NOT many bands can attract the sort of glowing praise lavished on Merchandise without having ever played a single note in front of a live audience.

Despite receiving an embarrassment of adoring reviews and getting airplay in Europe, North America and Australia, the band has not so much as plugged a microphone into a PA system.

Instead, they spent years locking themselves away from the world in their home studio, toiling away over lovingly-crafted albums and shunning the world of the live gig.

But now, after getting sick of fans asking them when they would take the show on the road, the duo have had a change of heart, and decided to embrace that grubby, sweaty world in all its glory.

Hooking up with long-standing collaborator Rob Turner, they have set about turning their complicated studio sound into something that could be played by three human beings, with no gimmickry, gadgetry or slights of hand.

The distillation process now complete, the band have translated their sound to the stage, and are ready to share it with the world.

The results may be surprising …