Chocolate and pop
30 May 2000

Ghosts of disasters past at the Jug of Ale were finally laid to rest on Saturday night with a rocking performance from the Regs - not to mention Baxter and Jameson - that brought smiles to the new and old faces who turned out.

The gig - a label night for Bearos Records, who are releasing material by all three bands - saw The Regulars play a half-hour set between those of their two labelmates.

In a reversal of the band's usual 'squad rotation' policy, the material was chosen from songs that appeared at the disappointing Flapper gig earlier in the month (with the exception of the pop epic Once you get past Habrough - normally played only in longer sets).

And this time - to alter person and tense from the 1982 England World Cup squad - they got it right. Chris, in particular, was generally thought by observers to have had a bit of a blinder behind the kit; but very little went wrong all night.

Paul breaking another string became an opportunity for Pete to tell the story behind They built over the traino. And even when Pete then contrived to sever the lead from his mike during the intro, some quick thinking and a responsive soundman - who had another top night - allowed the song to proceed flawlessly.

Stu's commendable performance on bass was, sadly, not enough to end Pete's campaign of persecution against him. The singer at one point callously administered a gratuitous kick to the posterior of the band's beloved Baggie bassist.

Guestbook stalwart Mr S Wilson of Leeds - at his first ever Regulars gig - commented: "The boy Green declared that 'we are a pop group' and so they proved. So pop, they'd invite the ladies back for chocolate desserts after the gig."

In an arch aside on the singer's attire, he added: "One day we'll all want to wear cardies."

Attending his first Regs gig for a year, Regulist member and cocoa trader Mr A Holt of London opined: "The way the set finished in the tumultuous cresecendo that is Once you get past Habrough surpassed all expectations. Reminding us of the late, great James Brown, Green the elder fell to his knees through sheer tambo-bashing exhaustion."

Another welcome return at the gig was made by none other than The Regulars' number one fan, John the Fan - subject of a recent interview on this website.

Miss C Lenton of Cambridge, meanwhile, passed alarming comment on the band's 'professional' sound, dismissing Pete's on-stage remark about Regulars fans having to be tea drinkers as a gimmick to reassert the group's lo-fi tweecore credentials.

The Regulars will now be taking a week or two off from gigging while England get knocked out of Euro 2000, but will return to the live stage in early July to promote the release of their debut single on Bearos, Lie down and fight. For further details watch this site - or expand your horizons with our stimulating mailing list.

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