KEANE - KEANE: 'MAINSTREAM ISN'T BAD'

KEANE have rejected complaints they're just another band churning out popular rock ballads, insisting cutting edge acts can also be branded mainstream.

The British outfit - who have scored a commercial hit with their debut album HOPES AND FEARS this year (04) - refuse to let critics make them feel bad about their music, because everyone has their own tastes.

Pianist TIM RICE-OXLEY says, "(THE STREETS') DRY YOUR EYES is a non-threatening ballad and (FRANZ FERDINAND's) TAKE ME OUT is a catchy pop song.

"Both are great, but I definitely don't think our music is more mainstream in a negative way. We're not NATASHA BEDINGFIELD.

"We're doing the same thing we were 18 months ago when we released 500 copies of a single on (independent record label) FIERCE PANDA and no one cared."