Well, it’s been a while since we last checked in at the official site – all the action and latest news is over at our Myspace page – www.myspace.com/payolarock - where we have a regularly updated blog. The big news is that we’ve completed the recording of 3 brand new Pay*ola tunes  - 77 Miles, Flat Earth and Show Me The Payola – and they are all available for your listening pleasure at the aforementioned Myspace page. We hope y’all enjoy them, and if you’re registered with Myspace, be sure to let us know your thoughts. These tracks will be released shortly – firstly they will be available to purchase and download on-line, and then there will be a CD release – stay tuned for developments! 

We are also just about to return to gigging after a “Winter break”, and we hit the stage again at a very appropriate show. Dougie – our soundman, driver and all-round “5^th member” was recently the victim of an arson attack, in which his new van and over £20,000 worth of equipment were destroyed. We have organised a benefit night for our friend, in the Empire Music Hall, Belfast on Thursday 12^th April. Apart from ourselves, the gig will feature local rockers Dynamo, and 3 great classic rock covers bands – Strictly No Ballroom, Glamslam and Ballroom Blitz – so apart from the good cause, it will be a brilliant night of rock’n’roll! Doors open 8.30pm and admission is £4. We follow this up with a slot at the 2^nd “New Born Festival”, held at the Slaney Inn, Downpatrick, on Saturday 14^th April. Our slot is between 5.30 - 6pm. Here are some more cool gigs that we have currently lined up: 

Saturday 12^th May – Portrush, Retro Bar (North West 200 Special) 

Saturday 9^th June – Warrenpoint, Square Peg 

Saturday 16^th June – Dungannon, Common Rooms Bar 

Saturday 30^th June – Ahoghill (near Ballymena), Diamond Bar

Keep checking our Myspace for gig updates.

So, what have we been up to since we last posted here? Well, apart from recording the new E.P – which took place at Manor Park Studios in Co. Antrim with our producer Neal Calderwood – we also played some fantastic shows in late 2006. Firstly, we supported Australian legend Jimmy Barnes in Belfast’s Spring and Airbrake –then we landed the support slot on the Irish leg of LA sleaze rockers Buckcherry’s tour. The gigs in Crawdaddy, Dublin and The Limelight, Belfast were 2 of the most fun we’ve ever played –and the fact that we’re all massive Buckcherry fans made the whole experience a total thrill.   

And then… 

We were given the guest slot on Status Quo’s Irish tour – the second time we’ve had the pleasure of playing with these rock legends, and this time was even better than the first – featuring shows in The Odyssey Arena, Belfast (our biggest ever home-town gig), The Point in Dublin (our third gig there – could really get used to the place!) and the INEC in Killarney (our first ever show in that part of Ireland…a great way to introduce ourselves!). Phil was especially honoured to be supporting his all time favourite bands, and Francis Rossi sitting in on the Pay*ola sound check in Killarney surely ranks as one of our “moments” of 2006! We also played a bunch of cracking headline shows around this time, and rounded the year off with a showcase slot at the annual “belFEST” festival in late November. 

Anyway – check out the new tunes, and hopefully we’ll see ya at a show some time soon. Be good to yourselves – Philip, Nick, James and Nicky