PUTTING together a sublime debut album on a budget of £300 in a seedy backstreet studio in their native Staines offered a sharp learning curve for NME favourites HARD-Fi.

The Stars of CCTV, as the record is topically titled, has caught the imagination of a young, disgruntled generation tired of living average suburban lives and seeking some much-needed escapism.

There’s no way some high-trouser wearing pop svengali like Simon Cowell could have put this outfit together. They are the real, rough-edged deal and are enjoying their rightful time in the limelight.

Touring with the Kaiser Chiefs has certainly helped the Clash-inspired outfit’s cause, not to mention a raft of national media plaudits and nomination at this year’s prestigious Q and Mercury Awards.

"Every day is bonkers, the whole thing is odd. It’s like there’s HARD-Fi life and then something else- people staring at me walking down the street when I am just popping out for something to eat," explains the band’s affable singer Richard Archer.

"We found an old lock-up that we could use for £60 a week that used to be a taxi office. The walls were stained yellow with nicotine from all the cabbies. One of our friends was a painter and decorator and he had some old paint left over- Cherry Lips it was called, so we used that on the place and that’s what we called the studio."

As you might expect, there is little doubt in his mind they made the right choice when jacking in their dead end day jobs in supermarkets, British Gas admin and restaurants for a life of rock thrills.

An optimistic character, Richard offers a note of hope for budding bands that it’s very much within their own hands to find a way of making it work.

Sadly, his own whirlwind success has been soured by the loss of his mother, who died just before their first single, Cash Machine, stormed its way into the top 10.

"She had supported me through all the times when I had not lived to see the success we have had. It just goes to show that you never know what is going to happen in life. It made me realise you have to live life for the moment. I have had some sweet messages from fans."

Plenty of support from friends and family has helped him as has the frenetic pace of their touring and recording schedule which has forced them to stay focused.

This is clearly transparent in their tight sound which bristles with frustration extolling themes of living for the weekend, getting drunk and being cash-strapped and trapped in a satellite town.

And what music- mixing everything from 70s melodic punk, edgy hip hop and a dash of reggae for good measure has resulted in a rich stereo melting pot .

"We’ve never tried to say that Staines is like a ghetto. There’s a lot of places like it, but there is something about the place, like they have breathed in a lot of airline fuel and are high on it! You get to a certain age here and kicking a football round the park is no good, there’s nothing going on. All the interesting people tend to gravitate to London, you try and generate some interest and make your own thing happen or you go nuts!"

So far so good for these former urban misfits who have taken the both the music press and public by storm.

While there’s no shortage of ambition and drive in their ranks, they believe in treating the fans with respect. This attitude has been duly reciprocated by an ever-growing army of devotees.

"Everything’s going well and we’ve all been up for it. There were a lot of our mates at the two shows in London, then we went up to Aberdeen which was half the size and the place went nuts! Every night we try and give it 110 percent and then get up and do it again."

Hard-Fi play the Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall on Friday, December 16. Box office 01303 228600. See www.hard-fi.com