Indie band turn to 'Dragon's Den' for record cash

Radiohead gave their record away for free, Nine Inch Nails tailored their releases depending on how much fans were willing to pay, now a Cambridge indie band has turned to reality TV to take on the music industry.

Trio Hamfatter went on BBC "business simulation series" 'Dragon's Den' to raise money to release their records.

After six years of toiling on the live circuit – their biggest success being a top three hit in Austria – the band managed to raise £75,000 on Monday's (July 21) show. All five dragons were keen to strike a deal, but the band singer Eoin O'Mahony, guitarist Jimbo Ingham, drummer Mark Ellis and manager Jamie Turner chose to work with Peter Jones.

"He said 'I just love music'," Ingham explained, "and that, for me, was something big - plus he was wearing stripey socks."

For more on the band, the 'Dragon's Den''s cash and NME's verdict on the TV-funded single, get this week's issue of NME, on UK newsstands from tomorrow (July 23).