Barbara Gogan's voice soared through a set of evocative. allusive lyrics whilst Clive Timperly's delicate Echoplex guitar bathed the piece in a gentle but concise atmospheric grandeur.

This transcendental-beat glide was further pursued on their second lp, '30,000 Feet Over China', a follow up to the far less smooth embrace of 'Michael And Miranda'.

On a quiet day last December the sleeping Sounds staff were suddenly awakened by the angry clanging of the international hot-line. The gabbling cadence at the other end broke the news that Clive had departed the outfit in Verona during an Italian tour due to 'serious political differences'.

The end of Passion pleasure?

A few began mourning but recently came handsome fresh product in the shape of the single, 'Africa Mine', recorded by the remaining trio with Barbara busying herself at the vacant fretboard. Word escaped too that a pair of new members had joined the fold and the five were deep into earnest rehearsing in Harlesden.

It's here that I meet up with the band. Barbara Gogan explains the current situation thus:

“It's the same old story. Some bands play together for ten years and it's all very wonderful and imaginative. More often, though, you reach a point where you've done all you can do and you want to change. Whenever we've reached that point someone has always left and brought us a step further on.

“Any band playing their own songs to the public has a duty to change and keep being imaginative all the time. When we did 'German Film Star' we were the most united band ever, but afterwards we were never the same. We knew as long ago as February of last year that the band had to change but it took until August for it to happen."

But Clive continued playing with you until December. So why the shroud of cloak and dagger secrecy?

"We didn't want a big fuss when we were trying to work for three months on the road. We didn't know Clive was going to leave when we started but we did call it the 'Tour Till We Crack' tour.”

Drummer Richard arrive and takes up the story: “We called it that because we knew the band was going to crack in some way, that's why we planned such a long tour. We were all getting bored with that Echoplex sound that Clive used all the time. We've still got an Echoplex but we're not dependent on it now. People leave in this band all the time. None of us are founder members."

Barbara: “And the sound of the band changes all the time. There was a lot of difference between '30,000 Feet' and 'Michael And Miranda' which was a lot to do with David coming into the band.”

David being David Agar who replaced original bassist Claire Bidwell (now of the Wall). The singer continues:

“We did make a deliberate decision to get away from the Echoplex sound before Clive left, the three of us would sit around and discuss how the music was going but Clive just wasn't interested.”

Isn't there a danger of losing forever that distinctive frail and ethereal Passions sound and becoming just another rock band?

“How dare you!" exclaims Barbara. But Richard admits: “We can't play well enough to be 'just another rock band'.”

And so to the new boys. Behind the only-one-in-the-country synth is mild mannered Jeff Smith, perhaps best known for his past work with Lene Lovich, with whom he still trades the odd bleep and blurt.

Wrestling determinedly with the six-string is ultra-fast learner Kevin Armstrong (once acquainted himself with the entire Spizz set in one afternoon), formerly a Local Hero in SW9 and a recent contributor to the, as yet unissued, Tom Dolby album.

Class musicians without a doubt but as far as the Passions go are they any more than sessioners?

Richard: “They haven't signed anything in blood or been given the initiation ceremony. It's just very loose and consequently better and healthier. The three of us are the partners in the Passions but Jeff and Kevin are members as opposed to hired hands. Anyway, they don't want to get involved in our debt!

“We've always wanted a keyboard player but Clive used to say he could do everything that we needed on guitar. Jeff's synth has opened up a whole new world for us.”

Jeff: “Before everything had been texturally similar because of Clive's guitar. New there is a lot more variety. I don't think people will complain about delicate changes but they will complain if the band stays in the same place and it becomes stagnant.”

Barbara: “One thing I regret is not having waited to record 'Africa Mine'. Now with the synth it sounds a lot more solid although it is probably selling as well as anything we've done except 'German Film Star'.

But will lyrics dealing with exploitation ever be fully adored by the massed legions of Joe Public? In the light of their aforementioned debt wouldn't it be commercially more sensible to issue another song with the romantic bent of ‘German Film Star’?

Barbara: “I agree people do relate more to love songs but we've always been very strong about putting out singles that stand up as songs outside of an album and outside of the band. With 'German Film Star' no-one knew who the band that recorded it were, especially abroad where people just knew the song. 'Hunted' was a similar case.

“We won't put out a single just because it sounds commercial, it has to be sincere."

With further talk, future schemes unfold, including a covering of Love's 'Alone Again Or' and, although stopping short of jigs and reels, a tackling of an Irish folk song learnt from a Fureys album.

Optimism abounds...