It's a Friday evening at The Landing at MediaCityUK, and the posh bar and screening room has been taken over by the likes of us who never normally get near the place.
The Moods' record company, A1(M), has booked the screening room to show, what is really a short, six minute film rather than a music promo to push the band's new single Joy.
There's nine of The Moods here plus friends and press, who sink into the over large, over comfy chairs to watch the film, which also stars Salford's Steve Evets, of Looking For Eric and a zillion other dramas, plus actors Nicole Evans, John Mackie and radio's James Stannage.
It's a strange affair. The Moods are known as a souped up, frenetic live outfit, maxing out a mix of hip hop, drum n brass, rap, reggae, ska and everything else, slapped up with socially political lyrics and a rhythm that begs you to move.
Joy, the single, is more of an urgent kind of polished electro soul with a catchy chorus, while the film itself, shot in Salford and Manchester, is a moralistic tale of a twat [played by Evets] coming to terms with himself and his actions... 'Whatever suits your selfish needs...'
"I was into The Moods, listening to the music and was following them on Twitter and they followed me and then they said 'We're doing a video fancy being in it?'" Steve Evets recalls "They sent me a storyboard and I thought it was great, so we got a little crew together and knocked up a nice little video. And the music's great so I think it works well.
"I'm very happy with it" he adds "It's a self contained story and if it had no music with it at all it would be a good short silent movie. But the music enhances it and The Moods have got a mixture of everything in there; an eclectic sound, what else could you ask for?"
Meanwhile, the band agree that Joy is an interesting departure. In the pool room off the bar at The Landing, The Moods rappers Neil - band name Kolega - from Stockport, and Louis - band name Explicit - from Little Hulton, are chatting about the mood of the music...
"It's the first single off new album" says Louis "We've been in the band two years and the rest have said it's come on leaps and bounds. People feel that they have to be stuck into whatever genre they're making, where we just throw the best bits of everything we love into one big pot and make a massive jangle."
Neil agrees... "Before we were in the band it was maybe hip hop and grime but then we joined these boys and it was a totally different type of music..."
It's also a different type of social vibe, with their lyrics more real and akin to UB40 than, say, Bugzy Malone, who has a huge audience but, these days, nothing to say...
"All these pure good artists, MCs, rappers, producers...nobody's talking about these pressing issues" Louis decides "If you're just talking about money and girls you're not inspiring anything, you're not provoking them to think about real issues. Anyone can talk about money and girls; it's easy, it doesn't take anything..."
"Make 'em think and make 'em dance" says Neil, repeating the band's raison d'etre...
"Yeah, people will come to the gigs and dance their arses off and then go back home, listen to the record, understand what's actually being said and go 'Oh these are actually talking sense'" explains Louis "...it's not just like saying 'Eeeh, everyone have a good time'. It's all deep political stuff. But we also have fun as well because there's songs like Got To Get Hold which are nothing to do with politics, it's just about love..."
... "But even when we are talking about love it's how everyone felt about it" Neil insists.
So here we have it. A band that, live, can turn the stage into a party spilling over into the audience, and on studio sounds are lyrically political and real life. And then there's Joy...taking it all a little more mainstream.
Can The Moods break through? "We'll just make good songs and let them do the talking" says Neil.
We go outside at Media City to take a photo of all nine Moods and the actors on the black and yellow car barrier... 'Very Hacienda' someone notes...
...And then a voice from nowhere seems to come through the pavements telling everyone to get off it. The Moods are littering the sterile place. Good. And hopefully a metaphor for their rise and rise...
To view the short film for Joy, see You Tube click here
For more details and to listen to more music from The Moods click here
The Moods album is out in September with a live launch at The Ritz on the 8th for more details follow the band on Facebook click here
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