Alice Eaton talks to grandfather of rock 'n' roll Alan Williams from The Rubettes, who are coming to Wycombe next week.

WHO remembers the 70s chart-topping single Sugar Baby Love? If this brings back memories of peace, harmony and extremely flared jeans, The Rubettes will make it all come back to life when they rock'n'roll audiences in their latest tour Glitz, Blitz & '70s Hitz which is coming to Wycombe Swan this month.

The Rubettes burst onto the scene in 1974 when their very first single Sugar Baby Love became a worldwide Number One after topping the UK charts for four weeks. It has more than 30 million record sales to date, I catch up with the original lead vocalist and guitarist of the band Alan Williams, to find out how it feels to be on the road after almost 30 years in the business.

"It's quite amazing to still be touring at this time of our lives," Alan tells me prior to him packing his bags and taking off around the UK to perform with the band.

"The audiences are still great and as long as people are still backing us, we will carry on. Bands survive on their results. If you are rubbish you are dead."

All but the keyboard player Mark Haley, ex-musician of the Kinks and Monkees, are founding members of The Rubettes, and even Mark has been playing with the band since the turn of the century and is a self-confessed Rubettes fan since the 70s.

The show is a celebration of the best of British glam rock, and the band will be performing alongside old rivals Showaddywaddy (Under The Moon Of Love and Hey Rock and Roll) and Sweet (The Ballroom Blitz, Fox on the Run). But things have changed since the days when these bands battled it out to win the popularity stakes with their 70s audiences.

"Showaddywaddy were our deadliest enemies, but now the only thing we argue about is who is going to buy the next round in the bar. We are all fathers and grandfathers now, which is a bit strange. There's no rivalry any more."

The Rubettes have stacked up a staggering 15 international hit singles over the years. I ask Alan what makes a number one hit.

"Sugar Baby Love was a classic and you can't emulate that again. It was actually our demo tape. Dave Bartram from Showaddywaddy was first offered it but he turned it down so we will always be grateful to him. The song just took off and we have never looked back since.

"The main ingredient for a hit is luck and timing. It is in the lap of the gods, and if they are shining down on you then you are in the driving seat. There are so many number one hits now, if you blink there is another one. We had four weeks at the top which wasn't a long time back then. Number One hits just don't stay up there for long any more."

Sustaining hits is not the only thing The Rubettes are good at. Over the years the band have maintained a loyal fanbase and play regularly, attracting both young and old audiences to their gigs. They are already booked up for around 80 shows this year alone.

Throughout their busy careers, each band member has avoided the affair-fuelled lifestyles synonymous with many of their rock 'n' roll contemporaries, and have remained married to the same spouse for years.

"We have managed to survive the 70s when many of our contemporaries are not with us any more. We are so lucky. I don't know any other job like this. It is like one big party."

With a house by the sea, another one in France and his own plane which he uses to jet the band members around Europe, I would say he has done more than simply survived.

Glitz, Blitz & 70s Hitz is at Wycombe Swan on Thursday, May 8 at 8.30pm. Tickets cost £18.50 and £16.50. Box office: 01494 512000.

May 6, 2003 15:00