POP pin-up Charlie Simpson has revealed a rocking new project – but denied it will lead to him leaving his million-selling band Busted.The 18-year-old star is fronting a new band, Fightstar, who have played a number of low-key gigs in London.

POP pin-up Charlie Simpson has revealed a rocking new project – but denied it will lead to him leaving his million-selling band Busted.

The 18-year-old star is fronting a new band, Fightstar, who have played a number of low-key gigs in London.

Charlie, from Woodbridge, sings and plays guitar in the new group, promising a heavier sound than fans are used to from Busted.

He formed the band with his friends Alex Westaway (guitar and vocals), Dan Haigh (bass) and Omar Abidi (drums) and has played gigs at venues such as The Underworld, Camden, and the Borderline in central London.

Charlie is a huge fan of rock music and counts The Deftones and Jimmy Eat World among his favourite bands.

Fightstar's recent show at the Borderline included original material and a cover of a song by the industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails.

But a spokesman for the chart-topping pop group said Charlie remained committed to Busted, who release a single, Who's David, next Monday and head out on a major UK tour at the end of this month.

"There is no question of Charlie's new band conflicting with his commitments," he said.

"He is into all sorts of music and it is an outlet for that. It's a low-key side project and he won't be singing a recording contract or anything like that."

The former Framlingham College pupil has already notched up two number one hits from five top three singles.

Busted's self-titled debut album sold one million copies in the UK alone and the follow-up, A Present for Everyone, is on course to repeat its success.

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