YOU could almost say he is becoming a bit of a regular of a certain Southend boozer, and indeed Southend in general.

Tom Hingley, (yes, him from Inspiral Carpets), is coming back to the Railway Hotel this Saturday afternoon where he will be playing an intimate solo set.

It was only in May he appeared at the Broadway in Leigh, playing at one of Nathan Abbott's (54 Plates) many gig nights.

When Tom isn't performing solo and popping to Southend from Manchester, these days, the former front man of the Madchester indie legends gigs under the guise of Tom Hingley and the Kar-Pets or the Tom Hingley Band, a three piece dirty electric blues rock band, "think of Bowies Tin Machine, (but with songs), think of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, played by Frank Spencer, and you get the idea" he says.

He has also written a book and likes to brew bitter - Tom Hingley bitter - which he often sells at gigs.

See Tom doing his charming solo set at the pub in Clifftown Road, at 4:30pm.