A MUSICIAN is hoping for a £1.5 million record deal. Singer-songwriter Alex Harris, 28, from Royston, is taking part in a competition called the Rock Star Lottery with his band The New Dynamics. It s a worldwide competition for talent which is said to hav

A MUSICIAN is hoping for a £1.5 million record deal.

Singer-songwriter Alex Harris, 28, from Royston, is taking part in a competition called the Rock Star Lottery with his band The New Dynamics.

It's a worldwide competition for talent which is said to have been ignored by the traditional music industry.

Musicians upload their music on to a website and people can log on and vote.

The New Dynamics are one of 600 bands that have already signed up.

Alex said: "It would be great to win the lottery. It's being run by people who have been in and around music and have got the attention of the world's media."

So far, Alex has used his solo music on the site and has reached number 37.

"I hope we get through to the last 250," he said.

Alex is the lead vocalist and main songwriter for the New Dynamics, whose members include, Ian Francis, 28, on bass, Owen Stark, 23, of Ashwell, on keyboards, Russell Fletcher, 29, on electric guitar and Phil Lee, 38, of St Ives, on drums.

Alex said each member of the band was a songwriter in his own right, and recently they won the Red Stripe Cambridge Band Competition.

"We play pop music and love it," Alex said.

"We're all a bit older now and want to have fun, and we bring different things to the group.

"We like feel-good songs which are catchy and memorable.

"At the moment we are trying to amalgamate our sounds and find our voice."

Alex, who graduated from the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, has been playing in Royston and Cambridge since 2003.

He said: "I always try to keep an open mind, and as a songwriter that's my strength.

"My inspiration for songs comes from inside. The best ones come when you least expect them. I pick up a guitar and start playing, and the words just come."

Alex takes his cue from artists, styles and producers such as Greg Alexander (New Radicals), Daniel Bedingfield, Kanye West, Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Nelly Furtado, Robbie Williams, Timbaland, the Xenomania songwritng team Lily Allen and Pharrell Williams.

He said: "I adore 1980s music, funk and soul and Motown. I love indie rock such as Coldplay, Death Cab For Cutie, and Ryan Adams. I am partial to a bit of Embrace and Oasis as well.

"I think being an artist, songwriter and producer, you have got to keep an open mind and not be influenced by just one genre.

"It's about music and enjoying yourself, and there's no way I would ever become a musical snob.

"Music is there to be messed around with and enjoyed. I love it all."

Alex joined his first band called Fringe as a 16-year-old, when he was studying at The Meridian School, Royston.

But since then he has been involved with a number of bands and projects.

He's done work for the BBC, written music for artists, and has done session work for Roland, a musical instrument manufacturer.

- If anyone would like to submit a vote in support of the New Dynamics visit www.rockstarlottery.com

- To find out more about Alex and his band visit www.myspace.com/alexvharris or www.myspace.com/newdynamics