"It's the place we love" - Hebden Bridge band The Lounge Society flying the flag for Calder Valley

The band is releasing their first album ‘Tired Of Liberty’ on August 26 and playing two shows at the Hebden Bridge Trades Club on October 7 and 8.

"It's very exciting," said guitarist Herbie May, who forms the band along with Cameron Davey, Hani Paskin-Hussain and Archie Dews.

"As teenagers, the idea of getting a debut album out there is all you think about really.

"So I don't know where we're going to go next!

"It's a huge opportunity for us to make something of it and we definitely intend to take it as far as it can go, tour as far and wide as possible and see where we end up.

"We're pinching ourselves a bit because you never know how these things are going to go, but it should be good fun."

The band first came together in Year 10 at Calder High School, where every lunchtime the four friends would learn covers of artists such as The Strokes, Sonic Youth and Belle and Sebastian.

"Then it spilled over into every day after school, other people would be out in the sunshine and we'd be in an attic working hard on original songs and then go to the pub afterwards!" said Herbie, who grew up in Mytholmroyd.

"We all took a music course and we were drawn to each other by similar music tastes, a more independent music interest.

"Then we shared different styles of music, we grew as a group, sharing Spotify links, vinyl singles, sharing and learning from each other.

"We've got on the road a lot and toured around, had two very intense weeks of recording and realised a few things weren't finished so it was very last minute to hit the nail on the head and work things out.

"It's been a lot of work but more than anything it's been a privilege. It is work and you do play until your fingers bleed, but only because you love it.

"We'd rather be doing this than anything else.

"For us to be able to do what we love, take it round the country and release a record is such a huge blessing."

Herbie says the Calder Valley has proved rich in material for inspiration during songwriting for the band.

"It's inevitable that your personal experiences, especially growing up somewhere, will feed into any work you do," he said.

"Beyond that, we're very passionate about round here because it's the place we love.

"We know it's not perfect but it's where we're from, so talking about local issues felt right.

"The album wouldn't be the same without the people and the attitude round here, certainly the local venues like The Golden Lion and The Trades Club have been so key to our inception as a band.

"We learned stories that flow around Calderdale, the attitudes of people you meet and our day-to-day experiences have all fed into the album.

"The music video for our recent single Upheaval just shows it for what it is, but on a sunny day, and it looks amazing."

"Music as a business has shrunk since the internet came in and there was less money to it, and it's very much dictated by London and the south.

"So to be part of something and representatives for, in a musical sense, where we come from is a great privilege and we want to champion it whenever we can.

"It's not an area that has dominance over the musical sphere but there's a lot going on here and it's got a lot going for it, bands like The Orielles, Working Men's Club and ourselves, and northern England in general.

"But the Calder Valley has a lot to offer. At first I think people were a little bit surprised there was so much coming out of Calderdale but now it's got to the point where 'why can't we be as influential or as vocal as a Manchester or a Leeds?' because it's a big place.

"So we'd definitely like to put Calderdale on the map every opportunity we get."

The Lounge Society's two gigs at the Trades Club are an example of their passion for celebrating the Calder Valley.

"We've played the Trades but we won't have done it in this way, so all our songs will hopefully be recognisable to the audience because they'll have heard the record," Herbie said.

"And two gigs in a row is something we haven't done at any venue before and it makes sense for the Trades to be the first because that's where our audience began and that's where we first started sharing music.

"It's where we feel most at home. It'll probably be a long, chaotic weekend, I don't know what we'll be like on the second night, but I can't wait.

"This will feel like one big celebration of our record and the Trades hopefully. It's going to be quite a magical Friday and Saturday night, I just hope we last the pace!"

After their Trades Club gigs, the band is set to hit the road across the UK and Europe.

"We've done UK tours before but not quite on this scale, some of the venues are exciting for us like the Trades, Gorilla in Manchester, Brudenell in Leeds, Village Underground in London," Herbie said.

"Then there's a European tour, which we've never done. We've gone over there for two or three dates at a time but often festivals.

"Playing headline shows is going to be exciting but a little daunting. But I can't wait.

"Come New Year I guess there has to be a second record at some point, we are writing all the time.

"Our songs are written completely collaboratively so they are always born out of a jam usually, improvising, then stripping it down, scaling it back and revising it into a song.

"We're very much in album one mode but we know that won't last and creatively, you have to keep churning out new ideas in order to stay in shape."