But, then, that is what The Whip do.

You (should) know their history by now. No bandwagon jumpers these, The Whip's origins can be traced back to ill-fated indie-electro pioneers, Nylon Pylon, a band stymied by the usual major label bullshit. When Pylon fell apart, however, Bruce and Danny retreated, undeterred, to a damp, strip-lit and reputedly haunted cellar in a Salford pub to regroup. They spent six months dodging loose plaster and freezing their electrodes off in this self-imposed "boot camp", laying the foundations for The Whip. "It's positive, a little seedy," they say of the name. "It just sounds good."

They took inspiration from the things that they love, from Manchester, from clubland. 'Blackout' - a highlight of their imminent Jim Abbis-produced debut, 'X Marks Destination' - was written in tribute to a Hacienda (and the old DJ trick of cutting all the lights at peak moments) that The Whip are too young to have experienced. 'Trash', meanwhile - which, from an initial run of 500 12" singles, has grown into a nationwide indie-electro anthem - was designed specifically to catch the ear of the DJs and the crowd at influential Manc disco-punk night, Club Suicide. "That's what we believed in," nods Bruce. "Going out clubbing we'd just been getting more and more excited by dance music and, naturally, we wanted to be a part of it."

With Nathan and Fiona recruited to the cause (just after they had split up as a couple no less), and The Whip MySpace getting appreciative hits, the band embarked on a punishing schedule of gigs that hasn't let up since. A series of limited singles, debut 'Frustration' (Kids), 'Trash' (LaVolta) and then 'Muzzle No1' with Southern Fried, now their permanent home, helped spread the word.

As did the attentions of Gildas Loaëc, chief tastemaker at the impeccably cool French record and fashion label, Kitsuné . Bowled over by tracks he had stumbled across online, the sometime Daft Punk manager rushed 'Trash' on to his Maison 3 compilation and subsequently put out The Whip's 'Divebomb' single. The effect, particularly in Japan where Kitsune are big news, was startling. They've visited twice now (and Fee's ex-pat uncle recently reported back that they had the biggest promo display in Hiroshima's largest record store). "It's absolutely nuts," says Bruce. "Each time we've been we must have had six hours sleep, over three or four days."

If that sounds manic, it's a work-load that The Whip relish. They simply love gigging, and even if it started out as a bit of a tongue-in-cheek thing, they try and live by the in-band motto: "Grattitude, not attitude." They have no time for the concept of band's as pampered, preening rock gods, who need to be put on a pedestal, or nursed through tours. Egos and hissy fits are not tolerated within the band - "We all pull each other up," laughs Nathan. "As we say, 'listen you, a bit less ego in my monitor, please'." - and they're at pains to stress how, when they play live, they see themselves not as "stars", but as the catalyst for a communal tear-up. Danny: "When we do a gig, we're at the same party. When we've finished, we want to get down there and have a dance while the other bands are on. There's no separation of, 'us band, you audience'."

Nathan continues: "There's something very real about the way we present ourselves, our attitude when talking to people, the music, and how we perform onstage." Although, he insists they're not alone. In this endless round of gigging and partying from Fuji Rocks to Transmusicales, The Whip have become firm friends with Hadouken!, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, The Teenagers and a host of other bands operating within what has become a global self-supporting underground network of clubs, labels and bands pushing indie-electro or, if you prefer, new rave.

"None of those guys seems to have an attitude," says Bruce. "They're not strutting around like roosters." Nathan nods: "I speak to the Hadouken! guys out of the band situation. Years ago, you wouldn't have got that."

That, post-gig, The Whip head straight for the dancefloor - "All our nights out are spent together," says Fiona. "This weekend we're in Belgium and Erol Alkan's DJing." - is clear in their music. Just as New Order used to take inspiration from the sounds of cutting-edge New York clubland, Italo-Disco or acid house, so too The Whip devour the best new electro, from Simian Mobile Disco to Sebastian, and it shows.

If 'X Marks Destination' is about anything, says Bruce, it's about, in a increasingly hostile world, craving precisely the escape that good dance music offers: "It's a celebration of freedom. Forgetting about shit, going out, having a good time. A lot of the lyrics are about struggling towards that freedom." And it is a struggle. 'Muzzle No1' or 'Trash', for instance, (the latter originally, "a long piece of bullshit all about spitting at people"), are very much modern, mixed-up dance tracks. They're cathartic anthems, that induce chaos on dancefloors, but there's nothing dumb or sappy about them. There's no upbeat rhetoric. Instead, they brim with a very 21st century sense of frustration and alienation. It's a Manchester thing, reckons Bruce: "There's an intensity, an industrial vibe to the city, that definitely rubs off on the music."

You can hear that intensity throughout 'X Marks Destination'. Tracks like 'Divebomb' (how a lither, funkier Justice might sound); tough, wiry electro-pop killer 'Fire'; or the huge snaking, six-minute shamanic frenzy 'Blackout', are full of the sounds and spiritual echoes of mechanical power, chattering digital data, traffic, tension, long drunken nights, bright lights, the urgent euphoria of sweaty basement club nights.

