Swindon trio Monkey Dolls notch up their 50th gig tonight.

They are marking the occasion with a gig at The Railway Tavern in Hungerford.

Sean, Graeme and Glenn got together three years ago when they met through a musical colleague.

Sean is the lead singer and guitarist, Graeme is the bass player and backing vocals and Glenn is the drummer.

As like minded musicians they clicked from the start creating the iron fist in a velvet glove style of sound for their original songs and a mellow but stylish twist to their covers.

Sean moved to Swindon in 1993 after graduating in engineering at Bristol.

Although originally from Cheltenham he made Swindon his home and played in a number of town bands including: A Geoffrey, Texas Mecano, The Max, Trouser, Missing Link, Far Reaches and Majick Word.

He also stands in for the Rollin' Clones Ronnie Woodbine on some of their gigs.

Graeme has been playing guitar since he was 17 years old and took up playing bass in the millennium year. He has played in such bands as Arkansas, a country group that successfully toured the northern clubs.

Glenn is a Cornishman and he began playing drums when he was 13 becoming a percussionist for a brass band. His other musical adventures include a number of rock and goth bands including The Purple Room.

Monkey Dolls have recorded a demo CD called Cast In Stone which is on sale at gigs at £4. Included in their set list are such songs as American Idiot, We Are The Monkey Dolls, Sabotage, Paranoid Android, Cast In Stone, Mad World, Teenage Dirtbag and many more.

The next Swindon Monkey Dolls gig is at the Swiss Chalet in Gorse Hill on March 4.

Flicky Harrison