrocuting Elvis. Drummer Yan Quellien hijacked former Scoundrelle guitarist Joe Presedo for Memphis Soul experiments in his native France before the Scoundrelles hit on the master retaliation of hijacking him. Robert Coyne, son of Derby's answer to Captain Beefheart, Kevin Coyne, periodically contributes drums, guitar, bass & keyboards and the Scoundrelles are dreading the day he realises he can also sing and takes over completely.

The Scoundrelles have recently appeared in Madrid, Cork, Paris, San Francisco, New York, Houston, Glasgow, Oslo, Barcelona, Badminton, Amsterdam, Bogota, and Hetty Peggler's Tump. They are currently gigging regularly around London. Watch this space (well, not this exact space, but the "Latest" section of the "News & Gigs" page, obviously...) and check Time Out for details.