i've always thought it must be southampton. not one big or really great band. band members yes, but not bands. the biggest have probably been The Delays. although amazingly I found out today that Mark Eitzel actually lived in southampton from the age of about 10 to 20, which is just totally weird, but feels like it makes a little sense considering how depressing his worldview is... other than that we have Craig David, the drummer from Coldplay and Howard Jones. and Benny Hill. and a member of Razorlight.

Portsmouth is in the running too, all I can think of is that Luke Haines formed and wrote the first Auteurs album when he was at uni there... aaand Joe Jackson.

there have been great small bands but never a BIG band from either of these places...

any competitors to this crown?