Rock 'n' roll is not always as glamorous as you might you think.

Indie rockers Eugene Speed arrive in West Yorkshire next week with their minds focused as much on getting their clothes clean as achieving chart stardom.

"On our days off we go to the launderette washing all our dirty undies," said singer Gary Sallows.

"I'm not grumbling. I love touring. It's just not what people think it is."

The three-piece, based in Ipswich and Southend, created a stir last year with their debut single Easy Life.

Eugene Speed are on the road again this month to plug the follow-up Get Me Through This and visit the Duchess in Leeds next week as part of the venue's closing week.

But the six-week tour is a far cry from the popular image of life on the road for a rock band.

Rather than being chauffeured around from one plush hotel to the next, Gary and the boys have to muck in together when it comes to driving or fetching and carrying.

"We go out on the road on our own.

"We've been offered sound engineers and roadies but when you go to some of these places they have their own people anyway," said Gary.

"The only advantage to having your own engineer is that he knows your songs. We're only a three-piece so there's a not a lot you can mess up.

"All three of us drive so we share that between us.

"We seldom make any money from touring anyway because you've got your expenses, although you sell some T-shirts.

"Most of our gear is so heavy that two people have to carry it. What you don't want is 40 nights having to pay someone £60 a day."

l Eugene Speed are at the Duchess on Tuesday. The venue also plays host to Broadcast on Wednesday, Terrorvision on Thursday, The Fall next Friday and Chumbawamba for its finale on March 26.

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