Tonight we’re gonna party like its 1994!...

Tonight we’re gonna party like its 1994!...


It’s a common opinion that people are a product of their environment and that experiences and daily routine shape the personality and person that the individual will ultimately be. I can’t help but think that this is true especially when discussing music and tastes. The choice of bands, artists and overall genres of music a person hears in their formative years will always hold a special place in the listener’s hearts; did anyone ever listen to an album as intently as they did when they were 15-16? Every word and nuance of the music was assimilated and absorbed into the memory bank and psyche and was saved for ever. Last Sunday I joined a good mate for a night of teenage year’s reflection and redemption thanks to everyone’s 4th favourite band of the 90’s Shed Seven at Shepherds Bush Empire. It has been a gray haired 15 years since their ‘Maximum High’ album was released and in celebration they were going to play a gig to remind everyone why it’s such a great record and prove that there is still many miles left in the tank as a live act on the post-Libertines music scene.

It’s worrying how quickly the years fly by when you pass the 25-30 bracket and I can only assume it kicks up another gear at 40 before running flat out at 50 until life seems like a constant drive down the motorway to oblivion. The running order of the nights song choices are excellent and I’m glad the group have left the ego at the door and simply bashed out the classics one after another. Tracks such as ‘Going for Gold’, ‘Standby’, ‘She Left me On Friday’, ‘Getting Better’ and the encore ‘Chasing Rainbows’ are all played full tilt with passion and genuine joy at finally being appreciated after many years of being sidelined by the shadow of the Britpop hierarchy of Oasis, Blur, The Charlatans etc.

The group have gone through line up changes as they tried to incorporate new sounds and find their place during these later years before finally parting ways with each other. Time heals many things and I’m sure as memories became fond and new generations started looking back at the 90’s as a long ago era… *gulps drink to steady nerves* the music is the thing that is finally taking centre stage while the rest of the surrounding publicity and distractions of the time are casually ignored. I doubt many 17-18 year olds are trying to find back copies of Select, NME and Q magazine from the 90s to see the backbiting and publicity machine in full propaganda mode awaiting the release of ‘Be Here Now’ when the prophecy would be fulfilled for music and set us all free to be full time scallywags and professionally northern.

For and until forever here are some 90s indie classics for you all to dig out and appreciate with the beauty and shield of the 00’s to protect your ‘coolness.

‘Standby’ – Shed Seven
‘303’ – Kula Shaker
‘Love has Passed Away' – The Supernaturals
‘Connection’ – Elastica
‘Alright’ – Cast
‘Slight Return’ – The Bluetones
‘Kung Fu’ – Ash
‘Do You Remember The First Time?’ – Pulp
‘Headshrinker’ – Oasis
‘The Drowners’ – Suede
‘BeetleBum’ – Blur
‘U16 Girls’ – Travis
'Love is the Law' - The Seahorses
'Richard III' - Supergrass