The original Gene line-up have reunited and announced their first live show in over 20 years. Read NME‘s interview with frontman Martin Rossiter below, where he discusses what to expect from the “spectacular” gig.
Rossiter, drummer Matt James, guitarist Steve Mason and bassist Kevin Miles are set to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album ‘Olympian’ with a comeback concert at the Eventim Apollo in London on October 4.
It will be their first show since they last played in the capital at the now-defunct London Astoria on December 16, 2004. Tickets go on sale at 9am GMT next Friday (March 28) – you’ll be able to buy yours here.
Speaking to NME from a “beautiful park watching the insects fly by” in the capital, Rossiter explained that their reunion was down to former Creation Records founder Alan McGee: “Alan is like one of those regional stage hypnotists in Adidas [trainers]. You do find yourself being easily persuaded by him but I’m glad he did.
“It’s been 21 years since we’ve done anything together so to have Alan and his partner in crime Kevin [Fitzgerald] be able to persuade us and stop any silliness is quite useful. He does have a way with words Mr McGee.”
After an initial meeting, the band insisted on gathering together in a rehearsal room just days before signing off on the gig. “It was astonishing how quickly we slipped into [it] – not just musically, it’s an uncut diamond at this point – but the dynamics of the band literally hadn’t changed,” explained Rossiter. “It’s a bit like I’ve got an older sister and when I see her, I might as well be 13 and she’s 17, and that dynamic will never change. It’s the same with us, the same funny gags, the same knowing winks and nods.”
He continued: “But we played alright. I was actually really impressed with them, Steve especially because those guitar parts are not easy. That was a job and half getting that together but we’ll do a massive block of rehearsals in the summer to make sure we’re on the proverbial full cylinders.”
Pointing out that their debut album came out 30 years ago today (March 20) Rossiter said: “I always feel like I’ve watched a really detailed biopic about my life but it wasn’t actually me so there’s a slight sense of uncanny valley about doing this now which I’m comfortable with. All of us have got children and I’ve been teaching people to write songs for the last 22 years and now suddenly I’m returning to my role as the nation’s favourite miserable indie star.”
Reflecting on the band’s time in the ’90s – which also saw them release ‘Drawn To The Deep End’ in 1997 and ‘Revelations’ in 1999 – he added: “I do have some incredibly fond memories. I saw somebody throw up in Elton John‘s pocket, I nearly had a fight with Grace Jones and I spent an hour and a half with Keith Flint discussing the names of flowers.”
Refusing to elaborate on the first two incidents, the frontman said of the latter moment with the late Prodigy man: “Back then we tended to be on the same circuit as other bands like Blur and The Prodigy especially at festivals.
“I didn’t know Keith very well but we were once staying in the same hotel which had this little garden and we just started chatting and regretting not learning about botany when we were kids and not knowing the difference between a beech tree and birch tree. So we started making up silly names for flowers and it was such a gentle, anti-Keith Flint experience but that was part of what made him multidimensional. He was a really sweet, thoughtful man.”
As for the forthcoming gig itself, Rossiter promised an “epic show”.
“When we sat down for the first time of the four of us being in the same room, one of the things we all said to each other was we don’t want any half measures with the show. If we’re gonna do something it needs to be spectacular. We haven’t got to the point of discussing that yet but the drive is there to make sure this feels like an event,” he said before he joked: “So I’m ordering my spandex next week.”
Rossiter continued: “It’s not gonna just be ‘Olympian’, we’ll throw in what the young-uns call a couple of deep cuts. We’ve got a shortlist of 30 songs and I think we’ll probably end up playing 25 of those so it’s going to be a fairly epic show. We’ll probably be on stage for about two hours.”
He also confirmed there are likely be a “couple of warm up” shows ahead of their London performance.
As for any future shows beyond 2025, Rossiter said: “We will see. We’ve entered into this thing not really knowing how it’s gonna go. I think musically it will go fine. We’ve found ourselves actually getting on with each other better than we ever did which is lovely.”
He concluded: “We need to see how it goes but we’re not saying no. I’m not averse to maybe treading the boards a few more times in 2026.”
The post Gene on reuniting for first live show in over 20 years: “We don’t want any half measures – it needs to be spectacular” appeared first on NME.