A ROCK group have dedicated their debut single to their former lead guitarist who died in a house fire almost two years ago.Rising stars Boot50 released Popstars yesterday – a song co-written by Rob Giles before his tragic death in August 2001.

A ROCK group have dedicated their debut single to their former lead guitarist who died in a house fire almost two years ago.

Rising stars Boot50 released Popstars yesterday – a song co-written by Rob Giles before his tragic death in August 2001.

Talented musician Rob, 18, died with his best friend Will Stokes, 19, when flames tore through Rob's home in Holland Road, Felixstowe.

The teenager had left school with dreams to make it big in Boot50 but died just as the foursome were starting to gain any recognition.

Boot50 vowed to carry on in Rob's memory but almost folded as they struggled to find someone who could fill the musical gulf he left.

Eventually, they recruited Steve "Chin" Chynoweth as their "fifth member" – claiming that Rob could never be replaced – and have got their sound back on track.

Tonight, they are hosting a party at London's exclusive Cobden Club to launch Popstars – a broadside at TV talent contests to tie in with the forthcoming series of Pop Idol.

"It's quite an old song, one that we wrote with Rob, but it's a good introduction to the band – who we are and what we are about," said Marcus Legg, singer and rhythm guitarist.

"The CD is dedicated to Rob and I think he would love it. It's just the kind of direction he would have wanted us to take."

The three-track CD includes new song Cops and Can You Feel?, the track Boot50 open their live shows with.

"We've had 500 copies pressed and another 200 are going around in music industry circles. Things are really starting to pick up and we've had some interest from EMI Publishing."

Marcus paid tribute to new guitarist Chin, who by day is a headteacher in Chelmsford, for the way he has fitted into the Boot50 set-up.

"He has his own style and attitude but has carried on in the a Rob would have done. He respects what happened with Rob and it was his idea to dedicate the single to him. That's really important to us."

Rob, originally from Coddenham, near Ipswich, formed Boot50 with Marcus and his bassist brother Jamie, from Braintree, and drummer Jon Robinson, also from Coddenham.

The band were all staunch Ipswich Town fans and penned a track These Are The Days to celebrate the club's promotion to the Premiership in 2000.

They hoped to perform the track at Portman Road but, sadly, it was only played at the club's stadium as a tribute to Rob after his death.

Boot50 set up a tribute page to Rob on their website and hundreds of friends, family and well-wishers left their tributes to the popular musician.

Rob's mother, Maggie Giles, had left Coddenham for Tanzania just two weeks before his death to start an overseas career in teaching.

She has stayed in touch with his former bandmates and is a big fan of the group, Marcus added.

n For more information about the band and the Popstars single, go to www.boot50.com