A ROCK band managed by a graduate from Ilam are celebrating a double whammy after releasing their first album and reaching the finals of a music competition.
Cordelia Hack, 21, the manager of Cassini, has lived in Ilam for 20 years and has recently graduated from her creative music technology course at the University of Hull’s Scarborough campus.
She is now focusing her attention on Cassini, who have made it through to the regional finals of Live and Unsigned 2010.
Cassini, who are mainly friends from the same university, have just release their self-titled debut album.
The band are described as a ‘modern rock group’ that draw upon modern and rhythmically diverse sounds from artists such as Tool and A Perfect Circle.
Although Miss Hack has not been managing the band for long, the five-piece have been together for the past seven years.
She said: “I worked with James (Lascelles, the singer) at uni and he was keen to do something with the band and then I got involved and I have moved up here now to try to get things off the ground.” Miss Hack regularly goes back to Ilam to see her mother, Linda, and her father, Arthur, to give them an update on the band’s progress.
She said: “They absolutely love them. I do miss the quietness (of Ilam) but I get back when I can, about once a month.” Cassini are starting to get themselves a great reputation for their live shows.
The band battled against and beat hundreds of musicians to secure a spot in the Live and Unsigned 2010 competition.
Miss Hack said: “Live performances are when Cassini are able to show their talents by grabbing the audience with their contagious melodies and intense harmony structures.” Cassini will now join other acts in a live headto- head battle in front of thousands of spectators in a bid to progress to the Live and Unsigned Festival at the 02 Arena in London.
For more information on the band, or to hear their music, people can visit www.cassinimusic.com.