Mike Staples and Joe Wyatt

Mike has been on the lookout for a vocalist to fit with his musical compositions. A recent advert was answered by Joe Wyatt and the two are now making music together.
Joe and Mike wish for 2008 to be the year in which they push their abilities to the max with writing and performing shows (planned for Spring 2008). Hoping that thir results will launch them into a career of music which they both long for.

Mike Staples 'brief history'

Mike from Eltham South East London, grew up on a diet of Electro music, The Housemartins, The Smiths, Mowtown, The Who, Billy Fury, Carpenters and The Stylistics etc… which eventually lead to his first guitar purchase at the age of 15 in 1988. After a year rehearsing with schoolmates he went on to form his first band named Detour. Detour were a relatively successful local band and they mustered up London based gigs at The Woolwich Tramshed, The Rock Garden and The Gig (Amersham Arms). Finally catching the ear of Andy Ross (Food Records now owner of Boss records) although at the age of 18, there was a bit more growing to be done. Andy asked the band to get beck to him in 5 years, however they soon after split.
With various collaborations along the way from Detour, Mike enjoys his most successful colaboration Columbus and contributes to the musical writing in the partnership.
Mike is currently writing solo compositions in his spare time to fulfill his dream and ambition to work as either a songwriting partnership or recording artist.

Moonlighting Musos

Mike (pictured above in the blue tshirt)
is Celsius manager for IT at
Heathrow but in his spare time he
formed Columbus, a band whose
music is described as “good oldfashioned
pop” with influences from
the 1960s.
The search for members for the band
began in February 2004 and with
musicians joining ever since, the lineup
came together this year. By May
2005, Columbus had landed a record
deal to appear on the album Up &
Coming Artists of 2005. Their single,
The Girl Comes Back To Haunt You,
has been chosen to feature.
“The record is due for release on
Monday 31 October by Chromium
Records,” Mike said. “It will be an
internet-only purchase but all sales are
registered and if we sell enough we
could see ourselves in the official top
100. With help from 5,000 BAA staff,
we could do some serious charting!”
The excitement does not stop there,
however, as Columbus will play their
first gig at The Catapault Club in New
Cross, London on 21 October. Mike
added: “Phill Hopkins also works at
BAA in Network Projects and plays
keyboards for the band - he has been
working as a contractor at BAA for six
years.”
You would be surprised if Mike, an IT
expert, had not set up a website for
the band and sure enough
www.columbus.me.uk is the place to
find out all about them. You can even
listen to some of the band’s music
there.
Airwaves will keep tabs on Gina and
Mike as they aim to win fans
everywhere. Why not support them
yourself?

Clip from Local paper in Eltham

'Indie kid hopes to sail into charts'

A FORMER Eltham Green School pupil is taking his first steps on the road to fame and fortune for the second time.
Musician Mike Staples, 32, first tried his hand at breaking into the big time back in the late 1980s with his band Detour, formed with two other pupils at the school.
The band, which played an unlikely fusion of funk and Indy rock, gigged several times at venues including the Rock Garden, Venue and the Amersham Arms before splitting due to "musical differences".
Staples said: "We were young, starting out at about 16, and you're pretty arrogant and quite ignorant and just assume you're going to get signed.
"We did quite a few gigs and there was label interest but we never made the breakthrough in the end.
"The others were into James Brown, while I was more into my Blur and Oasis, so there was always going to be different ideas and eventually we called it a day."
Staples, who plays drums, guitar and bass, then hung up his instruments for more than ten years and devoted himself to life as an IT worker.
"I was under the thumb of a woman to be honest and the guitar just gathered dust," he recalls.
But a chance encounter with a former school pal Helen Mortimore who had come to several Detour gigs re-ignited Staples' passion for music.
The pair became lovers and now have a 20-month-old daughter Loren-Lily. Helen urged Staples to follow his dream once more.
So in July 2003, he dug out his old guitar, bought a digital four-track and began recording the odd song in his home studio.
He set up a website columbus.me.uk to showcase his work and began advertising for a vocalist.
In February last year, he first met with semi-professional Aussie singer Brent McMullen and after an exchange of ideas the pair began working together as Columbus a pop/rock band comparable in style to Ocean Colour Scene.
Staples came up with an instrumental piece at his home in Eltham, put it on a CD and sent it off to McMullin in Bermondsey, where vocals were added and the track polished.
Now the pair are celebrating after being offered a three-month promotional deal by record company Chromium Records.
This includes releasing their track The Girl Comes Back to Haunt You on a worldwide compilation album of the best unsigned bands of 2005.
The track will also be released onto the official download chart after an eight-week promotional campaign by e-3 Records.
Staples said: "You never dare to believe anything might happen but when you get noticed it makes you think maybe we have got a bit of talent.
"I just do it because I enjoy it really but the aim is basically to get signed to a record deal of some description, major or independent.
"If it starts to pay the bills, then you can think about giving up your job. We'll just take things as they come."
The band is currently looking for a drummer, visit columbus.me.uk
12:27pm Tuesday 24th May 2005