The Diesel Fitters came about following the splitting up of popular local band The Tone in early 2003. Ste and Liz Rothwell had plied their trade for nigh on 7 years since forming the four piece with elder brother Mike and school friend Joe (now of 'Strip Jack' fame) while still at school. Alas, (for The Tone anyway), a solid fan base, and acclaim from as far afield as Dublin and Sheffield proved to be the pinnacle of the band's success. A highly successful 2 year berth as resident band in Crosby's jam festival came to a natural end and Ste and Liz looked to pastures new. Ste whiled away the long hours in the music shop he'd not long started with brother Mike, and aided and abetted by enthusiastic co-writer Liz, found his penchant was for penning tunes influenced by a combination of rock and folk music with a definitive Irish feel running through it's core. A chance arrival of a Mandolin helped things along nicely, and the stage was set, thus heralding the idea for the new band. With the pair both learning the mandolin, and Ste also chipping in on the fiddle, the foundations were in place. A bassist, drummer and accordion player were recruited quickly in the form of the largely untried (on those instruments anyway) Hayley Clarke, Si (Ronny) Radford and Liz Hogan respectively. Finally, the jigsaw was completed in June 2003 as Andy Steele, formerly of Camarillo and The Haze was brought in to play guitar and do his share of the singing. The 'Fitters' were off and running, and it wasn't long before they were being touted as one to watch, by all discerning local music fans with a keen ear for a good tune. A solid 3 months practising and writing followed before the band's first gig in early October. A jam-packed Stamps Bat Loft were treated to a superb first offering, and things have gone to strength to strength since. For months the video footage of their Cavern gig soon after has been the biggest draw on Radio Crosby, and critical acclaim has awaited the band at their every turn. A 4-track EP on the DieselDoRecords label (known hereafter as DDR) was completed in March 04 to immediate rave reviews, and with their inimitable original style, things it seems, can only get better.