Photo: Geoff Rickly / Facebook
Former members of Welsh rock band Lostprophets are set to reunite under a new name, following the jailing of disgraced frontman Ian Watkins in 2013.
Lee Gaze, Mike Lewis, Stuart Richardson, Jamie Oliver and Luke Johnson of the band are working with singer Geoff Rickly on new material, who has promised big things of the new project, but also spoken of the impact Watkins' jailing had on the his new bandmates.
"It’s been my honour to work with them on their new band from a label perspective," says Rickly in an interview with Radio Cardiff. "And it’s just so good, man – people are not going to know what hit them when the new band comes out. It’s like everything I grew up on: a little bit of New Order, a little bit of Joy Division, little bit of The Cure. It’s just so forward-thinking.
“All the roots are everything I’ve ever loved from goth music. It’s just really cool. I think if ever there was a group of people that needed a second chance, it’s those guys –and they’re going to take full advantage of it. I’m really proud of them."
"I really want to be a part of what they do. I want to be a part of their second chance," he added, revealing the band's hopes off putting the shock and severity of Watkins acts behind them.
"People don't really think of what happens to the other members. That took away their life. What happened is just devastating for them."
Watkins was sentenced in December 2013 to 35 years in jail for a number of child sex offences, including the attempted rape of a baby. He was sentenced along with two women, who are the mothers of children he abused. In sentencing, Watkins and his two co-defendants, Judge Justice Royce told them that their actions 'plumbed new depths of depravity'.
