Monday, April 28, 2025

A past gone mad, part 397



Glenn Gregory subbing 

Named after Bowie's worst single (at least of the 1970s... he surely out-did it in the post-Let's Dance era) 

Marc Almond, Clem Burke (RIP), Glen Matlock, and Gary Kemp have been accomplices in the past.


Reef? Replenish? There's a market for a 30th Anniversary tour?!? Tour, meaning multiple dates around the country!

(I cannot even remember who Reef ever were in the first place)




 

The Gang of 2 celebrate Entertainment!'s 45th anniversary - actually the 46th, but who's counting...


40th Anniversary of what? The Wedding Present's existence?  That silhouette figure composited out of album covers..... 

Rounding out this round-up.... 

Goodness, a mega box set of Swing Out Sister's second phase career, when pop success was quite a long way back in the rear view mirror.... 



SWING OUT SISTER
Certain Shades Of Limelight
27 June 2025
8CD

Swing Out Sister Celebrate Their Sophisticated Sound with New 8CD Box Set: 
Certain Shades Of Limelight

Cherry Red Records proudly announces the release of Certain Shades Of Limelight, a beautifully curated 8CD box set celebrating the vibrant and soulful evolution of iconic British pop sophisticates Swing Out Sister. Spanning the years 1994 to 2004, this definitive collection captures a golden decade of musical exploration, refinement, and reinvention.



6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This year marks the 58th anniversary of my favourite Bowie single The Laughing Gnome. I think that should be celebrated with a world tour.

Phil Knight said...

Reef may have been mugwump wurzels, but they had some undeniably immense moments:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ9tyyqLWGk

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

I am fond of "The Laughing Gnome" too. And the first album. It's one of his more authentic, this-is-me records

I think Reef must have happened when I was firmly planted in America and had stopped contributing to or reading Melody Maker. Are they contemporaries of Kasabian?

Phil Knight said...

Reef were contemporaneous to, but not part of, Britpop.

They were from the West Country and made low-brow but compulsive riff-rock.

Sort of The Troggs doing grunge. Great fun, I thought at the time (and still do!).

SIMON REYNOLDS said...

Ah, invocation of The Troggs gets me intrigued.

Have you ever heard a band called Tractor? They were on John Peel's indie-but-not-really label Dandelion and although hippies they have this great primitive sloppy sound - particularly this track "All Ends Up" - https://youtu.be/Cj2DC5cwlLQ?si=IO4Zkr3C2ZzPL6oo

Phil Knight said...

Never heard of Tractor - that track is quite Sabs-like, doomy, profound. Very good, though.

Reef are more neanderthal, chimp-like, no intellectual profundity whatsoever. Another good example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZwH3JiKk94