Boobytrap: The Artists

1. TOMMY AND THE CHAUFFEUR have had a great year. Having and Wanting was their debut single, and led to an A-listing on XFM, numerous NME reviews, UK tours, a publishing deal and label interest. It entered the UK indie charts at number two, beating N-Sync! A new EP will follow in 2002.

2. MC MABON's debut single was Go Iawn Wir Yr, which came in-between two highly-acclaimed albums on ankstmusik. As well as garnering a Peel Session, it received praise from The Evening Standard, The Independent, the NME and The Guardian…and almost sold out in the shops.

3. EL GOODO's Honey led to a Peel Session, gigs with Super Furry Animals (big fans) and a Japanese release of the single on Vinyl Junkie.

4. DERRERO's Aerial Angle was their first new material since their successful Fixations With Long Journeys album on Big Noise and became a Mark'n'Lard favourite, as well as getting them their third Peel Session. They toured the UK with Lowgold and Brave Captain.

5. ZABRINSKI's Freedom Of The Highway was their debut single, and was followed by an album for ankstmusik. Playlisted by XFM, it also got an NME review and a Peel session, and the band supported JJ72 and Coldplay and played a successful UK tour with Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, though their scheduled tour with Catatonia was cancelled when Catatonia split up. Boo hoo.

6. THE LOVES are Wales' lo-fi heroes. Little Girl Blues led to their first Peel Session, plus an appearance on Radio One's digital TV. They've won new fans at their numerous gigs in London, Glasgow and Manchester, released a single on Manchester's Track and Field label, and release an album in 2002.

7. BRAVE CAPTAIN is Martin Carr, formerly of The Boo Radleys. Corporation Man was a fast-seller, and he had his two albums on Wichita and a Fierce Panda single (with MC Mabon) to back him up on his headlining European tour and UK tour with Lowgold. A new album on Wichita is eagerly awaited this year.

8. MCLUSKY's Who You Know was the last low-key release before they signed to Too Pure. Support slots with the likes of Sum 41 and Nashville Pussy, as well as headline dates, secured good KERRANG!, NME, Independent and Time Out reviews for the single, which will also appear on their imminent Steve Albini-produced album.

9. BIG LEAVES are one of the biggest bands in Wales. Electro Magnetic Pollution is a live favourite, and received plays from Steve Lamacq and Mark'n'Lard on Radio One, as well as being playlisted at XFM (if you listen carefully, you can hear Super Furry Animals' Cian Ciaran on keyboards). Last year, as well as playing V2001, the band played support slots to Embrace, and released the Animal Instinct EP.

10. CUBARE's Punx Snot Dead It Just Sux Now is Boobytrap's only double-B-sided single to date. The band reveived good reviews and attention from their In The City gig in Manchester, and release a mini-album in 2002.

11. JT MOUSE's Sundrenched Torso was picked up by a ferry company for use in a TV advert, and is quickly becoming a sell-out since Record Collector highly recommended it.

12. THE MARTINI HENRY RIFLES' Kill/Summer/Shit was Boobytrap's last release of the year. It received good reviews in NME and KERRANG!, as well as Single Of The Week in The Independent, and was played by Steve Lamacq and John Peel on Radio One.