This summer, RUTH have rightly been busy as boys should be, and to prove it, here's a diary cunningly written by Ben in the third person.

Saturday July 15 - A day of frantic buying stuff and terrible car problems. Ben, Matt and Steve set off for Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire in incredibly full cars. Matt VB goes to see The Rolling Stones. The others arrive in the tiny village of South Thoresby where there are four houses, a pub and a studio. They run around the studio in fits of delight and have their first encounter with the bags of Morrison's Doughnuts with which they will become very intimate over the next few weeks.

Sunday July 16 - RUTH arise to be made lots of food (this will happen a lot too) and meet a man called Ewan who is to be their engineer. He draws them the most pathetic map of how to get to Grantham so that they can pick up their missing drummer. They pick him up He had a very nice time, thankyou very much. Return to Chapel and spend the day putting up mics and watching The Simpsons.

Monday July 17 - Saturday July 29 - RUTH record their first set of singles; I don't know, Valentine's Day, Waiting for this, Chicken (unfortunately done abortively fast), You take me over, start Sleep Tight and What shall we do as B-side for the first single. At the end of the session the string quartet arrives to add their luscious beauty to Valentine's Day, Waiting for this and Sleep Tight. Ewan confesses he's never recorded strings before. They manage it anyway.

Lots of doughnuts are eaten, lots of episodes of The Simpsons are watched, lots of Pool is played.

Sunday July 30 - The RUTH boys bugger off home.

Wednesday August 2nd - Friday August 4th - RUTH travel to Manchester for a day and a half's photo shoot with Ian Tilton (he did The Smiths, Stone Roses, Nirvana and stuff). Arrive Wednesday night to stay with Jane, friend of Steve's. Have difficulty finding a chip shop. Drop lots of tea on the floor. Spend Thursday shopping then going to Blackpool to be photographed on the beach. It's very hot. RUTH are beset by a plague of ladybirds. On the way to a big cliff outside Manchester they all stop for chips and see a garish yellow-tiled wall so they have their pictures taken against it. This eventually becomes the back of the first single. They all go to this cliff where the rocks are all red and you can see for miles and have more pictures taken. On Friday they spend the morning doing studio shots featuring a lovely platinum microdress. They say "Thankyou Ian" and go home.

Monday August 7th - Friday August 11th - To Sarm West in Ladbroke Grove to spend the week mixing with Big Alan Winstanley (fresh from doing Aztec Camera, as it happens). Alan mixes I don't know, Valentine's Day, You take me over and Waiting for this and RUTH sit around Being Very Quiet and being made hot chocolates by Tim the assistant engineer and being given lots of horrid Sarm T-shirts (DO NOT REFUSE THEM). Alan tells them lots of showbiz stories about Morrissey and David Bowie and lots of shit jokes. He is very tall. The final mixes are sent off to be mastered for RUTH's first ever CD. Everybody says "Thankyou Alan", and he says "No, I enjoyed it".

Thursday August 17 - Friday August 18 - RUTH shoot video for the first single, "I don't know" as it has been decided. This is a surprise to everyone since only a week and a half ago they were expecting to do it in September. Nonetheless at seven am on Thursday the crew of twelve, headed by Edgar the director (a friend from Matt VB's college days), all accompanied by a large van full of heavy things.

The electrician diverts all the electricity in the flat to running the lights. The freezer defrosts. The front room is cleared of all furniture and filled up with camera, lights and six foot yellow letters made of foam rubber (they spell the word RUTH). There is no room. The windows are blacked out. These are the hottest days of the year anyway. To walk in the door is to become saturated with sweat.

Filming commences; RUTH miming all together, RUTH miming individually, RUTH in the pretend bedroom, Ben on top of the wardrobe, Matt with Steve's legs, RUTH in the kitchen window, RUTH in the wardrobe, RUTH in the lounge dancing, hula-hooping, jumping onto the sofa, RUTH on the bouncy castle.

Night time, no electricity. Where is everything?

Next day: Running in the park with the letters. Scaring the children off the climbing frame pirate ship, Matt in the bathroom, Matt in the hall, everyone in the bathroom (Steve hanging upside down from the attic), Matt on the toilet, the front door, The Opening Cords.

The lights come back on, the van drives away.

Saturday August 19 - RUTH try to restore some order to the flat, give up, go back to Chapel.

Sunday August 20 - Sunday September 10 - RUTH record the rest of the album and B-sides. Go Go-Karting for Ewan's 22nd birthday, go Go-Karting for Matt VB's 24th birthday. Do Sleep Tight, Chicken (again, much better), Fear of flying, I wish I hadn't, Lost my way, Crash, Can't stop myself (super-disco), Sideways. B-sides Whirler, He said she said, Something Good, Told you So. Drink lots of hot chocolates prepared by Mark from Louth who also assists in any way he can. Receive first ever CD (it's a bit quiet), approve I don't know sleeve, get photos, get the video rushes. Go mad. Go home.

Monday September 11 - Edgar delivers finished video. RUTH are pleased. Worry about forthcoming launch party. Go to sleep.

Monday September 18 - RUTH at the Hanover Grand, free for anyone interested. RUTH have vaguely remembered how to play a few days ago. Set up, soundcheck, hang up big yellow RUTH, set up enormous screen to play video. Ben hits head as hard as possible in sign saying "Mind your head". Has to lie down bloodily for an hour.

People start to arrive and don't stop arriving until the place is packed. This is a new experience. RUTH get very nervous except Ben who seems a bit vague.

Specially prepared intro music reaches preposterous climax, RUTH appear on stage, do 5 song set, go off. Audience motionless as if hypnotised or dead. Video gets shown. People like it. Short intermission. Video played again. RUTH reappear to play more, better. Audience move around and are noisy. Someone shouts out for "I'm All Right". This is not appreciated. We know it was one of you. Forced to do encores but don't mind really.

STOP PRESS Be sure to watch Good Morning with Ann and Nick, daytimes BBC1 in the week 23-27th October, where RUTH, as part of the BBC's Youth 2000 week will be swapping drummers mid-gig with the Something Big Band (who are all over 70) in an immensly stupid little feature called "Bridging the Gap". We think it'll be on the Thursday. Don't miss it.