|
Story: Jack Foley
FOR those unacquainted with Longview, maybe now is the time.
With a new single, Further, hitting record shops this
week (July 7, 2003), and a debut album, Mercury, on the
way on July 21, why not be one of the first to discover the magic
they offer - rather than becoming one of the chasing pack?
Further is actually the third single to be released by
the band, off the back of When You Sleep and Nowhere
(as well as the website only, If You Asked), and is actually a
re-release. But don't let that put you off.
By the band's own admission, they owe a lot in style to Doves,
Coldplay and even Radiohead, although there is an optimism in
their music which is more akin to The Verve, or a blissed out
Teenage Fanclub.
Singer/songwriter, Rob McVey, claims to have drawn much inspiration
from Radiohead, after seeing them at the Southampton Guidhall,
aged just 15.
"They were amazing," he recalls, on the band's website.
"They seemed to have that power of rock and the mood of melancholy
to go with it.
"The feeling that cuts you really deep. That's what I'm
looking for. We aspire to nothing less than that."
The story of Longview, however, begins in Winchester, when Rob,
aged just four, first began to play the guitar - he would become
classically trained.
By the age of 18, he took a place on a musical jazz course in
Manchester.
Naturally gravitating towards the Night & Day Cafe (haunt
of Twisted Nerve operatives, Badly Drawn Boy and Alfie), Rob began
to develop his musical bearings, recruiting drummer, Matt Dabbs,
and bassist, Aidan Banks, from his hometown.
|
 |
The last piece of the puzzle came in the form of the band's mercurial
guitarist, Doug, and it wasn't long before the band had been snapped
up by the eagle-eyed East West, following gigs at the Night &
Day Cafe and at ULU, in support of Haven.
And the result is pretty spectacular stuff. As Rob confidently
predicts: "If people give up their time to listen to us,
I don't think they'll be disappointed.
"My aim is to make a record that touches people emotionally...
A classic album; one you can't forget."
Listeners will, of course, have the opportunity to decide for
themselves come July 21, but if the first few singles are anything
to go by - Longview have succeeded in their objective to reach
out and touch on an emotional scale.
We would urge you to Further their career...
For a taste of what to expect, follow the weblink in the right-hand
column to join an album listening party, or try to catch them
live at one of the following dates...
July Tour Dates 2003
8th - Gig – York – Fibbers
10th - XFM session with Zoe Ball (London)
11th - Gig – Harlow – Square
13th - Gig – T in the park festival
15th - Gig – Bury St Edmunds – Priors
17th - Gig – Exeter – Cavern
18th - Gig – Plymouth – Tramps (TBC)
19th - Gig – Bath - Moles
22nd - HMV instore – Manchester
29th - Gig – Glasgow – King Tut’s
30th - Gig – Manchester University
31st - Gig – London - Ulu
August 2003
9th - Eden Festival Liverpool
22nd - Carling weekend festival – (Leeds)
24th - Carling weekend festival – (Reading)
|
