The Automatic have today (Sept 18) announced that keyboard player Alex Pennie has left the band.

Alex Pennie's high energy stage presence saw him become a focal point of their live performances during their rise to success over the past eighteen months.

He had been in the band since 2003, and played his last gigs with the Automatic at the recent Get Loaded In The Park festival.

The statement on the band's website says he has left due to finding the last year increasingly unenjoyable and growing apart from the rest of the band.

The three remaining members of The Automatic – Rob Hawkins, James Frost and Iwan Griffiths – will soon be flying to the USA to start recording the follow up to their debut album 'Not Accepted Anywhere'.

The website post concludes by saying they look forward to announcing more news soon.