Stardom has been a long time coming for Southend trance dance trio Taste Xperience, and they still haven't quite reached it.

But the patron saints of never-give-up have never come closer than now.

Their latest tune Summersault is due for release as a limited DJ promo this week and features on Paul Oakenfold's latest album, Global Underground: New York.

Summersault has been crafted through countless Friday nights when Nigel Palmer and Richard Cornish gather at their studio in an old stable at Russell Barker's home.

It's got everything they need to create their masterpieces - samplers, keyboards, sequencers, mixing deck, but some 20 minutes after offering me a preview of possible future releases hey still couldn't get the DAT machine to work.

But I was going to hear it no matter what. The 20p which has "made a lot of our decisions over the years" had seen to that - heads I stay and hear the tune, tails I was out the door. Ironic that a mere coin could play such an important role in the life of this band considering they don't care too much for the business - just the sounds they create.

Their music drives them, they are songwriters, musicians. It's an art thing.

After years on the verge of the big time, this trio of thirty-somethings have learned there's no point getting excited about anything else.

"We want to be successful but it isn't really the driving thing, we do it really because we enjoy doing it.

"We all work, and we do this as well, and it's just our buzz," explained Nigel. And if fame never comes knocking on the door, "we wouldn't be disappointed if that didn't happen- we are there now, we are where we want to be."

There was probably a time when Taste Xperience were a little more enthusiastic but that would have been before they experienced the music industry for what it is.

Since they got together in the mid '80s they have been signed to Polydor and had all the major record companies knocking on their door.

A top 40 club hit was also earned, and they have been managed by the Pet Shop Boys' Tom Watkins, and Prodigy's Mike Champion.

Once they even had an image. Six months later it had all gone a bit Pete Tong.

At one memorable time the group had Feargal Sharkey as their A&R manager. A painful episode for Nigel: "He set fire to my hair once - for a laugh."

Then there was the time Russell was found starkers in a hotel lift letting off a fire extinguisher.

And the trip to America where Taste Xperience found themselves judging a modelling competition sponsored by Hawaiian Tropic.

Despite Summersault featuring the vocals of Scottish singer Natasha Pearl, Taste Xperience has done without singers ("the bane of our lives") for a while, though they admit they'd change their minds the minute the perfect voice came along.

But that's manana - tomorrow - a favourite word of Taste Xperience that sums them up perfectly.

For them tomorrow will bring what it will - from a top 40 hit to finding their tune has been picked for a commercial, to it being played out by Paul Oakenfold as his opening track at Liverpool's Cream.

Maybe one day it will even bring them a new DAT machine.

Been there, almost - Taste Xperience's Richard Cornish, Nigel Palmer and Russell Barker

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.