It's Thursday night and I should be going to see the Vintage Chimps.. I say "should" because, in all honesty, I am not. Instead I am sat in a pub with two of the band's members. The gig was cancelled.

Dan and Dave are not happy about this. They may not be about to smash up furniture and throw televisions through windows (they are not that kind of band), but they are still a little miffed.

It's understandable. While a Cousteau track plays in the bar (at least something is going right tonight), the guitarist and keyboardist tell me that they had friends, family and fans coming from all over the country to see them and three other bands play. Kings of the understatement, they just say that it's a "shame" and a "pity".

But for them, the greatest pity and shame is that there are now very few places for bands to perform in Cheltenham. Much of the evening is spent discussing what can be done about it. Later, when vocalist Chris and publicist Justin arrive, the singer suggests a Beatles style gig atop a Cheltenham shop to attract attention to their plight. Meanwhile, Justin postulates a peaceful protest involving getting as many bands as possible together for a jamming session in the street. Hmm. Maybe.

It's also a pity the gig was cancelled because the Chimps were going to play some new - virtually unheard - material as part of their change in direction. The band is in a state of flux. In the fine old tradition of Spinal Tap, they are getting through drummers like other people get through socks. But that is the least of their worries. There is also a problem with cats.

Confused? You won't be.

The Vintage Chimps have a very popular song in their cannon that goes by the name of "The Cats in the Garden" (as reviewed elsewhere on these pages). However, these cats are now acting more like albatrosses around the band's collective neck. While they are trying to take the band in a more serious direction, people keep calling out for the same song.

They have even been half promised a signing based upon the strength of "Cats", but are reluctant to take it for fear of being typecast.

The name doesn't help. Fantastic as many believe it is, the band are not too sure. Dan is quick to pick up on this: 'When we say we're called The Vintage Chimps, people just say "Oh. Right," and then quickly change the subject.'

As a name, The Vintage Chimps may work perfectly for songs like "Cats", but less so for newer and more serious material such as "Dirty Old Mind" and "Natural Feeling".

They have contemplated changing names to The Lakes. This has not stuck. They are now all agreed that this is a bad name. But that is where the agreement ends. They have yet to think of a better one.

'Well, I have,' Dan says. This sounds hopeful. 'But they're always names for other bands.' Oh well. Never mind.

As with many bands, influences are a hot topic. When you hear the various band members' favourite artists, you wonder how they ever got together in the first place. Metallica, Grandaddy and Ween are among the names dropped.

It is through the latter band's web site that the Chimps' music is being heard world wide. They are also hoping to support some other big names in concert soon.

In the meantime, they are concentrating on their output, constantly writing, rehearsing and recording songs with a view to sending out to demos soon.

Earlier in the evening, Dave hands me a CD with three new recordings. There is nothing of the feline on these songs: The Vintage Chimps' sound seems to have developed within months.

When last reviewing them, I said that "Mother Abigail" sounded like a "coastal sunset committed to sound". The theme continues here. "Dirty Old Mind" sounds reminiscent of a quieter Radiohead, circa "OK Computer". Elsewhere, the re-recording of "The Enigma Star" is full of synth driven melancholia, while "Natural Feeling" features a gorgeous floating electric guitar part designed to make you weep.

Despite the slow, often bleak and miserable tone, you cannot help but feel uplifted by the Chimps. Which is a very odd feeling.

It is less of an odd feeling when you meet them in the pub. The three band members present tonight are the most amicable people you could meet. They are not, as Dave puts it, "pretentious muso-types", but, instead, are utterly down to earth.

Their ambitions are down to earth too. Not for them a glorious performance before thousands at Knebworth. Chris, just says that he would like to "make money from his music" but still live on the fringes of fame. "Ween manage it," he says. "I don't see why we shouldn't."

Why not indeed?

The band may be beset with name, drummer, gig and cat problems, but these will be small obstacles for a group of people with such vision.

The Vintage Chimps. They're evolving.

11/08/03 - First published on www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire