Julianne Regan spends two full years on the dole, doing shit piecework (cleaning studios and transcribing market research questionnaires), writing song's, making tapes and thinking. She is approached by ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler and leaves for France to record an album. Butler wants a folk diva. Regan a riff machine with a pop brain. But time moves on (been there. seen it, done it) and both have chosen unwisely. At their first and last gig - at Hampstead's Raj Tearooms, they receive a princely £40 each - Butler glues wine corks to a keyboard. pulls his sock off and plays with his big toe. In the true spirit of justice, it all gets a little acrimonious. Regan tells Butler she'd have more fun making an album with her Dad ... Butler suggests to Regan that she does just that. Ignoring Butler's advice (despite Mr Regan's undoubted flair for a Ronsonesque guitar lick or two), she teams up with one Tim McTighe and they begin to write.


A BRIEF HISTORY OF MICE (READ CLOSELY)
Julianne Regan: Born in Coventry to Irish Catholics, she checks out for Sainsbury's before her purple barnet gets her moved into administration (like, out the back). Studies journalism at the London College of Fashion. a couple of years after Bananarama. Works in Foyles, Charing Cross Road in the Psychology, Occult and ,Philosophy department. fending off lascivious nutters with straw in their hair and pentagrams on their teeshirts. Acts as a nanny to an American cryptologist whose wife works in the hospital where they removed the presidential polyps of Ronald Regan. Writes freelance for ZigZag, interviews anarcho-glam industrialists Gene Loves Jezebel and joins on bass ("It was great. like Public Image or Virgin Prunes, these harrowing songs with big dubby bass... Not like the LA rock tarts they turned into"). Involves herself  with ex-Wasted Youth members Persian Flowers. Moves in with Manuela from X-Mal Deutschland and forms All About Eve, originally a teutonic Cocteau Twins.
Tim Bricheno arrives, accompanied by the concept of The Song.

Then "0ur Summer", Phonogram. that massive debut and three increasingly intriguing and risibly reviewed albums culminating' in "Ultraviolet" for MCA, an unmistakably contemporary cross between Curve and "Ummagumma".

"We had a massive backlash on that tour. People would come up and say Why have you cut your hair off? You're like a stranger, you don't talk to us between songs anymore'. I said You know, I've just got nothing to say. Don't take it  personally'. But they did take it personally." She splits All About Eve, blows all her savings making demos, meets McTighe etc etc. and now there's Mice.


Tim McTighe: Born in Coventry though previously unacquainted with Regan. Forms Blue and moves to London in search of a singer. Then it's Green Tambourines. (lest we forget) and French Europoppers Vox Populi who also briefly employ All About Eve's Mark Price. Cantona, Ginola and Philippe Sella are rightly worshipped but French Europop is a zany requiem for good taste.

The limey duo quit and Price introduces McTighe to his sister-in-law - Regan. Songs, tapes, Butler... Powder!?
("I cant stand that. I really, really don't want to mention that")  And now Mice. But you already knew all that. "I'm into songs and melodies, tasteful pop with noise and originality. Simple really"

The debut album is recorded  (to be released on July 29th ) on which Regan and McTighe are joined by Christian Hayes (Levitation) on guitars, Mark Price  and Andy Cousin (both ex-About Eve) on drums and bass respectively, Marty Willson-Piper (AAE, The Church) on guitar and the irrepressible Gary Stout for engineering duties.

SO FAR SO GOOD
Two singles ("Mat's Prozac" and The "Milkman" - both Top 10 Indie chart hits), a handful of London dates and a 19-date 'let's try this out' headlining UK tour bring Mice to the release of their third single ("Dear Sir" - July 15th), an appearance at The Phoenix (July 20th) and this album (July 29th).

A few final words from Julianne:
People told me that I should either do a Bjork or an Annie Lennox. But I can't do a Bjork because I'm not Icelandic, I'm not a genius and I don't understand dance like she does. And I don't want to do an Annie Lennox because she's all grown up and I'm not, and I've never seen shoulder-pads as a measure of maturity anyway. I just do, what excites me. I like the challenge and I like it more now than I ever did because impressing yourself doesn't get any easier."

Article transcribed by Mario Sorgente