"I never worry about the future. It comes soon enough." Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

Wise words indeed, but Einstein was not residing on the Isle of Sheppey. Touriste are worried about the future and so would you be if a dormant wartime vessel threatened to wipe out your entire civilization. Some things simply cannot wait.

The Isle of Sheppey lies some 25 miles east of central London. It's a small island beached off the Kent coastline, and aside from spawning the Phantom himself, Michael Crawford, Sheppey has failed to offer up anything or anybody of cultural significance.

Furthermore, a boat currently lies off the Sheerness coast that sank in the 1940s transporting explosives. The island's population are adamant that if the boat was to explode, it would cause a tidal wave strong enough to drown everyone on Sheppey.

Touriste are young (with an average age of 19), but understand the daily torment of a motherland that monikers their natives as 'swampies' and endures the daily threat of extinction.

Siblings Kris and Sam Harris have spent the majority of their youth looking out toward the mainland; a veritable land of opportunity. Sheppey may lack the cultural panache to inspire, but its very mediocrity sparks a rebellion to create.

As kids, Kris and Sam shared a bedroom. In such close proximity, Sam (being the youngest at 18) was forced to listen to his brother's streamlined diet of Oasis. An interesting parallel with the brothers grim, and not only due to a mutual love of music claims Kris,

"We used to fight a lot when we started the band, it was fun looking back. I think we've learned to live with each other. We do say what's on our minds. It keeps the guitars in tune."

Taking Sheppey as their curious inspiration (Kris: "I suppose it set the tone for the early songs, life is crap and all that") the Harris brothers came together with Rob Wilks and Mike Dove who had been moonlighting in the local pubs for another band.

Earning their keep by day (Mike: "I was an apprentice panel beater for 2 and a half years, then the company shut down. I then became a van driver for a distribution company for about 3 months. They shut down too. Proper Sheppey life.) Touriste huddled together by night, constantly writing, creating demo upon demo, and urging on the emotions and drive that bestow 'Swampies' wanting out.

They've created a colossus. Touriste share an affinity with the epic. Everything about Touriste is huge - capturing a troubled but beautiful soul, with bountiful melody and unhurried charm.

Maybe Einstein was right, Touriste need not worry about the future. That boat however, may not wait.

Touriste release their debut single 'Battle On' on September 11 2006 through Faith & Hope Records.