A SPA bass guitarist can expect a very happy New Year, according to a top international style bible.

Tom Swann, aged 21, joined Scottish band, Speedway back in July and has been on a rock 'n' roll rollercoaster ever since.

Speedway released their debut single, Genie in a Bottle back in August and are set to release their debut album, Save Yourself in February.

Vogue magazine's latest edition features the Indie band in its What's New for 2004 section.

The trend-setting magazine describes Speedway's music as 'dance-around-your-bedroom Scottish pop" and asks whether the band could be the new Texas.

Tom, a former Westacre Middle School pupil and former student of Droitwich Spa High School, became involved in local bands at an early age and was a member of Wiseleaf. The band topped the Battle of the Bands, in Worcester, in the late 1990s.

Speedway are signed with Virgin subsidiary, Innocent records and are the brainchild of 23-year-old singer and guitarist Jill Jackson and drummer Jim Duguid. They have already enjoyed success with their Christina Aguillera cover, Genie, toured with Blue and stormed this summer's V-Festival in Chelmsford and Weston.

Debut album

The band is now gearing up for another assault on the UK Top Ten with their next single 'Can't Turn Back' released Monday, January 19, taken from their debut album.

Their spokesman, Gordon Duncan was unavailable for comment as the Advertiser went to press.

by LISA HERITAGE