"'Fire' is fresh," says Bruce. "And next album we'll probably progress more towards that sound." He pauses: "But I definitely want to keep that pop element." And why not? Pop nous can't be learned. You either have it or you don't. And as 'Frustration', a neat, compact marvel of engineering, or 'Sister Siam', a shot of synthetic MDMA straight into your pleasure receptors, show, The Whip, like Hot Chip or Klaxons, have intuitive pop chops, dispensing hooks and melodies with deadly accuracy.

This isn't hype. It's plain audible fact. In 2008, The Whip will take their place at contemporary electro's top table. Best get ready for the after-party.

http://www.doesitoffendyou.com/

Mariah Carey	Kanye West	John Legend

Mariah Carey's multi-platinum comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi, and its smash single "We Belong Together," helped the pop singer score three of the most coveted Grammy nominations: Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The hit ballad also picked up mentions for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, while Mimi added Best Contemporary R&B Album to Carey's haul.

Presenters for the 48th Annual Grammy Awards nominations included BMI songwriter/artists John Legend, CeCe Winans, Mariah Carey, Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and Patti LaBelle. Photo by S. Lovekin/WireImage

Rapper Kanye West continued his red hot streak, also earning nominations in the Album and Record of the Year categories with his sophomore release Late Registration and the hit "Gold Digger," respectively. He will compete against himself for the Album of the Year title as a producer on Carey's disc. As a songwriter, West will battle for the Best Rap Song crown with his "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," as well as Best R&B Song as a co-writer on the Alicia Keys track "Unbreakable."

Black Eyed Peas	Brooks & Dunn

Soul singer John Legend is up for Best New Artist, Best R&B Album for his debut Get Lifted, and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Song of the Year for "Ordinary People," which he also co-wrote. Legend joins his mentor Kanye West and rapper Common on the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ticket with "They Say."

Casting Crowns	Common

Coming in with six nominations was Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas who, as a songwriter, has a shot at Song of the Year and Best R&B Song as co-writer of Legend's "Ordinary People" and Best Rap Song for the Peas' hit "Don't Phunk with My Heart." The band is also up for Best Rap and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Death Cab for Cutie	Foo Fighters

In addition to Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Common earned three other mentions, including Best Rap Album for Be. Four nods also went to Foo Fighters, Gorillaz, Billy Childs and BMI producer/songwriters the Neptunes, who have production credits on two Album of the Year nominees -- Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi and Gwen Stefani's Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

The Game	Gorillaz	John Williams

Earning three nominations apiece were Sheryl Crow, with Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("Good is Good"), Best Pop Vocal Album (Wildflower) and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for the single "Building Bridges," featuring Brooks & Dunn and Vince Gill; Eminem (Best Rap Solo Performance, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rap Album); and film composer John Williams, up for Best Score for Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, as well as for Best Instrumental Composition for both "Anakin's Betrayal" (from Revenge of the Sith) and "The Ferry Scene" (from the War of the Worlds soundtrack).

Maroon 5	Norah Jones	Sheryl Crow

Double nominees included rappers The Game and T.I., songwriter Marcus Hummon, singer Norah Jones and gospel diva CeCe Winans.

Other BMI songwriters and artists collecting Grammy nominations were Christina Aguilera, Dallas Austin, Casting Crowns, Eric Clapton (PRS), Death Cab for Cutie, Paquito D'Rivera, Danny Elfman, Fall Out Boy, Osvaldo Golijov, Dave Holland Big Band, Intocable, Keane (PRS), Maroon 5, Sugarland, Ying Yang Twins, and BMI Icons Charlie Daniels and Brian Wilson.

Sugarland		T.I.

The 48th Annual Grammy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on February 8.

BMI's 2006 Grammy Award Nominees:

8 NOMINATIONS
Mariah Carey
John Legend
Kanye West

6 NOMINATIONS
William Adams

4 NOMINATIONS
Billy Childs
Common
Foo Fighters
Gorillaz (PRS)
The Neptunes

3 NOMINATIONS
Yolanda Adams
The Black Eyed Peas
Sheryl Crow
De La Soul
Eminem
Herbie Hancock
Faith Hill
Alison Krauss & Union Station
John Williams

2 NOMINATIONS
Bobby Boyd
Brooks & Dunn
Andrew Coleman
Andrew Dawson
Dixie Chicks
The Game
Michael Giacchino
Jeff Hanna
Marcus Hummon
Norah Jones
Delbert McClinton
Donnie McClurkin
Joel Moss
Willie Nelson
Al Schmitt
Fat Man Scoop
T.I.
The White Stripes
CeCe Winans

