“We could have called ourselves Pussy Galore but I don’t think it would have gone down so well,” jokes Honey Ryder vocalist and former Watford Grammar School girl Lyndsay O’Mahoney reflecting on the duo’s Bond inspired name.

And here the joking stops; for her phenomenal success of the last 12 months is no laughing matter.

With two top 40 singles, a combined live audience of more than 200,000, and support slots with Will Young and Michael Bolton she and band mate Martyn Shone deserve to be taken very seriously indeed.

The pair stand on the very edge of the big time, with their forthcoming debut album release likely to do very well indeed; a likelihood that isn’t merely down to its promising content.

Indeed, Rising Up is one of very few records backed by shareholders; the media savvy pair having sold percentage net profit stakes to fund its release and promotion.

“We need to sell 68,000 to break even,” explains Lindsay, her matter of fact voice almost at odds with the melodic, wistful vocals present on the record.

“It’s a crowded market place so you’ve got to think outside of the box to get noticed.”

Basically our album is our product – we’re confident in it so we’ve given people a chance to invest in it.”

The scheme, she explains, has three main benefits: 1) it allows the band to keep away from meddling record labels, 2) it funds necessary marketing and publicity and 3) its uniqueness attracts mainstream media interest.

Investors vary wildly: from friends and family to industry insiders, including former EMI CEO Eric Nicoli.

“The money we’ve raised (nearly £250,000) we’re using to promote the album as if we were signed to a major label; we’ve hired the same radio pluggers and marketing people as they would use in a campaign.

"So far it’s working well. We’ve toured with some massive names, we’ve had quite a bit of airplay, and we’ve managed to make a name for ourlesves.”

Credit where it’s due, this really is a master stroke; a band confident enough in its own abilities to stick two fingers up to the middle men and go it alone.

It’s an approach, however, that is yet to win over some more traditional critics. After all – a more literal example of selling out you’d struggle to find.

BAck to Lyndsay...

“Yes, we have been criticised by a few people for selling out and being too commercial but we want to be successful and know what that takes.

“Commercial is not a dirty word. Music is our life so we have to make a living from it any way we can. If that means being commercial then that’s fine with us “We want to write catchy, anthemic pop/rock songs that appeal to as many people as possible.”

Rising Up will be released on April 13 and third single Choices on April 6. Singles Fly Away and Numb are available now.

Honey Ryder are currently touring Ireland and the UK and will be heading to the US next month.