Now James is Bourne again

When Busted called it a day in January, James Bourne said it felt like it was the end of the world. But now, happy with his new band Son of Dork, the singer and guitarist says it was a blessing in disguise.

With SOD's debut single, Ticket Outta Loserville, storming to No3 this month, James says its the start of something new, bigger and better.

He says "Son of Dork are a better band and are taken more seriously. We could go on to play with bands like Good Charlotte and Sum41 without anyone batting an eyelid.

"We've moved into a new area, something that appeals to a lot of rock listeners. We've been played on Kerrang, Busted never were. To be honest, Son of Dork are more grown up, the direction I was hoping to take Busted before we split. Plus I won't stop until we make it in America."

After getting over Charlie Simpson quitting and Busted calling it a day, James decided he wasn't ready to give up on music and the talented songwriter started his own band.

He said "I felt bad about Busted but I missed playing. I didn't want to be a solo artist, so I decided to form a new band. Some people thought I'd go into writing for other acts but I don't want to write great songs for X Factor people and that nonsense." Following auditions, James decided tgat Chris Leonard, Danny Hall, Steve Rushton and David Williams we right for him. "I've picked professional, multi instrumentalist guys and they've all been in a band before."

Another plus for James with Son of Dork - a name he took from the film Problem Child - is that he got to work with the Pixies and Foo Fighters producer Gil Norton. "I've achieved stuff already that I never got to do in Busted - working with Gil for a start. Our album sounds so good because of himand we never want to use anyone else. Half the reason this band was able to move on and progress is pretty much due to Gil. Just the way he was able to mic the drums and make them sound incredible. He made everything sound better."

The album, Welcome to Loserville, blends the catchy pop elements that made Busted so popular, but with a more intense and louder guitar sound.

Eddie's Song, Murdered In the Mosh and Boy Band are all stand out tracks. But despite the rumours there are no songs about Charlie - though James admits Eddie's Song is about old Busted pal Matt Jay.

"I wanted to write a song about someone who gets about alot on tour. I thought of Eddie Van Halen, until I found out he was actually married with a son called Wolfgang! So I kept the title but wrote it about Matt from Busted as he was a bad boy on tour. And no, Boy Band is not about Charlie at all. There are no songs about Charlie. I wrote Boy Band with Brendan from Wheatus as we went though the same criticism. He wrote and produced Teenage Dirtbag but no one gave him credit amd Wheatus were called a boy band just like Busted were. We can both relate to the song."

And as for his two former band mates? "We see each other all the time but if you asked each of us who's music is the best, we'd all say our own. I like Matt's stuff and a couple of Fightstar's songs but they're a little too hard for me. I think what I'm doing in Son of Dork is just right."