MORE NOMINEES
Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with Arturo O'Farrill
Christina Aguilera
Trey Anastasio
Audio Adrenaline
Audioslave
John August
Dallas Austin
Ramon Ayala y Sus Bravos Del Norte
Marcia Ball
Ray Barretto
Steve Berkowitz
Big & Rich
Terence Blanchard
Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones
Blue Highway
Printz Board
William Bolcom
Peter Boyer
Solomon Burke
Burning Spear (PRS)
Sam Bush
Gary Calamar
Caribbean Jazz Project featuring Dave Samuels Orishas (SACEM)
Kurt Carr
Casting Crowns
Christopher Cerf
Steven Curtis Chapman
Cherryholmes
The Chieftains (IMRO)
Willy Chirino
Eric Clapton (PRS)
Dorinda Clark-Cole
Conjunto Progreso
Ry Cooder
Stewart Copeland
The Crabb Family
Robert Cray
Bill Cunliffe
Rivers Cuomo
Daft Punk (PRS)
Charlie Daniels
Day of Fire
Death Cab for Cutie
Deep Dish
Mos Def
Jack De Johnette
The Del McCoury Band
Ani DiFranco
Jerry Douglas
Dave Douglas
Paquito D'Rivera
John Du Prez (PRS)
Jerry Duplessis
Nokie Edwards
Danny Elfman
Ahmet Ertegun
Bill Evans
Fall Out Boy
Sammy Figueroa
Béla Fleck
Floetry
David Foster
Jamie Foxx
Aretha Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Carlos Franzetti
Larry Gatlin
Joachim Garraud (SACEM)
Gilberto Gil
Vince Gill
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Osvaldo Golijov
The Grascals
Grits
Buddy Guy
Merle Haggard
John Hammond
Raiatea Helm
Dave Holland Big Band
Israel Houghton
Van Hunt
Eric Idle (PRS)
Intocable
Jamiroquai (PRS)
Jars of Clay
The Jazz Chamber Trio
Rodney Jerkins
Eric Johnson
George Jones
The Jordanaires
Ledward Ka'apana
Keane (PRS)
John P. Kee
Garison Keillor
Toby Keith
R. Kelly
B.B. King
Kitaro
Kraftwerk (GEMA)
Ladysmith Black Mambazo (SAMRO)
Las 3 Divas
La Secta Allstar
The Last Poets
La Tropa F
Donald Lawrence
Ricky Lewis
The Light Crust Doughboys
Lil Wayne
Harold Lily
Aaron Lindsey
Linkin Park
Little Joe
Los Lonely Boys
Los Pleneros de la 21
Andre Lyon
Maroon 5
Joeworn Martin
Martina McBride
Delbert McClinton
Vicky McGehee
Tim McGraw
Sarah McLachlan (SOCAN)
Meat Beat Manifesto
Pat Metheny Group
Luis Miguel
Mingus Big Band
Ministry
Keb Mo
Molotov
Rick Moranis (SOCAN)
Mudvayne
Martha Munizzi
Walter Murphy
Meshell Ndegeocello
North Mississippi Allstars
The Oak Ridge Boys
Claus Ogerman (GEMA)
Walter Ostanek (SOCAN)
George Pajon, Jr.
Eddie Palmieri
John Prine
Queens of the Stone Age
Rascal Flatts
Joshua Redman Elastic Band
Sonny Rollins
The Royal Jesters
Eddie Santiago
Marvin Sapp
Seal (PRS)
José Serebrier
Shakira
Wayne Shorter Quartet
Ron Sluga
Omar Sosa
Luciana Souza
Jimmy Sturr
Sugarland
Tierney Sutton
System of a Down
Ali Farka Touré (BUMDA)
Tiempo Libre
Turtle Island String Quartet
Keith Urban
Bebo Valdés
Marcello Valenzano
Louie Vega
Rhonda Vincent & the Rage
Brian Wilson
BeBe Winans
George Winston
Paul Winter Consort
Hugh Wolff
David Yazbek
Ying Yang Twins

With its subtly stated themes of alienation and despair, the "Da Funk" video affirms Daft Punk's status as multimedia masters. Their current single, "One More Time," recently landed the number one spot on Billboard's Hot Dance/Club Play Chart and debuted at number one in France - the first time a single has premiered at the top of the French chart since Elton John's 1997 tribute to Princess Diana, "Candle in the Wind."

The warm reception bodes well for Discovery, Daft Punk's follow up to their debut release, Homework. To date, the 1996 album has sold over two million copies worldwide and yielded the dance staples, "Da Funk," "Around the World," "Burnin','" and "Fresh." Moreover, the album resulted in two acclaimed videos. Working with directors Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry, the group's video for the song "Da Funk" garnered a U.S. Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Recording and an MTV Europe Video Music Award nomination for Best International Video. "Da Funk" also captured an MTV Video Music Award nomination for Best Alternative Video, while Daft Punk's clip for "Around The World" was nominated for Best International Video.

Comprising composer/DJs Thomas Bangalter and Guy Manuel De Homem Christo, Daft Punk was formed from the ashes of a Parisian band called Darlin'. In 1994, Bangalter and De Homem Christo teamed to record "New Wave," their auspicious first single as Daft Punk. It's been nothing but international renown and critical hosannas ever since.