From the street to stardom across the world

Piccadilly Rats - PIC by Adrian Drummond-Hill

OLDHAM-BORN Gaz Stanley can't believe how popular the Piccadilly Rats have become - and now Manchester's most famous street band are set to be documentary stars.

Gaz set up the Piccadilly Rats in 2013 with Heath Dean and Kenny Wheaver.

They played the city centre's popular shopping streets to steadily increasing numbers and, once Ray Boddington and Tommy Trouble joined up, the crowd shot up.

Belting out song and dance renditions of classics like Wonderwall, Living Next Door to Alice and The Young Ones, the Piccadilly Rats have become internet smashes on YouTube, and TV appearances have followed.

The guys have featured on The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent and even on Judge Rinder and the Jeremy Kyle Show.

Asked if he could believe the amazing rise, Gaz said: "I can't really. It started off with a few people watching us, then after about six months more and more came.

"When Ray finally joined, then we started getting huge crowds because he had already been a performer in his own right.

"Together as a unit it's great, we're like a theatrical kind of show.

"People from all over the world have watched us now. I believe the Judge Rinder show has been watched in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and Norway, and we've also appeared on Brazilian television, believe it or not.

"All these little bits add up, and it's just snowballed really.

"There are some fantastic buskers out there - if you want to call them that - but with the Piccadilly Rats, we just seem to be more approachable.

"We get a hell of a lot of hen parties and stag dos joining in with us, and that's just heart-warming how the younger generation has taken to us."

Now the Piccadilly Rats are to feature in their own music documentary, courtesy of Low Flying Geese and having been guided by director Nathan Cunningham.

The feature is scheduled for release in January, there's a plush premiere in the planning stages, and talk is there are American companies already interested in releasing over there.

Gaz said: "I've seen bits of it and it's looking really good.

"The crew followed us around for 12 months. They got Ray's story in there about his past and the famous people he's worked with, then, of course, they went with Tommy for a while."

He added: "It's an interesting documentary because it's not just about happiness and music - there's a lot of sadness in there, which people will see.

"I asked Nathan if it was a good idea to show the depressing bits, but he wanted to feature everything about us.

"They've got everything in the can now, and the film company are really pleased with it.

"We're all hoping the documentary can take the band on to that next level, but whatever happens, there's other irons in the fire too."

One of those irons Gaz refers to is the official release of three new Piccadilly Rats tracks, and the he has exclusively revealed to the Chronicle the titles of the songs - Katy, Dorothy and You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine.

These are exciting times for the famous Piccadilly Rats, but Ray has been keen to clarify just what type of band they are.

He said: "I don't like the word 'busker' because I've always believed anybody who does anything musical-wise, whether it's singing or playing, is a performer.

"I did point that out to a certain Judge Rinder and he said 'I stand corrected'."

Check out forthcoming Piccadilly Rats gigs on social media.

They are on the lookout for a manager. Get in touch via social media if you are interested.