THEY may have been making music together for more than 20 years, but Hue and Cry brothers Greg and Pat Kane are stiill getting on.

Sibling rivalry hasn’t broken up their working relationship and fans can look forward to an intimate performance of their material in Trafford next week.

Q. What’s the secret of their longevity?

Pat: Greg says it’s because we don't socialise with each other! That's partly true, but it also means that when we do get together, the ideas & the creativity starts to flow immediately. We’ve never really had a problem writing or performing: I think Greg would agree that we have a good artistic telepathy going.

Q. What made you want to do these intimate, acoustic gigs?

Greg: Pat and I write all our songs with either piano & voice or guitar & voice. If a song doesn't work played by just the two of us, we scrap it and start afresh. We enjoy performing to a live audience in this "Stripped" format … it reaffirms our belief in the songs we play and also lets an audience hear the songs in their purest form.

Hue and Cry’s hit singles included Labour of Love and Looking for Linda.

Q. Of all the other artists hey’ve met over their 20 plus years in the pop industry, who has made the biggest impression on them and why?

Pat: We were also privileged over the last 25 years to be the opening act for both James Brown & Ray Charles - incredible to see them working up close, & to hang out with them for a few hours.

* The Waterside Arts Centre presents Hue and Cry - Hot Wire Stripped on August 10 at 7pm. Tickets are available from 0161 912 5616 and anyone interested in finding out more should visit www.watersideartscentre.co.uk