READING FESTIVAL is this weekend and as all periphery cows are moved to a safe distance and roadies pluck their band's guitars into shape, four boys are warming up for a big homecoming.

Along with Sundara Karma who play The Radio 1 stage on Saturday, The Amazons are Reading's biggest musical export.

They first appeared at their home festival in 2015, sending the Introducing Stage into meltdown with their signature tune and break-out track 'Junk Food Forever'.

They return two years later to take on the significantly bigger Festival Republic Stage fresh, or possibly slightly ragged at the edges, from a tour that has seen their star shine increasingly brightly.

"In the last few months we have been in Belgium, Switzerland and Japan," explained Matt Thomson, who also led fellow Berkshire boys Chris Alderton, Elliot Briggs and Joe Emmett at Reading's Sub89 in April and in Le Bataclan in May.

"Next week is the big one though. Two years ago it felt like the cup final, and this time around it is exactly the same."

While onwards and upwards is clearly the trajectory of The Amazons, a band whose debut, eponymous album captured all their initial catchiness and upbeat hooks, Matt is not adverse to looking backwards.

"Theale Green was a pretty great school," he said, on the morning of A Level results day.

"GCSEs I was happy with but by the time of my A Levels I was pretty set on doing music.

"I sometimes think maybe I would go back and work harder, but I probably wouldn't."

Out of the shackles of school and pursuing the musical dream, the red-haired front man found himself behind the check out of a Reading supermarket.

Former classmates were off to university and friends went travelling, leaving Matt feeling isolated.

From that low point came the band's first big surge of creativity that had them write their first big hit.

"We recorded the 'Junk Food Forever' because we wanted to get out and see the world," he explained.

"It all centres around memories in this town.

"It will be beautiful to hear people singing along to it at the Festival.

"We only have half an hours set so we will only be able to get our singles in.

"We just don't want to mess it up."