WHO would have thought a couple of men singing soul and rhythm and blues numbers wearing dark suits, shades and hats would have gained such a cult following?

However the music from the film The Blues Brothers has proved the critics wrong and endured the test of time.

And it has become almost an obsession for Derbyshire musician William Smith-Eccles.

He even changed his name by deed poll to Jake Blues and has toured the world performing tunes from the movie.

And, as the film starring Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi is due to celebrate its 25th anniversary next year - its soundtrack sounding as fresh as ever - the star is due to show the name change was no joke, when he takes the stage at Worcester's Swan Theatre next week.

"I went and changed my name and didn't tell my wife about it. When she found out later she went spare," he said. "I was in the bank at the time and she said: 'Why's he calling you Jake?' and I said: 'I'll tell you later'."

Jake has been performing his Blues Brothers show since 1989 and taken it worldwide - with performances in South America, Belize, Marrakech the Falkland Islands and Spain to name but a few - wowing audiences both young and old.

"It's unbelievable up on stage - I've been touring Spain recently and I was doing Soul Man and trapped a nerve in my foot," said Jake - who travels around in a black and white Chevy Nova American police car.

"Every time I stood on it it was like standing on a nail but I could hear the sound of the band and see the crowds dancing and the adrenaline kicked in so I just couldn't feel the pain.

"I love what I do, which I think is nice that you can find a job you enjoy doing."

A whole host of the tunes which gave the film such a following - such as Mustang Sally, In The Midnight Hour, Do You Love Me - feature in Jake's show.

And Jake and sidekick, Elwood, who is played by a different actor from show to show, are backed by the 10-strong Black Rhino Band - two saxophonists, one trumpeter, a trombonist, guitarist, bass guitarist, drummer, two female backing vocalists and a Hammond organ player.

Renditions of the musical greats will be bolstered by a £20,000 stage set and some visual spectaculars - including plenty of cartwheeling action and a scene where he rips his shirt open as he performs one tune.

"I think it's lasted because it's soul and blues and a lot of it is to do with the characters Jake and Elwood as well," said Jake.

"We've now taken it a step further and made it a bit more visual for the audience, putting our own little bits into it and keeping it moving on."

Jake is now hoping audiences at the theatre will be equally receptive to the show as they were on his sell-out debut there.

"The Swan Theatre was one of the best shows of our last tour - the whole audience was up on their feet dancing by the end of the night," he said.

"It's on of our favourite venues and we hope to make it an annual event."

Tickets for the show - which runs on Friday, November 12, and Saturday, November 13, at 8pm - are £14, concessions £12.50, and available by calling the box office on 01905 611427.

Rock classics

TOP covers bands Classic Rock UK this year will be taking to the stage at Worcester's Marr's Bar tonight.

It will be the band's last gig of the year and is set to feature songs from the likes of Whitesnake, The Who, Cream, Free and Led Zeppelin in a show paying homage to some of the greatest music this country has produced.

The group have been together for two years now and built up a loyal fan base and Evesham rockers Torque will be playing a support slot.

Tickets for the gig are £5 in advance or £7 on the door.

Catch Kylie

KYLIE Minogue fans still have a chance to catch the antipodean singer at Birmingham's NEC next year as an extra tour date has been announced due to phenomenal demand.

Tickets have already sold out for the Sunday, April 17 and Tuesday, April 19, to Thursday, April 21, dates at the venue.

However, an extra concert date has been announced for Saturday, April 16. Tickets are priced £37.50 and are available by calling the box office on 0870 735 5000 or via www.bookingsdirect.com

Bootleg but belting it out just like the Fab Four did

THE sound of the 60s is set to return to Malvern next week as Beatlemania hits the town.

The Bootleg Beatles are one of Britain's most popular tribute bands and will be performing tunes by the original Fab Four at Malvern Theatres, in Grange Road, on Friday, November 12.

The band formed in 1980 from the cast of the West End musical Beatlemania and recreate the sights and sounds of the massive Liverpudlian band on stage.

One of their many claims to fame is that they have been together longer than the Beatles - whose music they play for audiences worldwide - including London's Royal Albert Hall and the Budokan in Tokyo.

Their show is set to be packed with all of the favourites - from early-days tunes such as Love Me Do and Please Please Me to psychedelic-era songs such as Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and I Am The Walrus - and beyond.

The performance will also include archive clips from the era the Beatles helped create, and several costume changes depicting the band's style transformation.

Tickets for the show - which starts at 7.30pm - are £23 and £25 and available from the theatre box office on 01684 892277 or www.malverntheatres.co.uk

Style council

THE search is on to find Worcester's classiest, most stylish bar, as part of a national competiton.

Campari has teamed up with music channel MTV in a search for the coolest bar in the UK.

A panel of independent judges has visited bars across the UK and short-listed 50 venues, however, only one will win the coveted Campari Most Stylish UK Bar 2004 award.

Each selected bar will be provided with information about the competition to pass on to customers and the bar which gets the most votes will win.

Votes can be submitted either by text message or online at: www.mtvrecommends.com

Soul listeners

SOUL band Official Receivers are set to bring their high-energy performance to Worcester's Marr's Bar for a gig tomorrow night.

The group has earnt a huge following over the years and enjoyed sell-out gigs following a string of prestigious appearances with legendary soul performers.

Tickets are £6 in advance or £8 on the door.