The Rain Band

The Rain Band were a Manchester three-piece: Richard Nancollis (Vocals/Keyboards), Mark Lee (Guitar/Keyboards/Programming), Stephen Taylor (Bass). They were signed to Universal/Island ('Temptation Records') in 2001.

They split at the beginning of 2004 but had written and demo'd around twenty new songs which have never seen the light of day and which were said to show the band at their now-matured best.

Their music never imitated but absorbed influences from the likes of New Order / Depeche Mode / Neu / Acid House / King Tubby / Can / Stone Roses / Happy Mondays / memories of the Hacienda / Massive Attack / Gang of Four / Cabaret Voltaire / Pere Ubu...

They have been cited as "influenced by New Order synth lines, rubbing shoulders with the brooding menace of Honey's Dead-era Jesus and Mary Chain. The lush romanticism of Echo and the Bunnymen meets the melodramatic flair of Mansun".

Releases:
- Three singles (“The World Is Ours,” “Easy Rider,” “Knee Deep and Down”)
- Self-titled debut album in 2003
- EP, "The Art of Mass Destruction" towards the end of 2003 (on Fierce Panda)