This was the first band I ever joined. I was writing the odd article for a music magazine called ZigZag and Gene Loves Jezebel were the first band I ever interviewed. I'd seen them supporting Nico and secured an interview with them. We got on really well, they told me they weren't keen on their then bass player and asked me if I could play bass. I couldn't, but that didn't deter me. I spent a weekend learning 'how to play' on a borrowed bass, by playing along to Public Image records. Jah Wobble seemed like a fine role model to me.

I joined them and within two week of picking up a bass I played my first gig at a place in London called The Venue. Can't remember who we supported!

I stuck with them for around 8 or 9 months, played a lot in London and did a weird festival in Deeside (I think).

I enjoyed my time with them. It gave me a lot of confidence as a musician and gave me a lot of opportunity to be involved in high volume improvisation. They were also very inspiring people. I was 19 and they were,on average, 24. I thought they were very old and very wise. They were earthy intellectuals and very funny too. Interviews with the Manic Street Preachers remind me very much of Jay and Mike Aston, the twins who fronted the band.

During my time with them, we had more in common with left-field bands such as A Certain Ratio rather than anything Goth. That happened later. The then GLJ sound was very dubby and odd and splintered and strange. Almost a bit very early sugarcubes without Bjork!

I recorded one single with them, playing bass and doing backing vocals on the A-side and playing piano (badly and made up as I went along) on the B-side.

I left because I couldn't stand anymore of the animated bickering that used to go on in the band. I wanted a more peaceful time of it.

I suppose I was extremely lucky that the first band I was involved with were so good and so interesting. A great apprenticeship.

Julianne Regan, 1999