Sweet symphony: The Verve reunite
The Verve just announced some big news today — they are reuniting after eight years apart for a new album at the end of the summer and several shows this fall. Even though they’ve all slagged off on each other with vitriol in the intervening years, saying that a complete Beatles reunion was more likely than a Verve one, the statement released today says that they are “getting back together for the joy of the music.” Isn’t that sweet.
Richard Ashcroft, Nick McCabe, Simon Jones, and Pete Salisbury were back in the recording studio in London last week, and tickets to a handful of UK shows go on sale July 6th. Here’s to hoping there’s some amazing music waiting to come out from their reunion. In related listening, these are the demos from the Urban Hymns sessions at West London’s Olympic Studios in 1996 & 1997. The information that came with these when I sleuthed them out on a dare reads:
These are the legendary Urban Hymns demos recorded by Richard Ashcroft during 1996. They are from an analog source, but the quality is very listenable, all the instruments and vocals are present and clear. Verve drummer Peter Salisbury plays drums on most tracks, and most likely Simon Tong plays as well although no one is sure of the lineup other than Ashcroft and Salisbury. There are 3 songs from Urban Hymns, two b-sides from that album, 3 tracks that a few years later would appear on Ashcroft’s debut solo album, and eight unreleased tracks. Obviously, the absence of Nick McCabe from the proceedings is a negative, but the unreleased tracks and early versions of other songs make a nice addition to the Verve catalog.
OLYMPIC STUDIOS
VERVE DEMOS
OCT 13, 1996 – AUG 4, 1997
Space and Time
Sonnet
Song For The Lovers
One Before Dinner
Misty Morning June
Lord I’ve Been Trying
Jerusalem
The Drugs Don’t Work
C’mon People
Crab
A Little Bit Of Love
Lord, I Guess I’ll Never Know
Monte Carlo
Oh Sister
New York (Siren mix)
One More For The Lovers
It Takes Two
Name: Heather Browne
Thanks for this! The Verve are back, give us some good tunes lads!
Anonymous — June 26, 2007 @ 2:26 pm
let’s hope they can pick it back up where they left off on urban hymns. amazing album from an amazing band. let’s hope for a us tour stop.
c-note — June 26, 2007 @ 3:17 pm
i really like these, thanks!
Anonymous — June 26, 2007 @ 4:04 pm
I don’t even care that money is probably a big issue here. The fact that they’re in the studio and will be on the road was the best news I’ve had in a long time. For all the recent reunions in rock and roll, this is the one I’ve been waiting for.
Cheers for the demos. I’ve got them on cassette somewhere, but I don’t even think I have something to play them on.
stuporfly — June 26, 2007 @ 6:56 pm
Holy crap!
I cant believe the news today!
Im so frigging excited…but abit worried that the boys are too cleaned up to write any good stuff…
10 years ago the boyz would probably have a bowl of E for breakfast and then write some tunes and stuff..
Anonymous — June 26, 2007 @ 8:51 pm
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I’m as giddy as a schoolgirl.
SB — June 27, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
Someone linked your blog from mine… really enjoy it. Thanks for these Verve demos…
http://buddyhead.com/mp3blog
Anonymous — June 27, 2007 @ 5:20 pm
This is going to be more like “A Northern Soul”, which was their last proper album as a band. “Urban Hymns” was a Richard solo album that turned into a Verve album through brute force. And without Simon Tong, they’ll be back to the four-piece formula they had back when they were the best band in the world, circa 1993. Absolutely brilliant, I couldn’t be happier.
kell — June 28, 2007 @ 1:39 am
“Urban Hymns” was the height, “A Northern Soul” a step along the way. Lets see what happens.
Anonymous — June 28, 2007 @ 12:49 pm
I am so excited about the reunion. i hope they make it to North Carolina, USA on tour!!! I Can’t Believe it! thanks for posting the demos.
DC
Anonymous — July 4, 2007 @ 10:20 pm
Try here for more Verve goodies:
http://encouragingechoes.blogspot.com/
thanks for these.
Music is Power
RedEyesnFoggyHeedz — July 7, 2007 @ 5:13 am
You’ve got great taste in music. I have tons of Verve B-sides if you’re interested.
ScottM28 — July 8, 2007 @ 1:21 pm
Damn…too late! The links are dead. Any chance of upping these again?
KiDG — November 12, 2007 @ 11:08 pm
if you like the verve try this band, http://www.myspace.com/linearnorthmusic
i have seen them live a few times they are mind blowing can not beleave they are not signed
Anonymous — December 2, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
Great news! can you reupload those demos please? thanks.
Markey Bum — January 29, 2008 @ 1:10 pm
please
enjoy this
urban hymns cover
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acARCk1_wq8
Anonymous — October 26, 2008 @ 7:54 pm
hey, i was just wondering, can you re-upload these songs please? it would be great to hear the unreleased songs!
many thanks
Henry — May 2, 2010 @ 4:45 am
Echoing the sentiments above… Would love love love it, if you could repost. Have loved your blog for years!
Tom — August 26, 2010 @ 6:35 am