A NEW book revealing the ins and outs of life with South Lakeland rockers British Sea Power is gaining plaudits from critics across the country.

Roy Wilkinson, brother to band leaders Neil and Scott Wilkinson, has written ‘Do It For Your Mum’ described by GQ as ‘the funniest rock book in years’ and as a ‘spirited, comic Father's Day gift in waiting’ by MOJO.

From their humble beginnings in Natland in the late 1990s until 2005, Roy managed the group, which is completed by drummer Matthew Wood, who met Neil and Scott at Kirkbie Kendal School, and guitarist Martin Noble.

His excellent novel, published through Rough Trade Books, describes the brothers’ upbringing in the Lake District and the inspiration it had on their career, which has seen them build up an obsessive fanbase, sell thousands of records and play gigs across the globe.

It all started in Park Close, Natland, where Neil, Scott and Roy grew up with their two brothers, sister and parents.

And as Roy writes so eloquently in the book: “Where was the best place to form a band? London....New York...San Francisco? Perhaps not. Maybe the best place to form a band was in a small village on the edge of the English Lake District. The village was called Natland.”

Roy told The Gazette: “Natland is mostly farmland and you can look out to Morecambe Bay and out to the mountains. It makes you think a lot as you look to the horizon. Their music has a sense of scope and makes people think of broad vistas and landscapes, and they grew up surrounding by that.”

“I like the idea that this band who are distinctive and have had a big impact are from Natland. They are the biggest thing in Natland since the treacle mines (a local legend) and may remain forever the biggest band to come from the village. I like that.”

Neil began gigging with local bands in Kendal pubs in his mid-teens before Scott joined him, playing one of their earliest gigs together in Old Hutton village hall.

After forming BSP, their dad Ronald, 87, became their biggest fan, and the book charts his loving obsession with the group, as he told everyone he met that they were ‘the best, most important band in the world’.

Roy said: “I have been thinking about writing the book for quite a while. It seemed quite a good story to tell. You do get brothers in bands, and brothers managing bands, but the special was our dad, who was about 80 when it started taking off, who became quite involved. He was suddenly listening to Nick Cave and The Butthole Surfers, having listened previously to Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday.”

The band have given the book the thumbs up with Neil telling Roy in an email it was ‘a great, great, great, great read’.

Do It For Your Mum is out on Monday (September 19).