Back to roots with bass ace; Music.

Byline: Andy Coleman 

WHEN bass player Gavin Burrough replaced Gareth Davies in Welsh rockers Funeral For A Friend last year he quickly pointed out where he thought the band could improve.

''He said he'd noticed that our sound had changed over the years and we'd lost an element which a lot of fans loved,'' reveals guitarist Darran Smith.

"It was an edge, a slightly aggressive angle, that we'd lost. We hadn't intentionally mellowed our sound, itwas just the way we'd drifted, the way we felt like writing and how the songs came out."

With a 'return to roots' attitude the quintet, completed by singer Matt Davies, guitarist Kris Coombs-Roberts and drummer Ryan Richards, set about writing four new tracks for the recently released 'Best Of' collection, Your History Is Mine: 2002-2009.

"One of the new songs, Built To Last, was pretty much all Gav's idea," says Darran. "We took what he'd said on board and I like to think we've injected that element of aggressiveness into the songs - but in a better way because we're better songwriters now."

Formed in 2001 in Bridgend, Funeral For A Friend have spent the last few years amassing gold albums and undertaking tours around the world. Their latest trek brings them to Birmingham's O2 Academy tonight for a co-headliner with Fightstar, fronted by former Busted member Charlie Simpson.

Also on the bill are Kids In Glass Houses, Attack Attack, Farse, Blakfish, Me vs Hero, Saving Aimee, Out of Sight, Young Guns, Prego and UK Now!

"It's turned into a mini festival,'' grins Darran. ''We're pals with Fightstar, we've toured with them a lot.

"We shared a bus in America for a month and a half. When you're sharing a bus in any form, but especially for a month and a half, you become very good friends!" Darran adds that Charlie may be persuaded to make a guest appearance during their set.

"Who knows?We've done it in the past. Charlie was a regular when it came to getting on stage and sharing a section ofAll The Rage. It could happen tonight."

Selecting the tracks for Your History Is Mine was a joint decision between the band, their management and their former record company, Atlantic, who have released the disc. "We each made a list of the songs we'd like to have on there," says Darran. ''There were a couple we ummed and ahhed over but in general the lists were pretty similar."

So classic fan favourites like 10.45 Amsterdam Conversations and Red Is The New Black sit comfortably alongside the anthemic Juneau and Roses For The Dead. Just to spice things up there are multi-disc versions of the album available. Says Darran: "In the early days I recorded stuff in my garage on an eight track machine. So I've dug those out for the three-disc set."

TicketInfo FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND/FIGHTSTAR Tonight: O2 Academy Birmingham Tickets: 0844 477 2000.

CAPTION(S):

Sounds of change: Funeral For A Friend have found an aggressive edge again.