FORMER pupil of Devonport High School for Boys, Sean Bishop, who is still part way through a degree course at Tech Music School in London, is already enjoying a taste of success with his newly formed band The Hype Theory.

Already the four-piece, which consists of students from the college, have been featured on BBC Introducing and were picked out of thousands to feature on MySpace Mars Planets Radio, presented by XFM's Alex Zane.

Often compared to Paramore, largely because of their powerful pop/rock female-fronted sound, the band have also been favourably featured in the Unsigned section of NME.

Sean and lead vocalist Katy Jackson write the songs which bring a variety of influences to the table.

"My influences are largely American," says Sean. "I'm a big fan of Jimmy Eat World, Fall Out Boy, Panic At The Disco, but I also like Muse and Radiohead."

Sean's interest in music started at a young age and at DHS he studied GCSE and then A Level Music, focusing on classical guitar.

"I was in a band while I was at school," says Sean. "We were called The Small Print and as well as coming second in a school's Battle of the Bands contest, we played local venues like The Hub, The Phoenix and The Junction."

On leaving school, Sean decided to spend a year doing a diploma course in music in London, before going on to study for an academic degree, possibly in psychology.

But he enjoyed the music so much and did so well that he decided to pursue it further.

"At the end of the diploma course I was chosen to play in a gig as part of a band at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.

"It was amazing – playing to this huge venue of three tiers of people, all looking down at me!"

Bitten by the bug, he enrolled for the music degree course in the Guitar X Department at the college – which should equip him with the skills to become a session guitarist at least – and hasn't looked back.

Meeting other like-minded musicians with whom to form a band was an added bonus.

Now the quartet are regulars at a variety of venues around London, most notably at headlining shows at the very cool Monto Water Rats in Kings Cross and are already looking forward to recording their second EP – this time with top producer Matt O'Grady.

"We are so excited about going into the studio with him at the end of November as he has produced some amazing bands like Enter Shikari, The Black Out and You Me At Six.

"We've got a whole selection of songs ready to go, but we're not sure yet which to choose. I guess that will be up to him."

The band intend to hit the road this side of Christmas and will be heading South West if Sean has any say in the matter.

"I come back home quite regularly to see my old band mates. I can't wait to come back with The Hype Theory to play for family and friends…"

Find out more about the band by visiting www.myspace/thehypetheory