The classic hits of British pop band The Beautiful South have never been forgotten and performing them live again are some original and new band members going by the name The South, reports Anita Merritt.

IT was the telephone call Alison Wheeler never expected to receive – and when she did there was no hesitation in her answer.

After spending 12 months in limbo after the split of successful pop group The Beautiful South Alison found herself agreeing to join the line-up of the new band.

Minus lead singer Paul Heaton, who memorably gave the reason of "musical similarities" for their split in 2007, the band have continued to keep the songs alive, first under the name of The New Beautiful South and now as The South.

The band are now testing out some new material in an intimate series of UK shows. The Small Is Beautiful tour comes to Exeter Phoenix on Friday, February 24, when all the old favourites including Song For Whoever, Perfect 10, Rotterdam, Don't Marry Her, You Keep It All In, and Old Red Eyes Is Back, will be played.

Joining Alison are fellow mainstays from the original band Dave Hemingway, lead vocalist, keyboard wizard Damon Butcher and the potent horn section of Gaz Birtles and Tony Robinson.

"It's the first time we've come to this neck of the woods as The South," revealed Alison.

"We have not toured much beyond London so we are looking forward to getting out and about and reaching to other parts as a new band. We realise that a lot of people want to hear all the old Beautiful South songs so that will be the majority of what we perform, but with four or five new tracks to give people a taster of where we are going.

"There is still a connection with the original band but the name The South is also to show we are trying to develop and move forward."

That vision has resulted in releasing one new track a month, which can be downloaded for free on the band's website, and will eventually form an entire album which will also be available on CD.

"We've recorded five songs for it so far," revealed Alison. "We've just put the second track on the website and have got some lovely comments. We've now got to sift through 15 tracks to decided which ones will make it.

"A male and female voice is quite a trademark sound of the Beautiful South. We've all been busy trying to evolve and write and develop our skills without Paul and Dave. We wanted to pay homage to the sound of Beautiful South but to also evolve it rather than it just being a blueprint sound."

Alison's first association with The Beautiful South came in 2002 when she was working with London gospel band Citizen K and was introduced to Dave Hemingway. The unexpected departure of former band member Jacqui Abbott created an opening for Alison. She is the first to admit that at first very surreal.

"I had been numbed by working nine to five jobs," recalled Alison, who had been on the brink of giving up on her music aspirations. "It was refreshing working with people whose vocation was music and that's all they had ever done. They were 30 odd with the mentality of juveniles who were just enjoying every aspect of life. It took me a while to get into that mindset.

"I was very focused about what I wanted to achieve, then I realised you can stop and have a laugh."

During the 20 years of The Beautiful South, the band released 10 studio albums, five greatest hit compilations, 34 chart singles and had 15 million record sales worldwide, performing in front of millions of fans.

When that all ended in 2007, Alison had more than wanted to carry on.

"It was not an acrimonious split," she admitted. "The Beautiful South had been together over 20 years and Paul decided the natural thing was to call it a day.

"For me it was like, 'No!'. I was having so much fun, but I had only been with the band for five years. Paul was kind and said he would like to see America before we split so we did a tour there before we split. It was very weird because we all just hugged, said goodbye and exchanged Christmas cards. I haven't kept in touch with Paul but he did send a good luck text to all the members from the original line-up when we branched into our own project."

That long awaited call to re-establish the band in a new format came 12 months after the split.

Alison recalled: "A year later I was still in limbo and juggling family life, when thankfully the drummer David called and asked if I would be interested in keeping the band going. It took me a nanosecond to say yes!

"I really thought the band was dead in the water and I was ready to throw the towel."

Now Alison is getting to perform the songs she loves so much and still pursue her own projects.

She said: "We are now down to five of the original 11 members of the touring band. I've started to play the bass but not with The South. I'm in a band called Topers with a few friends from university.

"To try and sing and play the guitar is like trying to rub my belly and pat my head at the same time.

"In The South we are all professionals with our own careers but it's about having fun and that's what I hope people will have when they come and see The South on tour."

Tickets for the gig, starting at 8pm, cost £20.50. For details call 01392 667080 or visit www.exeterphoenix.org.uk