His departure from Heathers was assured when he accepted an offer from Darren Belk to join Beachbuggy in early 1991, for which Kelly adopted the pseudonym Jim VeVee.
Kelly continued to work with Beachbuggy after joining the metal/punk band Groop Dogdrill in 1993 who eventually enjoyed considerable success in the UK and United States.
Unable to commit to both bands Kelly quit Beachbuggy shortly after the release of their debut US-only CD album Unsafe... At Any Speed in 1998.
Meanwhile, Groop Dogdrill released the albums Half Nelson (1998) and Every Six Seconds (2000) before Kelly chose to leave after Mantra Records declined to renew the band's contract at the end of 2000.
Thereafter he largely retreated from the music business, having married and settled in Sheffield, but briefly returned to play with a re-formed Beachbuggy from 2005 to 2006.