The Manchester duo of Richard Woolgar and Gly Thomas came into being when the promoters of a local club challenged the pair to compose an hour's worth of music. Influenced by New Order and Depeche Mode, the two took the name Alpinestarsfrom Thomas' mountain bike and proceeded to meet the challenge. Not only was the performance a success, but Alpinestars the act quickly released an EP, Less Vegas, in 1999. Within a year, they also issued the subsequent EPs Silicon Chick and Kitzbuhel Weekend, leading up to their debut full-length, B.A.S.I.C, in early 2001. In mid-2002, they released the follow-up, White Noise, which saw a much greater emphasis on vocals and live instrumentation and featured a guest appearance by Placebo singer Brian Molko. ~ Tom Demalon