Cult Of Celebrity formed in 2004 out of the ashes of UK band jumpforjoy.

The duo of Leo Ricketts and Dave Bentley have both been performing professionally since their mid-teens. Leo, a former business magazine editor, played drums with bands in Dubai and across Europe, including stints with Irish folk/rock band Seas Of Rain and Catweezel with the guitarist from indie darlings St Etienne. Meanwhile, Dave completed a first class degree in Electronic Music from Keele University and worked as a Broadcast development engineer before completing his debut solo album “Sex and Money”.

The duo met in 2002 and formed jumpforjoy, the band’s name taken from a song by US rock band Warrior Soul. Their debut EP, “Lovelife” was released the same year. A line-up change lead to a new band name, Cult Of Celebrity, a nod to the increasingly fickle fame game.

Cult Of Celebrity’s first full-length album, “Nein” was released in 2003. It was critically well received and spawned the Australian radio hit “Like A Baby” which reached number 4 in the radio chart and was picked up by stations across Europe and the US, including KCRW in Los Angeles.

Onto 2006 and Cult Of Celebrity are preparing to release their follow-up, “0800-Celebrity”. A commentary on society’s craving for disposable tabloid fodder and love of all things “reality” based, the album marries grinding guitars with elements of electronica and catchy pop sensibilities, all of which make for an interesting and thought-provoking collection of songs interspersed with pseudo-celebrity soundbites.

In an age when major labels focus on chart position over content and marketing over substance, Cult Of Celebrity have chosen to follow their own path. Like many artists with a clear definition of how they would like to be perceived, the band have formed their own label. Judgenot Records allows them to have full creative input, the freedom to experiment and is just the start of the Cult Of Celebrity story.

The first single from “0800 Celebrity” will be “Always The Same”, released May 2nd.