The Coral's Split Fears

The Coral's lead singer James Skelly has admitted he feared the band would split when the lead guitarist took a break from playing with them.

The Liverpool-based group are set to release their fifth album Roots And Echoes next month, but James said he thought their previous album The Invisible Invasion could have been their last when Bill Ryder-Jones had a breather to "get his head together".

"When he went, I thought that might've been it, but obviously I never wanted it to end," James admitted.

He added: "With hindsight, it was worrying, but at the time we just had the blinkers on and were trying to fulfil everything we had to do."

Thankfully Bill didn't leave for good and the band recorded their new album at Wheeler End studio - owned by Noel Gallagher.

"It's a great studio. There's loads of vintage gear in there, and there are lots of options when it comes to the way you record something," James said.

"I'd definitely work there again."

Source: www.metro.co.uk