IN ONE year an Amersham's band life has been turned around. Going from nearly unknowns who had been apart for 15 years Original Sinners found themselves performing at last year's Hard Rock Calling.

After entering Absolute Radio's One Last Dream competition they found themselves opening the concert on the main stage in Hyde Park last summer.

Lead guitarist Dan Turner, 41, said: “It has just been brilliant. The band was always a really good band. You took us all away and gave us 15 years experience and put us all together. The band is so much better than we ever were. We are now back in the studio.

“Everyone is really on top of our game.”

The band, who are Dan, Al Burls, Dave Axford, Mark Lague and Pete Stevens have just recorded five new tracks and named their new EP- Unfinished Business.

He said the competition prize to play at Hyde Park was amazing. He said: “When we went out on stage in front of 40,000 people it was like we were born to do it. It was natural. None of us were scared. We just felt this is where we should be.”

Three of the band still have day jobs and put the money they get from performing back into the band and to record in the studio.

Turner said: “We don't have any management- don't have record deals- we are still looking for that.”

They have 600 members on their Facebook page and have a number of gigs coming up.

He added: “We are further forward than we have ever been. In the 80s Kerrang were saying we were going to be the next big thing but it never happened.”

Be in with the chance of winning five free tickets to their next gig at Aylesbury Civic Centre on May 28 which they are headlining. Go to www.theoriginalsinners.co.uk and answer this question: Name the single the Original Sinners released last year.

They are also playing at the Wycombe Swan Theatre on June 19 supporting Limehouse Lizzy.

This year a band from Birmingham are being given a second chance at stardom after being shortlisted to open the legendary Isle of Wight Festival as part of One Last dream 2010 sponsored by Swiftcover.com on Absolute Radio’s Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show.

Runaway haven’t played together since they split up in 1989 and Jeff Williams on drums is an IT expert from Buckinghamshire.

The three finalist will be announced on May 21. Follow their progress on the breakfast show on 105.8FM in London, nationally on 1215AM and DAB or online at www.absoluteradio.co.uk weekdays from 6-10am.