Music: Vicar beefs up a single

Few pop bands can boast a Bible-bashing vicar as part of their act.

But Welsh guitar-crunchers 60ft Dolls have that unusual distinction.

One of the B-sides on their latest single Alison's Room is a track called Let The Spirit Move You which features vocals by colourful preacher the Rev Ray Bevan.

"He's a born-again Christian, a real fire and brimstone Old Testament guy," said singer and guitarist Richard Parfitt.

The Rev Bev is in fact the father of drummer Carl Bevan and became involved when he visited the Dolls in the studio.

"He runs one of the biggest churches in Wales and knows people like Harry Secombe," said Richard.

"When he came to the studio we asked him just to rant and it sounded great. Carl takes him with a massive pinch of salt, mind you."

The band have just set out on an 18-date tour to promote their forthcoming new album and will be visiting West Yorkshire next week.

They spent seven weeks in New Jersey recording the new album, which is called Joya Magica. Due out in June, the album promises to be a radical departure from their debut The Big 3.

"It's a completely different sound," said Richard.

Part of the reason for that was the influence of the producer Lou Giordano, best known for his gritty work with the likes of Sugar, Husker Du and The Replacements. But Richard added the very fact that the band were away from their home patch for the recording also had an impact.

"We recorded the last album in Wales where we are from and there were lots of people around all the time that we knew," he said.

"This time we were completely on our own. We couldn't go anywhere so it was much more insular, much more intensive.

"The first album we put out was basically like a live set but this one is more about songwriting. It's more sophisticated, I suppose."

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