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| ELASTICA:
festival dates confirmed from Melody Maker 08.05.99 |
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Elastica are back! The band have been out of sight for so long that most people had written off any chances of their survival. But they have surprised all by announcing a new, six-piece line-up and a brace of headlining appearances at Reading and Leeds '99. Elastica will headline the second stage at Reading on August 27 and Leeds (28) without former guitarist Donna Matthews, but with their original bassist, Annie Holland. Donna's departure, which follows months of speculation and rumour, is by mutual agreement, due to "a breakdown in both personal and creative relationships within the group". Justine Frischmann said: "It's obviously really sad that this has happened, but it's also something of a relief for us all, so that we can now move forward. Everyone's really excited about playing Reading. It's been really frustrating these last two years not being able to participate in these events." Donna, who joined the band in August 1992, is pursuing a variety of other projects, and neither she nor Elastica is making any further comment on the bust-up. There had been rumours of tension in the ranks since last summer. In November, Justine was reportedly talking about splitting the group and it was widely rumoured then that Donna had left to form her own band. Elastica conceded that there had been a falling out between Justine and Donna, but insisted that they were back in the studio for an album to be released this spring. A source close to the band said: "It takes a while for things like these to break down to a point where everyone decides they just can't carry on together. That's the reason for the delay in the album." The long-awaited album, a follow-up to the band's million selling debut more than four years ago, now looks more likely for release next spring - a total delay of Stone Roses proportions. The new band features founder members Justine (vocals/guitar), Justin Welch (drums) and Annie Holland (returning after four years), plus keyboard player Dave Bush, who joined up in 1996 and played the last Elastica shows the same year at V96 in Chelmsford and Leeds. Completing the line-up are guitarist Paul Jones, who is currently recording a new album with Linoleum, and additional keyboard player and vocalist Mew, from a band called Heave. This is the line-up which completed more than half of the recorded material for the new album. The remaining songs include five written by Donna, who plays and sings on these and certain other tracks, all of which indicates that the recording sessions have been stopping and starting since they began at the beginning of 1997. Jones and Mew do not intend to quit their existing careers at this point. The new line-up has reportedly been recording prolifically, and Elastica will remain with Deceptive and with Geffen worldwide. It's expected that a still-unchosen single will be released to coincide with the festival dates and other projected gigs, altough the album has yet to be mixed and may not appear until next year. The source said of the forthcoming material: "I was actually really impressed with it. When something's gone on this long, you tend to worry that it might not be any good, but that's anything but the case. It's so identifiably Elastica, quite sharp and snappy punk-pop, but it's a lot more way-out than people would expect, and I think a lot darker, a lot moodier." Asked if Justine might have returned Damon Albarn's compliment by writing about their split, the source said: "I can't say." |
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Copyright? What's that? - Sers 1999 |
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