Next weekend music lovers in the area are going to get the chance to catch the all-girl trio being championed by Suzi Quatro.

Desensitised will play Barnoldswick Music and Arts Centre next Saturday night, one of the band’s first gigs in almost two years as they have been busy in the studio recording their new album.

“We’re raring to get out on the road and to show people what we are all about,” said guitarist Libby Butterworth-Smith. “We have been in the studio for a long time but we wanted to make sure that we were doing everything right.”

The Bolton News: Desensitised - Charlotte Radford (vocals), Libby Butterworth-Smith (guitar, backing vocals), Claire Brookes (drums, piano)

The band - singer Charlotte Radford and drummer Claire Brookes complete the trio - combine power pop, punk and rock and have serious attitude.

“You can blame our dads for that,” laughed Libby. “They were all into their music and we used to listen to all their records.”

The band are from Nottingham and they all met while at school.

“Charlotte and me have been friends since primary school, we even worked together for a bit, and we became friends with Claire in high school,” said Libby. “I think that close relationship we’ve got really helps us as a band - we vibe off each other.

“We decided to form a band when we were in sixth form. We had to talk Claire into being the drummer but once she agreed we haven’t looked back.”

In 2019. Desensitised released their debut album Sister Psychosis.

“We did everything on that album,” said Libby. “Even though we didn’t have a record company behind us at that stage it was attracting a lot of interest and we were out gigging and then Covid happened.”

Like many musicians this led to a virtual two-year hiatus.

“We lost the impetus we had created with the album,” said Libby. “But now we are back at it and we have got Butterfly Productions behind us and Suzi Quatro advising us which is amazing.”

There can’t be many rock bands out there who total seven degrees between them but that’s the case with Desensitised.

“We worked hard,” laughed Libby. “Mine are in music and special educational needs, Charlotte’s got an English degree and Claire is a cardiology nurse.

“We’re all working full time at the moment - Claire and I both teach - so it’s hard working in all the studio work and now the gigs but ultimately the goal is to turn to music full time.”

The girls’ different tastes in music are reflected in the overall sound of Desensitised.

“You can tell when I’m playing guitar my punk pop influences like Billy Joe Armstrong and Blink 182 although I am the one in the band who also who likes it heavy.

The Bolton News: Desensitised

“Charlotte is very much a Swifty and likes Olivia Rodrigo and you can tell that with her melodies. Oh, and she’s also absolutely Elvis’s number one fan. Claire and her dad who is also a musician have done a lot of Stiff Little Fingers gigs together and she loves punk.

“I think all of these influences come through in the music and we all contribute to the songs. On the new album Claire wrote one song on the piano and we expanded it. My brother is a composer and he arranged strings for it.”

Although complete, the new album isn’t available just yet.

“We want to do everything right and make sure that everything is done before we release it,” said Libby. “We have some videos to finish off and other bits of promo work to line up.

“But until then we are heading back out on the road to hopefully win over some new fans who perhaps won’t be aware of us.

“That’s why we are looking forward to playing at Barnoldswick. We like the idea that most people will probably have never heard us and it’s our chance to impress.

“We do like to put on a high energy show wherever we play and audiences seem to respond to that.

“One of our favourite things is to go on the road and ‘collect’ new people.”

Desensitised, supported by Drop Dead Red, Barnoldswick Music and Arts Centre, Saturday. March 30. Details from www.barnoldswickmusicandartscentre.com