Do believe the hype! A surprised Tim Hughes discovers that Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong really are all they are cracked up to be.

They may well be talented. They may even be one of the bands of the year. But there's no denying it. Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong are among the most hyped bands around.

When a band like this appears, adrift on a gushing torrent of media attention, it is tempting to take a scalpel to the bubble, and watch them disappear inside their own anatomies. Only, in this case it's not going to happen. The reason?

For once the hype-mongers have got it right.

They may have a daft name but Joe and his four identikit skinny indie-kid bandmates, are also one of the most exciting things happening right now. First seen in Oxford last year supporting the bombastic Dizzee Rascal, the Brightonians made their way back to the Academy before Christmas for a slot with the altogether camper CSS.

Elsewhere they have opened for Pete Doherty's Babyshambles and Kaiser Chiefs. Now they are heading back to the Cowley Road, this time as part of the Shockwaves NME Awards Tour, alongside The Cribs, Does It Offend You, Yeah? and The Ting Tings, this Sunday.

"We are grateful for the hype and the support," says Joe. "Everyone is talking about who we are and what we sound like. But until they come and see us, they're not going to know."

Joe, who cites such influences as Big Star, Smokey Robinson and Dion And The Belmonts, formed the band in 2006 while he was drumming with retro power-pop girl band The Pipettes. He was also throwing in odd appearances on the box, appearing in cult comedies Peep Show and Nathan Barley.

And when he decided his future lay in pulling together his own band, he turned to his mates. "I realised I knew the three best guitarists in the country and managed to get one of them to play bass," he explains.

After a year of intensive writing and rehearsal, the band played their first show last year. And it took only a handful of gigs before the buzz kicked in. The fact the band already knew each other well, adds to the illusion that they have been around for ages.

"We have all been best friends," says guitarist Tom Dougall. "We started out just for fun - doing it for a bit of a laugh.

"Joe was in The Pipettes then, but I didn't think he'd ever leave to join our band."

Tom admits the hype has come as a surprise.

"I can't explain why this has happened," he adds. "It's down to chance. But hopefully we can deliver!"

With so many hopes resting on their youthful shoulders, have they speculated about where they are heading?

"We don't think about that too much, either," smiles Dom. "There's no way of predicting what's going to happen."

"If we thought about what could happen, we'd have a nervous breakdown," laughs Tom. "We're so new to the whole thing, but we definitely feel we're lucky. None of us expected this to happen - and to have this as a job is a dream. We're being paid to hang out with our best mates and have fun!"

The band's debut Lucio Starts Fires is out on Young & Lost Club.

BE THERE WITH GREAT HAIR! THE Shockwaves NME Awards Tour 2008 roles into Oxford on Sunday, for a night of action at the Carling Academy.

Headlined by the best breakthrough act of 2007, The Cribs, and supported by three of the hottest-tipped bands for 2008 - Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong, Does It Offend You, Yeah? and The Ting Tings.

The annual tour culminates in the awards themselves on February 28, at The O2 arena.

Courtesy of headline sponsor Shockwaves, five lucky winners can win a pair of tickets to the gig - as well as shed loads of Shockwaves hairstyling products including Shockwaves Ultra Strong Tuff Stuff Gel and Shockwaves Ultra Strong Power Hold Hairspray to create 'indie-rock' inspired styles. To get your hands on a pair of tickets, simply answer the following question?

In what band was Joe Lean previously drummer?

Email your answers, with a contact phone number, by midnight tonight to tim.hughes@nqo.com Usual rules apply. The editor's decision is final.

For info on Shockwaves visit w=7www.style-attract-play.co.uko and on the Shockwaves NME Awards 2008 Tour visit www.nme.com/awards We're proud of what we do - and if people don't like it, it's not that important'