JulianneRegan (born 30 June 1962) is an English/Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. She achieved success in the late 1980s and early 1990s having formed the band All About Eve. Her major role in the band was as lead singer and songwriter. AllMusic describes Regan as "certainly one of the more talented singers of the late eighties British goth rock scene".[1]
At the age of 15, Julianne Regan was given a Woolworths electric guitar by a cousin and taught herself to play.[2]
From Zig Zag to The Swarm (1982–1984)
Regan moved to London aged 19 and found work as a journalist for music magazine ZigZag, while studying at the London College of Fashion. In her capacity as a journalist, she interviewed Gene Loves Jezebel and subsequently joined that band on bass guitar. Soon after, apparently unhappy with the tension between the group's twin frontmen, she left to make music with friend and former Xmal Deutschland drummer Manuela Zwingmann, while working in a book shop on Charing Cross Road after Zig Zag went bust. During this period she met, though friends of friends, both Andy Cousin and Tim Bricheno then both playing for goth band Aemotii Crii. The band that resulted, at first consisting of Regan, Zwingman, Bricheno and James Richard Jackson, was originally called The Swarm, but was changed to All About Eve after Regan and Zwingman watched the classic film at Regan's parents' house in Southport, Lancashire. [citation needed]
The first line-up recorded the single "D For Desire" in 1985, but, following disagreements around artistic direction between Zwingmann and Regan, the former left the band. Soon after this, Andy Cousin replaced Jackson on bass, thus creating the first well-known All About Eve line-up of Bricheno, Cousin and Regan, plus a drum machine. The group recorded demos and played several gigs.
In 1986, Regan met ex-The Sisters of Mercy guitarist Wayne Hussey. Hussey was then recording the first Mission album God's Own Medicine and was so impressed with Regan's voice that he asked her to contribute backing vocals to the song "Severina". This started a close collaboration between the two bands that continues to this day, and at the time got All About Eve signed to the Mission's record label (on the back of them being support to the Mission's first tour and Regan appearing on several TV programmes with the Mission for performances of "Severina"). Regan also provides backing vocals on The Mission songs "Beyond The Pale," "Tomorrow Never Knows," "Black Mountain Mist," and "Wishing Well", which appears on the US version of their early-songs collection album The First Chapter. A full-time drummer Mark Price was recruited to All About Eve in 1987.
Following a now-infamous appearance on the BBC television music programme Top of the Pops in July 1988, All About Eve soon hit the big time with the first album and the single "Martha's Harbour" peaking within the top ten of the UK Albums Chart and UK Singles Chart respectively, along with four other top-forty hits on the latter chart between the summers of 1988 and 1989.
Bricheno left the band at the end of 1990 (and joined The Sisters of Mercy), to be replaced by Church guitarist Marty Willson-Piper for All About Eve's third album, Touched by Jesus, for which David Gilmour from Pink Floyd also contributed guitar work on two songs.
Touched By Jesus did not quite enjoy the commercial success of the first two albums and All About Eve subsequently changed record labels to MCA in 1992. Here they were to record their fourth (and final) studio album Ultraviolet, a somewhat psychedelic move in which, as Regan later admitted, her vocals were mixed too far down into the swirling guitars, with the result sounding something akin to Cranes or Spiritualized. This alienated fans, and the record did not make the Top 40. MCA dropped the band from their contract.
Into the wilderness (1993–1995)
Regan and the rest of the band parted company during the writing sessions for what might have been All About Eve's fifth album. Cousin, Price and Willson-Piper completed it without her, and it eventually saw the light of day under the group name and title of Seeing Stars. Under the group name The Harmony Ambulance, Regan did release one single very soon after the All About Eve split for Geoff Travis' Rough Trade label. The double A-side, "Nature's Way" and "All This And Heaven". Regan turned down an offer to work full-time with that band. She also recorded vocals for the Schaft track "Broken English". [citation needed]
Regan also occasionally performed live with Fairport Convention, singing some of the lead vocals on "Who Knows Where the Time Goes", "Blackwaterside", and "After Halloween". Some of these tracks can be found on the albums Circle Dance – The Hokey Pokey Charity Compilation, Fairport Convention: 25th Anniversary Concert, and Cropredy Capers – 25 Years of the Festival.
