Roxy Music And The Smiths Form 'Supergroup'

A group of veteran rock stars from Roxy Music, The Smiths, Suede and Supergrass have teamed up to form a new supergroup for a TV drama series.

Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera, The Smiths drummer Mike Joyce, Suede bassist Mat Osman and Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes have come together to make up Chaz Chance And The Prophets.

The fictional rock band was put together to feature in a new UK TV series called The Records, which tells the story of the ups and downs of a music industry talent agent.

In 2006 Manzanera co-produced David Gilmour's album On An Island and played in his band for tours in Europe and North America.

He also wrote and presented a series of 14 one-hour radio programmes for the station Planet Rock entitled The A-Z of Great Guitarists.

Osman was a school friend of Suede's lead singer Brett Anderson and was in early garage bands with Anderson such as The Pigs and Suave And Elegant.

He co-wrote some of the band's songs, including Lost in TV and Golden Gun.

While The Smiths provided Joyce with his first taste of success, he had previously drummed for Manchester band The Hoax and Irish punks Victim.

Chaz Chance And The Prophets have reportedly recorded three songs for the show.

Joyce told NME magazine: "The calibre of the players - heroes, y'know (sic) - it'd be mad not to do it. And the tracks are genuinely good. They sound Bowie-ish, but they're not a pastiche."