THE 'cool cats' will be back in town this weekend as a rock group rated by the late DJ Tommy Vance as one of his favourite acts returns to Malvern for a reunion gig.

The Ipanema Katz will be taking to the stage again for the first time in 16 years on Saturday at the RSRE Social Club in the town's Spring Lane. Guitarist Russell Simon, now 47, and singer Paul Taylor, of Martley, formed the group in Malvern in 1985 and were joined shortly afterwards by Geordie Paul Nichols, who moved down from Newcastle to take up the drumsticks.

The glam-punk-rock trio played a large range of venues across the nation and appeared on various radio and television shows alongside the likes of Welsh rockers The Alarm. During this time, they went through a string of bassists and released singles including Nite Kixx which received rave reviews in Kerrang! music magazine.

An album they recorded was never released after they fell out with the production team who wanted to push them in a more commercial direction.

And it all came to an end in 1990 after two final shows at the legendary Marquee Club in London, which the band described as one of the high points of their time together.

Looking back on the period, Mr Simon said: "It was great fun travelling around in a van and playing all these gigs.

"I wouldn't change anything at all - we had a great time trying to make a living from it." But Mr Simon - who now works for Malvern-based contract flooring business First Floor and still lives in the town at Link Top - said they decided to do a reunion gig to mark the 21st anniversary of their formation.

The trio will be re-united on the night with bass player Justin Willis being drafted in, and are set to play their hits alongside covers such as The Faces' Stay With Me.

Mr Simon said: "We're really looking forward to it and getting quite excited - we've just got to learn the songs now!

"It's really a get-together to have a bit of fun and hopefully see people we haven't seen for quite a while on the evening."

The gig starts at 7.30pm on Saturday and tickets are £3 on the door.