Regan then dropped off the public radar. Rumours of a collaboration with Suede's Bernard Butler fluttered briefly and then died out. It later transpired that the rumours were true, but that during the recording session, she and Butler had fallen out in a spectacular fashion. "I don't really know why it exploded the way it did, but it did. It was a small thing that turned into a big thing, that turned into an enormous thing" was Regan's later analysis of these events. [citation needed]
Mice (1995–1997)
Revolving around a central core of Regan, Tim McTighe, former Levitation member Christian Hayes (aka 'Bic') and, for studio recordings, the original All About Eve drummer Mark Price, Mice released their first single, "Mat's Prozac", in November 1995, which charted in the UK.[3] This was followed by a second UK charting EP single "The Milkman" released in April 1996 with the Lynsey De Paul song Martian Man.[4] Countrywide touring followed as did an album Because I Can recorded for indie label Permanent Records. Many collaborators took part in this band, including both Marty Willson-Piper and Andy Cousin which led to people questioning why this band was not launched as another incarnation of All About Eve. Regan said that this was deliberate in that she had wanted the new band to be just that. Musically, it did indeed sound somewhat harsher than All About Eve and Regan would later say of it, "It showed that I could be Preraphaelitic but I still had to get on the bus and go to Tesco's." With Because I Can making the Indie Top Ten, the future began to look fairly positive for Mice, but Permanent Records went out of business in 1997, leaving the album and the three singles "Mat's Prozac", "The Milkman" and "Dear Sir" hanging in the shops without promotion or replacement. [citation needed]
Jules et Jim is a collaboration between Regan and Jean-Marc Lederman (formerly of The Weathermen and Gene Loves Jezebel). In 1999 they released a single, "Swimming", followed by a six-track EP, Subtitles in 2002. Regan also featured on Lederman's soundtracks for the computer games Fairies and Mystic Inn by Funpause, and Rock Legend by Positech; and also vocals on a number of tracks on Lederman's La Femme Verte album project.
All About Eve (second era) (1999–2006)
In late 1999 a Mission re-launch was underway and lead singer Hussey – in a repeat of the first time All About Eve had become successful – again asked Regan if she would like to support him on tour. Although she was already involved with Jules et Jim (who had put out an EP called Swimming earlier that year), Regan acquiesced, rounded up Price, Cousin and Wilson-Piper, and All About Eve were back.
When asked in 2001 why she had had a change of heart in terms of resurrecting All About Eve and their music, she replied:
I think I just really needed a break from it. It had lost its magic for me. Totally. Also, for some reason, I had to have a bit of a rebellion against AAE. Maybe it's something along the lines of why teenagers fall out with their parents and find everything about them embarrassing... Then they grow up a bit and realise that their Mum and Dad aren't too bad at all.
All About Eve became dormant again in mid-2004 following a disagreement between Regan and Cousin, but 2006 saw this rift temporarily healed upon the release of Keepsakes – an anthology of the group's recordings. This record saw the songwriting partnership between Regan and Bricheno rekindled, as they collaborated for a new song entitled "Raindrops".
Material was written by Regan and Cousin for a never-to-surface fifth All About Eve album.
Recent music-related work
Regan's official website states that she is "currently working on several music projects".[5]
Tim Bricheno – with whom she wrote and recorded the song "Raindrops", which appeared on the All About Eve retrospective collection Keepsakes. In 2008, the duo recorded a new version of "Ophelia", a song which had originally been demo-ed for the All About Eve album Scarlet and Other Stories, but was never released. The re-recording was made especially for inclusion on a charity record, 'Let There Be Life',[6] released to raise funds for research into ovarian cancer. Regan also contributed a solo song, "The Angel's Share", to the same album. Their composition, Pale Blue Earth, was aired on YouTube on 20 July 2019, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing. Subsequent compositions by the pair have appeared on Regan's YouTube channel. Regan & Bricheno released an album "Apparitions" on 3 May 2024 on Bandcamp.
