How long can you wait?

Despite Martin's 2012 statement "I’m sure now would be a very apt time to reform Gene, but I would rather eat my own penis. Fried. With shallots.", and the tension that sprung up around his performing Gene songs at a solo farewell concert without the rest of the band, this is happening. I guess time heals all wounds (and seasons shallots).

From the band's statement this morning:

Today marks an incredible 30 years since the release of our debut album Olympian. It feels like only yesterday we released these songs and we’re endlessly grateful for the love and support you've shown us over the years. To celebrate, we are beyond excited to announce that we will be reuniting for a very special show at the legendary Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith this October.

And there's a shiny new website to go with it all too, plus an official page on Bacefook and the 'gram.

I know October is a while off, and there's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip, but for now, this looks like it really is happening. I will be there, come hell or high water. Until then... from 30 years ago, here's the band's TV debut on The Late Show. Great time-capsule TV intro too.

P.S. Only by looking at the directorship of the newly formed Gene Touring Limited on the Companies House website did this lifelong Gene fan discover that Martin's middle name is Charles. So there you go.

P.P.S. The Rozzer has been interviewed by the NME. There may be warm-up gigs! There may be dates in 2026!

Back in town

Much as I like, and have very specific mental associations with, the Thin Lizzy original, I do love a cover version that tries to do something a bit different. The Cardigans slow it down a bit, add some sort of tinkling keyboard line in the middle eight and, as always, deploy their trump card in the shape of Nina Persson's vocals. Any excuse, etc.

For comparison, the Thin Lizzy original.

What are your favourite cover versions that "do different"?

Hush

I'm tired of people talking loudly during gigs. If you want to have a chat with your mate, go to the bar. Other gig-goers should not have to struggle to hear the music over the sound of you and yours having a catch-up.

I'm so tired of it that, after a particularly noise-disrupted gig (Suede in 2023), I considered trying to start a campaign to make talking loudly during gigs socially unacceptable. HUSH, I was going to call it, thinking myself clever. Of course I went nowhere with the idea, because I can count the number of people in the world who give a toss what I think on my fingers, so what would be the point? All I did was get as far as roughing up a campaign logo, which I present here for anyone to use however they see fit. You can click any of these for a full-size version.

I did get as far as making this available as a T-shirt though, and a baseball cap, and a mug, and a sticker, and all the rest. Knock yourselves out. Spread the word... quietly... Until then, here's an obvious song that you can listen to without anyone talking over it: Kula Shaker's cover of Hush.

Blue Friday: Ciao!

What do you get if take a peak-Miki Lush, add a dollop of Jarvis, a dash of melodica (I think?) and a cutting, bittersweet break-up lyric? Well, Ciao!, of course. It tries so hard to be upbeat about the turn of events, but the song doth protest too much, I think. From their last album, 1996's Lovelife, here it is.

I've been so happy since I walked away
I never thought that I could feel as great as I do today
'Cause you were nothing but a big mistake
And life is wonderful, now that I'm rid of you

Oh I must've been crazy to have stayed with you
I can't believe I thought I was in love with you
But now the scales have fallen I can really see
And I say go to hell, 'cause thats where you took me

Well, I've felt better since I slammed that door
You always cramped my style, I never noticed before
It's been a non-stop party since I flew the coop
I can't believe I fell for such a loser like you

And is it any wonder that I felt so blue
When I was always having to put up with you
Oh, here we go again, just lay the blame on me
Don't say another word, 'cause sweetheart, you're history

I know that you miss me really
Bet you wish that you still had me
You'll never find someone like me but
I've got no regrets at all

'Cause I've met this girl and she's so good to me
She's really beautiful, fantastic company
Oh, when I'm with her I realize what love can be
Because she's fifty times the person you will ever be

Good luck, mister, do you think I care?
Since you've been gone the offers have been everywhere
I've got a million guys just lining up for me
I've turned a corner, boy, my life is ecstasy

Well, I've been in heaven since I walked away
I never thought that I could feel as great as I do today
'Cause you were nothing but a waste of space
And life is wonderful now that I'm over you

And lo...

...a generation of introverted indie boys fell for Zooey Deschanel, just like that. Obligatory sigh, etc.

For completeness, here's the parody she and Joseph Gordon-Levitt gamely did for some Josh Horowitz show or other. "You like The Shat?"

Joy

Struggling to find the joy in anything at the moment, least of all the staples - reading, writing, listening to music, playing the guitar, cycling - that usually provide it with ease. Only one song for it then.

Oh, Harriet (obligatory sigh).

Revival of a revival

Well, it's the 1st of March, and this is from third album Marchin' Already. You can see what I did there.

Lots of people don't have much time for Ocean Colour Scene, but I always quite liked them. I'm seeing them live in the summer, supporting Roger Daltrey, can you believe?

This is a fine old song too. Guitarist and Weller-wingman Steve Cradock, in particular, is giving it the full mod revival revival, and is all the better for it, in my book.

Hell of a driving song too.

Enough with the RIPs

Seems like barely a day goes by at the moment without someone dying that gives pause for thought. As I write this, the circumstances of Gene Hackman's death are unclear, beyond that he, his wife and their dog were all found dead together at their home.

For some, Gene will forever be Popeye Doyle. For others, he may be the definitive big-screen Lex Luthor. But for me, he will always be Little Bill Daggett, the role that garnered him a second Oscar. Unforgiven is a rare thing, just about a perfect movie, something that I always watch whenever it is on, regardless of how often I have seen it and despite also owning it on DVD. All the principals in it are superb, but none more so than Gene.

And I haven't even mentioned The Conversation.

RIP Gene and Betsy.

Good man yourself

The news yesterday that Henry Kelly has died made me sad, as much for that long-lost time in my late teens as for anything else. For me, Henry was Going For Gold, simple as that - the show aimed to identify the quiz champion of Europe, and had contestants from 15 countries ... though all the questions were in English, so the home nations always did well.

Beyond the excellent theme music, Henry's quirky and idiomatic phrasing was another feature of the show, and led to a number of new terms entering my teenage lexicon, notably: "Good man yourself", "You're playing catch-up" and adding "proper" onto the end of everything (as in "You're through to the first round proper" after getting through the actual first round). Different times.

Here's the grand final of the first series, from all the way back in Spring 1988. Beyond the theme tune, the cake (!) ten minutes in, and Henry being Henry, note the winner, Daphne. If she looks familiar, well, she went on to be a member of the in-house pro team on another quiz, Eggheads.

I love everything about this video - it's time-capsule TV and perfectly encapsulates a simpler time, when people clapped each other rather than themselves. How we used to live, eh?

Rest in peace, Henry - you were a good man yourself.

Resurrecting Wordless Wednesday