In 2001, when NME began declaring every man and his dog the ‘saviour of rock’, few bands stood out like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. One-time Brian Jonestown Massacre guitarist Peter Hayes joined bassist Robert Levon Been and drummer Nick Jago to form the band in 1998 and the band’s distinct style set them apart from their contemporaries.

Though the trio released debut album B.R.M.C. in early 2001, it wasn’t until later that year, when indie-rock bands became the flavour of the month, that the band started making an impact on the industry. But while they rode the same wave as bands like The Strokes, The White Stripes and The Vines, BRMC’s trademark sound and striking stage presence made them one of the most interesting bands of the early 2000s.

On the strength of several hit singles ( Love Burns, Whatever Happened to My Rock n Roll, Red Eyes and Tears, Spread Your Love), the band spent the next two years touring, and hit Australia for the first time when they appeared at Splendour in the Grass in 2002.

The highly anticipated follow-up came in the form of Take Them On, On Your Own in 2003 and, despite hits in the form of Stop and Six Barrel Shotgun, the album failed to shift units. After spending the majority of 2004 touring the record, the band was dropped by Virgin Records midway through the tour and, after a disastrous gig in Edinburgh, tensions within the band caused Jago to leave in August of that year.

After Jago’s departure, Been and Hayes continued to record material for the band and, early in 2005 they signed a deal with RCA for their third album. Jago returned to the band shortly before the release of Howl, which was hailed by critics as a major breakthrough. Rather than opting for the reverb and feedback of the first two albums, the trio recorded an album of bluesy roots-rock numbers that drew more from Johnny Cash than their earlier influences (The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine).

Baby 81, the fourth studio album from BRMC is due for release on May 1 and will feature the single Weapon of Choice. While the album is a return to the band’s earlier sound, Hayes, Been and Jago’s skills as in songwriting and arrangement place Baby 81 at the halfway point between Howl and the first two records.