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SleeperCell: Pat, Matt, Kyle and Rob

Things were going well for SleeperCell in 2008 - they'd built a good reputation for being energetic performers and were one of the most prominent bands on the Ipswich scene.

But nothing could prepare them for the drastic rise in profile courtesy of their participation in the Orange Unsigned competition, where a major label recording contract was up for grabs.

Week after week they impressed a judging panel consisting of Blur's Alex James, former Kenickie singer Lauren Laverne and Simon Gavin, head of A&M Records (part of Universal) - eventually narrowly missing out on a place in the final four.

"We weren't actually going to enter the competition but my dad entered us into the competition," said Kyle (vocals and guitar). "We didn't get through the voting bit, where 25 were voted through and 25 were picked by the judges.

"But there were also open auditions in London, where we got down there along with 1000 other bands at 5am."

Only four bands were to make it through, and SleeperCell's trio of representatives (Pat, Barnaby and Kyle) did enough to progress.

"The first audition was in front of the TV crew but the second time was in front of Jo Whiley, who put us through," said Kyle. "She was really awesome, gave us a really good response and was easy to get on with.

"She seemed to see potential and was really encouraging. If she had a problem with your band she'd tell you and give you some constructive criticism, rather than plain right insults which happens sometimes."

Making it on to the show proper meant the band got to perform in front of the aforementioned judging panel, which is when the nerves started to appear.

"It felt really daunting for me personally and before the first show I nearly passed out apparently, and I'm usually pretty confident," said Kyle.

"He was party done," added Matt. "He was so pale. But we were alright in the end."

"I had a really bad feeling about it," said Kyle. "We were able to watch the other bands before us and they were all getting really slated. It really got to me, as I like everything to be nice."

Matt added: "It was them saying 'you're terrible, get off the stage'. You'd have Simon Gavin saying 'I'm never going to get that time back' - why don't they say what they need to do to have more of a chance?"

The judges may have put SleeperCell through to the later stages of the competition but this didn't mean they escaped some scathing criticism.

Most of this came via wide praise for Barnaby's talent as a frontman, with the suggestion being made that he'd be better off without his bandmates.

"They made it clear that they hated the rest of us and loved Barney," said Kyle.

"I pretty much got the negative side of all the comments and for a minute doubted music and if I wanted to do it. But I realised this is part of the music industry, toughened up and dealt with it."

Barnaby decided to leave the band following the Orange Unsigned competition, with SleeperCell continuing as a four piece.

"Barnaby labelled it as creative differences," said Kyle. "At first we were really worried. He's our frontman and apparently that was all that was good about the band on Orange Unisgned.

"We were auditioning for front people and saw some really good people but it just didn't feel like us.

"So we decided to have a go at it as a four piece and we're all really happy. We barely ever argue anymore, apart from little things like how loud Rob likes to play the drums.

"We're all generally pulling in one direction now - which is a weird direction, pop, funk, rock which we're all keen to do as it's got energetic drums and funky basses."

So do the band regret entering Orange Unsigned?

"The main good thing about it is we've got so many fans and they're really dedicated," said Kyle. "We played Tring the other day and everyone was so pumped up it was amazing - the best gig experience we've ever had."

"The thing I most got out of it was the motivation to push ourselves whilst on stage," said guitarist and joint vocalist Pat.

Matt added: "The buzz of being on stage was so amazing that it really opened our eyes and made us want to make it happen."

Barnaby's story

The early start and a potential six hour queue to audition made Barnaby sceptical about entering the Orange Unsigned competition, but once SleeperCell made it on to the actual programme he was "over the moon".

But his joy was shortlived, and ended when he was singled out for praise.

"I hated it to be honest, it was awful. The rest of the band were right there and I couldn't help but feel bad for them. It wasn't even a compliment for me, it was more like an insult.

"The band, I felt, were like a part of me. We're one collective and if you insult part of us you insult all of us.

"I'm really a product of the rest of SleeperCell and they're a product of me, in a totally non-perverse sexual way."

Barnaby at Ipswich Music Day

Barnaby acknowledges the reasons behind the Simon Cowell inspired role adopted by the judges, but insists they were all really nice off camera. Simon Gavin even gave him a phone call after the competition to praise the band's final performance.

But the constant singling out of Barnaby widened a gap between the members that had begun prior to the competition.

"Everytime we got through I couldn't enjoy it. You'd think I'd be ecstatic to be on television for another week, but I wasn't, none of us were. We were miserable the whole time to be honest.

"I felt very isolated from the band. Before then we weren't really getting on. Musically I wanted to go in a very different direction to them and I was always the only one who felt differently to the rest of them.

"I'd actually considered leaving before Orange Unsigned but I thought I'd stick it out and give it one more go for the competition.

"I didn't have a clear idea of where I wanted to go, it was more the things they were writing just didn't go along with the thing I wanted to do - it's hard to explain.

"We had a lot of problems but the majority were creative differences. It was a democracy in the band and 90 per cent of the time it would be the four of them voting against me. It wasn't an intentional thing, it was just how it was.

"Then when we had the judges singling me out it made the rift even bigger."

The final straw came with the band's decision to play old favourite Apocalypse of Love in what would be SleeperCell's last performance for the programme. Barnaby says he'd pleaded to play a new song the band had been working on.

"I was quite immature. We'd made a group decision to play that song and I felt so passionately about not doing it that I said in all the interviews (adopts snobby voice) 'I hate this song, it's awful'.

"I do regret having done that, because it made them all very volatile towards me. But I'm quite glad we didn't win. Us getting into a huge argument gave me the little push I needed.

"And I think they'll be better off without me - there'll be less arguments without having that little nagging voice."

Barnaby is now working under the guidance of a manager who was impressed with his TV performances.

He's involved in a new musical project, which will "definitely be band related, and not focussed on me."

In a lively conversation Barnaby waxed lyrical about his former bandmates and even shared a genital-based, yet complimentary, analogy of the band which you'll have to ask him to repeat should you bump into him.

As for his future, Barnaby says things could go either way.

"My future's hanging in the balance at the moment.

"I can't talk too much about what I'm up to now, but I could end up being hugely, internationally famous or I could end up working in the local chippy."