The past 18 months have, to say the very least, been a busy time for the @tomika boys, writes Joe Hawkins.

A month or so ago @tomika played their biggest gig to date, supporting the legendary Stiff Little Fingers at Camden's Forum. How did they land such a prestigious slot?

"Rick Buckler - (who used to be The Jam's bassist, now with Stiff Little Fingers) - saw us at the Guildford Festival last year. A few months later he came to see us at a local gig. Straight after the show he invited us to support Stiff Little Fingers," @tomika's singer, songwriter and guitarist Gareth Norgate recalls. "It was an experience to play on such a big stage to so many people. We'll have some more of that." In their 'home' area around Aldershot, @tomika's name on the bill practically guarantees a full house. They've also built themselves a reputation and a following in the London circuit, Oxford is another favourite haunt for the band.

"We play Oxford regularly - there's quite a few Oxford bands who we get on well with," Gareth explains. "Outside of Aldershot, Oxford is our favourite place to play, people have got used to us.

"But the first time we played in Oxford we all thought it was a bit of a weird place. It's so different to anywhere else." Although @tomika's bassist Steve Bonner is probably sick and tired of hearing it, he bears more than a passing resemblance to actor Sean Bean.

"He IS Sean Bean - he's given up acting to do a proper job," jokes Gareth.

Their dark and, at times haunting, musical style has been compared with the early Manic Street Preachers - although @tomika aren't that easy to neatly pigeonhole.

"I suppose there is a touch of the Manics - we often get compared to them. Influence-wise, Radiohead is in there somewhere. We've got a mellower more acoustic side too, drawing from Counting Crows and The GoGo Dolls. The Doves are a big influence at the moment".

As far as the music industry goes, making any kind of an impact is all about being patient. You achieve one goal and immediately look towards the next one.

@tomika are heading in the right direction. As for the future - "The best is yet to come!" Gareth proclaims.