The Vamps tell fans: We’re not just a boyband

Rising teen pop stars The Vamps have insisted they are more than “just a boyband”, revealing that they wrote more than 40 songs for their debut album.

The four-piece, who are currently number two in the singles charts, said they wanted to be respected as musicians and “pride” themselves on writing their own songs.

Frontman Brad Simpson, 18, guitarist James McVey, 19, drummer Tristan Evans, 19, and bassist Connor Ball, 18, spoke to the Standard at Westfield shopping centre in Shepherd’s Bush yesterday before performing five songs to hundreds of screaming teenage fans.

They then took the Tube to Westfield Stratford, where they performed a second gig.

The band released their debut album on Sunday.

Their teenage heart-throb status and popular appeal have drawn comparisons to One Direction and McFly, but they said they had their own, unique sound.