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The First Time - West Yorkshire Music People Talk About Stuff

Along with any number of brothers, sisters and various other associates William Sanderson's Le Tournoi impress with thoughtful and curiously amusing songs described by some as Modern Folk, others as Joy Division-esque and most as impressive.

The first record bought with your own money?

Embarrassing because its so cliche. I think it was Chesney Hawkes The One and Only from when Morrisons used to sell vinyl. It was that or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme.

Hmm... Just realised that was unlikely with my own money unless I was hustling from a very early age. I bought the first big Bluetones single on tape. It has the word "solution" in the chorus, a key indie word time at the time because it rhymed with "revolution". Oh boy.

The first gig

Rios in 2001 I think. We were a terrible/fantastic punk band called The Inspectors. It went okay I suppose, we didn't mess up our already pretty messed up songs.

I was probably nervous but I can't really remember to be honest. I struggle to remember feelings - wow, what an emotional statement.

However I'm really good at remembering what people say to me and I'm clearly quite proud of this fact.

The Inspectors are reforming for the next "Wollen Wig Out" at the Beehive later this year. Good heavens.

The first Le Tournoi gig went okay, though I was playing my electric which has an odd ability to sound like an elephant. For some reason I'm thinking of using this guitar again for our next gig, maybe I should rethink this.

Actually I remember how I felt after this gig: weird.

That's what happens when you play to a room mostly populated with friends, it's hard to grasp whether you sounded good or awful.

The first bit of fan mail

Does MySpace count? No, I don't think it should.

No ones ever sent me a written letter telling me how great a musician I am, mainly because I'm no Beethoven and sadly I don't hand my address out all that often. If I do wake up one day to find myself a great musical talent, I'll make sure I immediately start giving out business cards with my home address on them.

Le Tournoi are joining Laura Groves and fourteencorners supporting The Twilight Sad at The Love Apple in Bradford on the 9th of September, 2007.

fourteencorners, Le Tournoi at PM Bar, Shipley

William from Le Tournoi is not happy with his set. "It was awful", he intones afterwards, "It was not good."There is a aura in PM Bar in Shipley that seems to scream teenage birthday party. The split of the room, the way the age groups follow that, the smokeless air of a post July 2007 pub for a while one looks around for something to wrap up and give as a present in case the birthday girl arrives. She never does but a guy who looks a lot like Shakin' Stevens soulfully sits in the corner and leaves before the bands come on.

Le Tournoi will not be pleased with the set that starts with two muted bangs of a microphone and they struggle to project through the room. The family Sanderson are the curio of Bradford's music scene and are rough edged parts of jigsaws pushed together in a way that makes pleasing and often amusing shapes. The more powerful melodies of Christmas Eve sound excellent tonight but Some Murder Perhaps is lost in the balance as lyrical subtleties are lost.

William is not pleased and certainly Le Tournoi have less impact that when last they were seen but the lack of shine is easily and often a facet of the band and they are no worse for it. Most of these songs will be played better than they were tonight but the randomness is a part of the charm and there is much charm.

If fourteencorners do not have the charm of Le Tournoi - and some may successful argue they do - they make up for it with a technical excellent which sees their sound project throughout the room tonight. They effortlessly run through We Are Pathetic! We Are Stars! and pour passion into The Walk Home and if this gig is a warm up for the Piece Hall in Halifax this weekend then they are definitely warm.

Five Box Set - West Yorkshire Music People Talk About Their Favourite Albums

Along with any number of brothers, sisters and associates William Sanderson's Le Tournoi impress with thoughtful and curiously amusing songs described by some as Modern Folk, others as Joy Division-esque and most as impressive.

William's three favourite albums

This question is next to impossible to answer because I know my answer tomorrow would probably be completely different. I'll try and go with obvious ones.

Jens Lekman - self released EP Four perfect songs: Tram #7 to heaven, Maple Leaves, Black Cab, At The Dept. of Forgotten Songs. Each individual song has more character than most entire albums. Words don't do justice to "shit" good.

The Shins - Oh Inverted World This album is pop rock perfection. With many albums there are obvious weak aspects but here its 100% "Why couldn't I have written that, the brilliant bar-raising motherfuckers".

The lyrics are layered with metaphors and wordplay without seeming pompous. The melodies are beautiful and despite playing this record over and over and over again, I am yet to get the slightest bit bored with a single track. To top things off it was recorded with a 70 quid microphone. Damn them, damn them.

Jay-Z - Blueprint An album with one theme, how good Jay-Z is. It's so pretentious it's not pretentious anymore.

William's favourite on the scene

Laura Groves and Fourteen Corners are pretty darn great. Neither have an album out yet, but I have the majority of their songs on mp3. I don't want to hear their albums because I want to hear higher quality recordings of their songs, but because I want them to take the attention away from the masses of signed bands that aren't as good.

I generally only like bands I am friends with - hahaha - it's a terrible habit that I have no plans on shaking.

I also have an unhealthy, mostly unwarranted, hatred for anything to do with the city of Leeds. So if a band is from there or does that horribly comical thing of pretending they are from there I struggle to give them chance.

William on "The Best Album Ever"

Queen - Greatest Hits II A party isn't a party without it. It's a Hard Life, Under Pressure oh yes! Not even Innuendo can spoil the party.