An eclectic weekend of music kicks off tomorrow at the Cornbury Oxford Festival. This year's bash is the biggest and best yet - and, with Oxford's Truck Records, is playing host to some refreshing new artists - including the oddly-named Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly.

IT was fear of being labelled another James Blunt or Damien Rice that led Essex boy Sam Duckworth to perform under the moniker Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly not that the former UK Punk Rock and hardcore devotee has much in common with those darlings of mum-rock, writes Phill Lamphee.

"I just wanted to get away from the stigma that if you use your own name, you're some kind of achy-breaky singer-songwriter, like a balladeer, which doesn't describe what I do," says Sam.

"Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly are levels on a Batman game on the ZX Spectrum. I came up with the name the night before a show and, fortunately, it's been fantastic."

The release of Sam's first single for Atlantic Records, a double A-side of I-Spy and Call Me Ishmael, coincides with his appearance this weekend on the Truck stage at the Cornbury Festival, and he is putting the finishing touches to his debut album.

The 20-year-old's signing to a major record label came as something of a surprise to him. He had only been playing as Get Cape for about year when the deal with Atlantic was signed in March as he headed out for the southbysouthwest festival in Texas.

"I was kind of surprised because I hadn't played London that often. Then I did a London show at the Metro, and it was quite busy in terms of A&R people. It was shock to see how quickly they all moved.

"It was nice to see them come out to shows in places like Northampton, and then coming down to Southend. It was good to see they were not just looking for what was buzzing in London. I guess if you play live a lot, as I do, and put yourself in people's faces, then they're going to come across you."

Get Cape's unique sound, combining Sam on acoustic guitar, laptop backing samples, drum n' bass beats and a trumpet player, has evolved through a hectic tour schedule.

"My dad's a guitar teacher, so I've grown up always listening to music in the house. I got involved in UK Punk Rock and Hardcore, and spent a lot of time in that scene, hanging out with bands and putting on shows in Southend. Then I was in a few punk bands.

"When they broke up, I started messing around with an acoustic guitar and drum machines, and my tastes diversified a bit. I was listening to bands like Gomez, Athlete and Lemon Jelly, and getting into playing the acoustic guitar rather than the electric.

"In the last two years, I've been growing as I've been playing live. Each show is quite different, because it's been a continual growth period."

Cornbury will see Sam reunited with old mates Goldrush, from Steventon - the driving force behind Truck.

"A few of my first ever shows were with Goldrush," he says, "and my manager is involved with Truck as well. Being part of the whole Truck thing is good fun, and it wil be great to hear how Goldrush have been developing. They've been over in America, and it'll be good to see how they've grown."

Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly and Goldrush are playing at the Cornbury Oxford Music Festival tomorrow.

Tickets will be available on the gate at £40 for the day (£20 under-16s with a paying adult, children under 10 free) or £70 for the weekend.