THREE librarians are hoping to make a big noise in the music world with the launch of their debut album on Monday.
Singer Amit Sharma, pianist Kieran Nagi and drummer Ross Kenning formed the appropriately named Ex Libras among the hushed bookshelves of the borough's libraries.
The trio spent eight months converting a garden shed at a 'top secret' Heston location into a studio, where they recorded and produced their first album, Suites.
Single Radar has already been picked as track of the day by magazines Q and Classic Rock, while Clash magazine described the album as a 'bold, impressive debut'. Ross, who
lives in Hounslow and went to Gunnersbury Catholic School, said fellow librarians had been very supportive, despite the group's style not being quite to their taste.
"A lot of the people we work with are middle-aged ladies and they're usually into the oldies and goldies, like Tom Jones," he said.
"But they'll make you a cup of tea and listen to you talk about the band, which is all you want sometimes as a struggling artist."
According to Ross, who still works part-time for Hounslow library service, the band's mix of pop, electronica and jazz has been influenced by bands like Radiohead, Muse and lesser-known 'math rockers' Battles.
"We've got quite varied musical tastes. Amit and Kieran are quite into classical music and post rock. Kieran's a big Stevie Wonder fan, too, but
thankfully there's not much honky-tonk stuff in our music," he said.
The Ex Libras, who used to rehearse at The Rifleman, in Hanworth Road, Hounslow, are the latest in a long line of artists from the area.
Jay Sean, who grew up in Heston, is still riding high in the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. Freddie Mercury and Elvis Costello lived in the borough, as did Alex Rivers, of 2000 chart-toppers Oxide and Neutrino.
Kieran, lives in Heston and went to Isleworth and Syon School with Amit. He said it is the area's cultural diversity which makes it a hotbed for musical talent.
"There's a big musical community around here, and I think that's partly down to the mix of different cultures," he said.
