Unbelievable Truth, in real terms, launched their career with local label Shifty Disco. 'Building' was the second single to be released via the then fledgling shifty disco singles club, writes Templeton Blake.

In the interim three-year period, the Shifty Disco imprint has become internationally recognised, so too have Unbelievable Truth. Following their debut single, the band signed to major label Virgin.

Unbelievable Truth were one of the successes of the Radio 1 Sound City Week in Oxford, as well as several UK tours, they co-headlined the1998 Oxstock Festival held in Cutteslowe Park. In addition to their massive UK fanbase, Unbelievable Truth can also call on a sizeable following in France.

For most of he last year the band were writing and recording material for their second album. In a semi-secret gig billed as 'Nigel Powell or Friends' they unveiled the fruits their labour, unplugged, at The Bullingdon on Cowley Road, last October. Perhaps inevitably, the band parted company with Virgin. It wasn't much of a set back as the band kept all the material from their second album recording sessions. The process of acquiring a new deal was next on the agenda, and there were a number of interested parties. Eventually, the deal was done, Unbelievable Truth signed to shifty disco.

A brace of low-key London shows were performed during the past week or so, their brand-new single 'Agony' the first from them in almost two years, is the first taste of their new material. They head off on a seven-date UK tour during May to promote the single. Their forthcoming album 'Sorry thank you' is set for a summer release. In the meantime, the band headline a shifty disco spectacular this Sunday, at the Zodiac.

Drummer Nigel Powell says: "Yes, we've returned to Shifty Disco. It's exciting because its where we started. Going with people that you really know is quite important. It's nice to be back among familiar faces."

The Zodiac show, this Sunday (April 30), will be the first full, electric, airing of the new material locally.

"Yeah, unless you happened to have been wandering past the Rotator Studios, in Magdalen Street, where we've been rehearsing," says Nigel. "At the moment another upside of everything is we're feeling like the best we've ever been as a live band. It's exciting at the moment, it feels like our big secret because we've played a couple of London shows, which were both pretty small, and I can't wait to get out there and show people.

"I feel we're what a live band should be, where it feels like we're all listening to each other and if somebody does something it affects what everybody else does."