MEET Wild Smiles – the Hampshire three-piece destined for the top.

The trio have already established themselves as a must-see band across the south and the buzz surrounding them is reaching fever pitch.

Brothers Chris and Joe Peden formed Wild Smiles two years ago after bringing in drummer Ben Cook following a chance meeting with a drumming busker in Winchester High Street.

Chris told the Daily Echo how they approached the drummer, who recommended Ben – one of his students – to take hold of the sticks.

Thus Wild Smiles was born.

Now two years on the band have just released their debut album Always Tomorrow and marked it with a launch party at The Social in London.

The album is a tour-de-force of catchy, punk-driven rock and roll, capturing the no holds barred spirit of Nirvana and the genius of Beach Boys surf pop.

And just last week the NME lavished praise on the release, describing it as “an inspired retro-pop mash”.

They headlined the Psychedelia South birthday weekend in front of a packed crowd at Lennon’s in Southampton in October and played in a tent at The Rolling Stones’ Hyde Park show in 2013.

Chris said the band’s rapid success has been a surprise: “Everything is going really well. When we first started out as a band we didn’t really think of anyone hearing our music.

“With Wild Smiles it seemed to get picked up pretty quickly.

“I am excited about the album – it’s not just the band’s anymore. When we play live people might know more of our songs.”

The band formed after Chris’s previous band fell apart and his girlfriend ditched him.

Chris, who grew up with Joe in Whiteparish, Romsey, initially planned to make distorted pop as a guitar and drums duo, before teaming up with Ben.

The band recorded in the family kitchen and filmed psychedelic music videos against the wall with an iPhone.

They were then introduced to Portishead’s Geoff Barrow, who snapped up their first single to release on his Invada label.

Chris says the band’s popularity is down to the strength of the Hampshire music scene.

He said: “There is a really good music scene happening at the moment. All the bands are helping each other.

“Tom Dyer, who runs the Psychedelia club night, has been helping out all the bands and he deserves a lot of credit.

“Bands like Dolomite Minor, Fever, and Kassassin Street are really impressive.”

Wild Smiles play Club NME at London’s Koko on November 21.

If you are a local band or artist and would like to be featured in the Daily Echo, contact Rory McKeown by e-mailing rory.mckeown@dailyecho.co.uk or calling 023 8042 4996.

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