WE'RE sitting in a green-carpeted rehearsal room in north Ancoats, and The Rain Band have decided they want to recreate an old photograph of the Wailers that they know and like. Guitarist Mark Lee paces around.

"You have to keep control of as much as possible. I think the record company are a bit scared of us because of that." (The picture is a disaster because we're in Ancoats and not Jamaica).

Not to discredit their music, but The Rain Band's greatest asset might be that they know the rules of this game. More importantly, they know its morals. Mark shoots MancMusic a look to prove it.

"It doesn't matter what you think or what the record company thinks - it's what the kids think. And if they connect with it and they understand it then we know we''re doing the job."

How did this happen?

The Rain Band are a nexus formed by Mark and singer Richard Nancollis, present at today's interview. Bassist Stephen Taylor and sticksman Chris James arrive later for photographs, and breezily admit to having been `drafted in when the time was right'. Manager Steve Harrison (check also The Charlatans and Alfie) has been with the band since their inception and is unashamedly described as "a svengali type".

Today, they've just moved into the green-carpet room, next week they play the Green Room. Oh, and they''ve just signed a major-label deal and given up their jobs. On with being rock stars, we say.

"I think people will take whatever's given to them nowadays," says Richard indignantly. "I don't think people wanna be stars in music anymore. They're doing it for the wrong reasons or because they can't be arsed getting a job. They're almost apologetic for being there, which we're not."

What are your reasons then?

"To make music, to make something you're proud of, to achieve. We're influenced by bands who aren't ashamed to be rock'n'roll groups - U2, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Cabaret Voltaire - real bands that mean something to people," insists Richard.

For their part, The Rain Band trade in earnest guitar clattering; rightly melodic, just sneery enough, whiffs of electronica here and there.

It's far better live than the recordings thus far (check Fists Of Fury single from last year).

Would we be right calling this group angry?

"We're angry about ignorance I think," says Richard. "Not to us just about life in general."

Politics?

"No-one gives a s*** about politics anymore," says Mark.

"I think there's too many bands that do have this stereotype, they're all into politics and all that, and if they want to do that they should be politicians yknowhatimean? We're into writing positive music - about good times, bad times, life, love war, y'know, the lot."

"Just the things that we do and the people we see and the things that we know about.

"We're really serious about music, and we love what we're doing and know other people will love it. But it's gonna take time, we're nowhere near the finished article but we're getting there fast."

It's this mix of arrogance, sarky humility and big songs that puts The Rain Band in something of a tradition.

As Mark puts it, "I'm not interested whether we're small time, big time, just as long as people are into what we do.

"And I'm sure they will be. Because there's not much about."

The Rain Band play the Green Room on Tuesday, February 19. A single is planned for spring.

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