En route to a gig in their van Alf 'allegedly' jumped the lights ("It was amber!" he protests...), and collided with an unsuspecting scooterist. All hell broke loose as both parties denied responsibility. Alf, ever the diplomat, tried to cool things down, little realising he was dealing with Alli, only daughter of the fiery MacInnes clan.
As the argument accelorated, Pix saw trouble brewing when the wee MacInnes took off her helmet and shook out her flaming red locks.
Witnesses fled the scene: the house money was on Alli in four rounds...
Neale, taking refuge in the van, was spellbound - the emotion, the passion, the danger. That voice.
Fifth Amendment was born...

A period of hibernation, collaboration and speculation began as the band fused technology with raw human emotion, turning primeval energy into razorblade melodies.
And then....
A series of hit-and-run "what the fuck was THAT?' live forays across the capital...An unexpected appearance at the Best of British festival in Cannes...A rabid word-of-mouth following...A furious bidding war from which One Little Indian came out smiling...

Fifth Amendment's first offensive - an EP entitled Praeludium - was released at the end of 1999, and was made Single Of The Week in Kerrang! and Single Of The Month in Front magazine. A residency at London's infamous Barfly to coincide with the release of their Camera Shy single in April this year garnered rave reviews ("Fifth Amendment look like Vikings and play like Gods, a bit Garbage, a bit Skunk Anansie...a bit bloody good. Even huge slabs of industrial rock can't hide shiny hooks and electro-shudders. But it's Alli's pure drama, that skin-searing voice and her pained hunger, that make Fifth Amendment such an awesome live experience." - (Melody Maker) / "You'll be hearing a lot more from Fifth Amendment, cos they sure as hell won't be ignored." - Kerrang!).

The band's third single, Heave ("A work of pure genius - Kerrang! (4/5)) in July kicked off a summer of spectacular live shows, including supporting Kittie at the Canadian rock chicks' personal request, and furious festival appearances at Germany's Rock Am Ring and Rok Im Park, before highly-acclaimed performances at T In The Park and Reading and Leeds, where the band packed the Carling Premier tent on both days.

Anticipation for the band's self-titled debut album is high, with an 8/10 review in Metal Hammer and a Melody Maker Best Band feature already appearing, as well as a 4.5/5 review in Rock Sound ("Tracks as intriguing as the chorus-strong Modes Of Perception and the beautiful finale, In Vain, make it almost impossible to draw comparisons between Fifth Amendment and any other band, and the ability of the four-piece to draw intricately-detailed samples together with their highly impressive musicianship makes the album an altogether tantalising taste of twenty-first century rock..."), and September sees the band embarking on a nationwide UK tour.