The Drowning Man. In July 2023, Regan contributed a cover of The Cure song 'The Drowning Man' for a charity album, with proceeds going to the mental health charity Mind. The album is called Pictures of You - A compilation of covers of songs by The Cure
The Dadaists - Regan, with unnamed musicians / collaborators, uploaded a number of songs to YouTube under this name. The project features both male and female vocals.
Wayne Hussey: Regan and Hussey co-wrote the song "Madam G" from the album Candlelight and Razorblades.
Le Cygne Noir – Regan sings backing vocals on several releases.
All Living Fear – Regan contributed backing vocals on the track "Home Too Soon" from the 2007 album Fifteen Years After.
The Eden House – a collaborative project, initiated by Tony Pettitt (formerly of Fields of the Nephilim) and Steve Carey (formerly of This Burning Effigy) and involving a collection of guest musicians and vocalists. The album, Smoke & Mirrors, featuring Regan on three tracks, was released April 2009. A further track featuring Regan was released on the EP The Looking Glass.
Judy Dyble – Regan contributed vocals to the tracks "C'est la Vie" and "Harp Song", which feature on Dyble's 2009 album Talking with Strangers. Dyble and Regan co-wrote the song "Headful of Stars", with Dyble providing the lyrics, and this appears on Dyble's album '"Flow and Change".
Backing vocals on the track "Under My Skin" on the charity single released by The Last Cry.[11]
Co-wrote and sang on "Starstruck Eyes" for Mark Thwaite's album Volumes.
Personal life
Regan graduated in 2014 from Bath Spa University in Bath, Somerset, with a master's degree in Songwriting.[12] From September 2015 to December 2022, she was a lecturer on the BA Commercial Music programme and MA Songwriting at the university's College of Liberal Arts.[13]
In a March 2008 BBC News Magazine article regarding gender stereotypes too often influencing which musical instrument schoolchildren learn, the electric guitar is still seen as a male's instrument, despite great female exponents in recent years,[2] according to Regan. Based on her own experiences, she said: "There was no opportunity to learn anything other than traditional orchestral instruments at school and so I muddled along on my own and felt quite isolated as I went to an all-girl school and none of my peers seemed to have any interest in electric guitar. It seemed like a freakish thing for me to be interested in. I was quite popular at school and had a load of friends, but this was just seen as 'one of my little quirks'."[2]
Writing
In 2020, Regan had the chapter "Three Pronged Attack: The pincer movement of gender allies, tempered radicals and pioneers", published in the Routledge title Gender in Music Production.[14] In 2023 she had a chapter published by Equinox in the book Venue Stories: From Back Room to Rave Room, from the Toilet Circuit to the Town Hall.[15] Regan's official website states that she is "currently writing a book".[16] Regan is also a contributor to Louder Than War where she has an author profile.
Album discography
Guest appearances on other artists' albums not shown.
The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band formed in Leeds in 1980. After achieving early underground fame there, the band had their commercial breakthrough in the mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new records in protest against their record company, WEA. Currently, the band are a touring outfit only.
A Slight Case of Overbombing is a greatest hits album by English gothic rock band the Sisters of Mercy. It was released on 23 August 1993 on the band's own label, Merciful Release, under distribution contract with East West Records. All the tracks featured on this compilation album are in reverse chronological order of release. A Slight Case of Overbombing contains mostly remixes and edited versions of songs that the Sisters of Mercy had released by 1993, as well as two never-before released tracks: a re-recorded version of "Temple of Love" from 1992, and one new track, "Under the Gun", which was released as a single to promote this compilation album and is also the band's most recent single as of 2024.
All About Eve were an English rock band. The initial creative core consisted of Coventry-born Julianne Regan (vocals), Huddersfield-born Tim Bricheno (guitar) and Andy Cousin, with other members changing over the years. Their highest-charting UK single was "Martha's Harbour" (1988). The band was active from 1984 to 1993, then 1999 to 2004, achieving four UK Top-50 albums. The band had been recognised for their "unique, folk-rock-influenced take" on the gothic rock style, and Regan has been described as "certainly one of the more talented singers" of the scene in the late 1980s.
Jerry Wayne Hussey is an English musician who was born in Bristol, England. He is best known as the lead singer of the Mission, and as the guitarist of the Sisters of Mercy.
Jules et Jim was a musical collaboration consisting of Jean-Marc Lederman and Julianne Regan.
