Just a few short years ago, Keighley band Montauk Island was on the verge of hitting the big time with interest from major players including EMI.

Then the alternative rockers disappeared completely off the musical radar due to a split, albeit a fairly amicable one, caused by the oft-quoted musical differences.

But it was somehow appropriate for a band named after an American island that was the alleged base for the 'Philadelphia Experiment' -- a US Government experiment -- that made a warship disappear.

Reformed and with a new band member in tow, the island boys are hoping the new line-up will make their reappearance a successful one.

And the group (pictured below) that originally formed four and a half years ago is marking its return with a hometown gig at The Bracken Arms, Bank Grove on August 24.

Joining original members Richard Byrne on vocals, Jason Turner on bass and Steven Rhodes on guitar is new drummer Mark Follows, who replaces original sticks man Johnny Thynne.

Says Richard: "We had reached a certain point where we had a song released on the Matchbox label, EMI had contacted us and we had gone to London for an audition.

"We had also played at the Covent Garden Rock Garden venue and were developing a good live reputation.

"Our last gig was at Joseph's Well in Leeds on December 29, 2001, and after that we split because Johnny wanted to try something else.

"We've been rehearsing for five months with Mark and have around 14 new songs, although we are keeping a couple of the older ones.

"It's been a long time since we played live but once we have done a few more gigs we'll hopefully get some support slots."

The group - which describes its sound as similar to early New Order and REM - is heading back into the recording studio with former New Model Army drummer Robert Eaton at the mixing desk helm.

"We are not the most professional musicians around but we try and put as much as we can into the music," adds Richard.

nPowder Monkeys play their first home-town gig tonight as they support new band Broken at the Victoria Hotel.

The Keighley show marks the first outing for the Monkeys (pictured above right) since their well-received appearance at Bradford Festival.

They were invited to open at the Vic for Broken, the latest project from local singer-songwriter Neil Thomas.

Neil was well-known in the 1980s for bands such as Persuasion and has since concentrated on writing and recording.

Broken is a three-piece featuring male and female vocalists, performing covers by artists such as David Gray.

The Monkeys, who appear from 8.30pm, will play their self-penned brand of tuneful contemporary rock.

"We're not a full-on rock band, it's more jangly pop," says Powder Monkeys drummer Leigh Stothard.

"We're looking forward to playing Keighley. We've been playing a year and a half now -- we're a lot tighter than before."

Haworth man Leigh, who also performs with Three Men and a Bass, is joined in the four-piece group by Long Lee singer Paul Heaton.

Admission to the Keighley Keighley gig is £2. The Monkeys will play the New Roscoe, Bradford, soon.

nBoardfest returns for the second time this summer -- and this time it's the big one!

The festival of Keighley rock talent moves to Pennington's nightclub, Bradford, for an 11-band bash on August 30.

Circus? open the show in the afternoon while Fine Apple, Brand New Analogues and Breene headline in the evening.

Between them will be Misled Vision, Dudley Town, Ninepoundnote, Operator 6, Random Hand, Shatterhand and Dubius.

Admission is £8 for the whole day and £5 for the evening. Further details from www.noseboard.net/boardfest.

nLaika Dog, the Keighley-based rock band fronted by Tony Wright of the former chart-topping group Terrorvision, is preparing for a 17-night tour.

And it will coincide with the launch of the band's first CD early next month.

Tony, who formed his new outfit in March this year, hopes to have the three-song CD available on their own website by September 1.

They will start their tour on Tuesday September 23 at Burnley Mechanics followed by gigs in Ashton-under-Lyne, York, Newcastle, Crewe, Glasgow, Doncaster, Sheffield, Romford, Dudley, Exeter, Bristol, Cardiff, Reading, Liverpool, Islington and Leeds.

Many of Tony's new songs have been inspired by his time working as a dry stone waller on the fells above Keighley.

Tony said: "I'm very excited about going on the road again. It's part of my life. My grandfather played the piano in pubs so I must take after him.

"It's all about getting out and doing the business. We are starting from the grass roots - we haven't had millions of pounds thrown at us before we perform live like a lot of modern bands.

"I believe we are a good band with an honest streak. If people like us, great - if they don't, so be it."

He said they were being backed by Bradford-based Legend Internet and aimed to have a website set up where people could download one of the songs free.

It would also give information about gigs and the band.

The CD design is still being prepared but the band hope for it to be available from September 1.

The line up includes brothers bassist Paddy and guitarist Sim Morrall from Oakworth and their friend Mike Parr, also from the Worth Valley, who plays drums.

Laika Dog is named after the first dog to be launched into space, by the Soviet Union, in the 1960s.

Bradford band Terrorvision was the most successful rock band to come out of the city in the last decade.

They folded on October 4, 2001 with a gig at Bradford club, Pennington's.