All About Eve is the self-titled debut album of All About Eve. Commercially, this was their most successful, reaching No. 7 in the UK charts and spawning four Top 40 singles. Most of the album was produced by Paul Samwell-Smith.
Scarlet and Other Stories is the second studio album by All About Eve. It was held to be considerably darker both in tone and lyrics than their first album, All About Eve. The relationship between lead singer Julianne Regan and guitarist Tim Bricheno broke down during the album's recording and production, and Regan later said that she hadn't wept as much in her life as she had during the making of this album.
Touched by Jesus is the third studio album by All About Eve. It was the first album to feature Church guitarist Marty Willson-Piper on guitars. Despite this, the album fell short of the commercial achievements of both the first album and Scarlet and Other Stories, reaching No. 17 in the UK charts. Of the three singles released only "Farewell Mr Sorrow" charted, reaching No. 36.
Return to Eden, Vol. 1: The Early Recordings is a compilation by All About Eve released in early 2002 on their own JamTart label and widely sold at gigs at that time, though also it was available to buy in shops and online. It was the fourth album released since the band's reformation in 1999.
God's Own Medicine is the debut studio album by the English gothic rock band The Mission. It was released in November 1986 under Mercury Records. The original LP version contains 10 songs. The CD and cassette versions had the songs "Blood Brother" and "Island in the Stream" added. Both had previously appeared on the "III" single.
Children is the second studio album by the English gothic rock band the Mission, released on 20 February 1988 by Mercury Records. Two singles were released from the album, "Tower of Strength" and "Beyond the Pale". A third single, "Kingdom Come", was scheduled but appeared only as a promotional single.
Judith Aileen Dyble was an English singer-songwriter, most notable for being a vocalist and a founding member of Fairport Convention and Trader Horne. In addition, she and Ian McDonald joined and recorded several tracks with Giles, Giles and Fripp, who later became King Crimson. These tracks surfaced on the Brondesbury Tapes CD and Metaphormosis vinyl LP.
Andrew Cousin is an English bassist and radio presenter from Mirfield in England. He is principally known for being the bassist of All About Eve and he has also played for The Mission. Since 2016, he presents the Andy Cousin show on Deal Radio.
God Is a Bullet is the eighth studio album by The Mission. It was released at the end of April 2007 by SPV Records in Germany and Cooking Vinyl in the UK. The album features guest appearances by Julianne Regan, Tim Bricheno and Simon Hinkler. It was preceded by the single "Keep It in the Family" which was followed by "Blush". "Running with Scissors" reuses the music Wayne Hussey composed for Atsushi Sakurai's 2004 song "Sacrifice".
"Martha's Harbour" is a song by English rock band All About Eve. The acoustic ballad reached No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart and helped the group's self-titled debut album reach No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart. The song features only Julianne Regan's voice, acoustic guitars played by Tim Bricheno, and sound effects of ocean waves.
Seeing Stars was the only album by the band Seeing Stars. It was essentially intended to be the fifth studio album by UK band All About Eve. In the aftermath of the Ultraviolet album's release – its bad reception and lost recording contract – whilst this album was being recorded in early 1993, lead singer Julianne Regan left the writing and recording session.
The Mission are an English gothic rock band formed in 1986. Initially known as the Sisterhood, the band was started by frontman Wayne Hussey and bassist Craig Adams, soon adding drummer Mick Brown and guitarist Simon Hinkler. Aside from Hussey, the lineup has changed several times during the years and the band has been on hiatus twice.
Hussey-Regan was a collaborative project between Wayne Hussey and Julianne Regan. The duo started to work together in 2006, as well as their other personal projects. In 2011 they released their first album, Curios.
"Tower of Strength" is a song released by the English gothic rock band The Mission in February 1988. It was the first of two singles to be released from their second studio album Children. It peaked at No. 12 on the UK charts on its original release, but has seen re-recorded releases in 1994 and 2020 separately.
"Butterfly on a Wheel" is a song released by English gothic rock band the Mission in January 1990. It was the first of three singles to be released from their third studio album, Carved in Sand (1990). It peaked at No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 50 in Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, as well as on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, where it reached number 23.
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