I guess this blog thing is called what it is because Midway Still are up there with the greatest of the early 90s indie pop bands. More directly it's called what it is because I was in the pub with my mate Rich and he made some lucid and forceful point about early 90s indie pop bands by tapping his finger rather too hard on the table and making his conclusion by saying "you've got to remember this stuff, because Midway Still aren't coming back!"; or words to that effect.
Really it was more the point that noone remembers these bands and noone wants their vinyl any more (well, except me), but he could have used any of the bands listed so far, or those that are coming - and let me tell you, I'm looking forward to Kitchens of Distinction...
Anyway, Midway Still, as it turns out, capture everything that was good about indie in 1992. The music is jaunty and happy, the words are apparently carefree but turn out to be well written when listened to. And most of all, they sound like Teenage Fanclub who in turn, of course, are just a Big Star covers band.
And this is a good thing. Here's their biography from the Fire Records site:
Taking their muse from Husker Du, Midway Still have described their music as being just the noise and tunes of a punk rock band into The Byrds and The Beatles. Yet their power-chord melodies catch classic strains of The Who and the Jam and in another era, they would have made a great mod band.So even the band and their label admit it. Sort of. (The wonders of Fire Records is another project all in itself of course).
But the point for me is, sort of, that they epitomise the 90s music that I loved and want to remember here; listen, if you will, to this offering ("Midway Still - Better Than Before") a couple of times and tell me you're not singing along and tapping your feet, yearning for those happy days of snakebite and cheap roll-ups at the student disco.
As a footnote: Midway Still did of course make a brief comeback last year in London to celebrate the life of the late Darren 'Wiz' Brown, erstwile Mega City Four singer/guitarist.
PS. Arse, Mega City Four. I'd forgotten about them...
Buy the Best of Midway Still
marvellous. saw this band twice, first time was when they supported mega city four. second time was at the barrel organ in Birmingham, which is also not around any more.
ReplyDeletereally enjoyed listening to this again. Nice one.
I too anticipate KOD greatly.
ReplyDeleteThe Barrel Organ!!! Wow. What a blast.....
(drifts off)
Damn - brought back some long forgotten but very good memories - Gonna have to dig out my Midway still vynil, been a long time since I even heard the name...
ReplyDeleteHow about Captain America (Later rename Eugenius I think), Jacobs Mouse, Meat Puppets... where did I put my records... Keep em coming.
Wow, thanks to Popbitch for turning me on to your site. I was an "indie" buyer in Atlanta Tower Records circa 1988-93 and got turned on to lots of this stuff by my colleagues in Kingston. I've got loads of promos from many of the distributors of the day. Lots of them came on cassette so I don't have those any more but anything on 7" or LP or CD I probably still have.
ReplyDeleteI know I have a Midway Still EP or single; but I'm embarrassed to admit that I may have never listened to it.
The band of said era that I truly loved: Lush, Inspiral Carpets, Teenage Filmstars (later became Television Personalities), Moonshake, Ride, KOD (met them twice on tour, really sweet people), Catherine Wheel...
Brilliant blog!
I was on the same degree course as the drummer, Declan Kelly, an astoundingly affable chap and a great drummer. I believe he was last seen drumming in The Divine Right of Kings
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent website this is...I worked with Jan the bassist a few years back when he was an illustrator at a book publishers. Such a nice fella - and a talented illustrator to boot
ReplyDeleteEr, you do know that they still aren't coming back, except for tomorrow night's ANOTHER one off gig in memory of Wiz on the first anniversary-and-a-tiny-bit of Wiz's death?
ReplyDeleteOh and er their gig on NYE at the Bull and Gate...(is it 1991 again or is it just me?)
ReplyDeleteThey 've done quite a few gigs in recent years. Check out their website at
ReplyDeletewww.you-here.com/midway/
So I just met someone who plays in Midway Still, and they've just recorded a new album in his garage...apparently a bit punkier. And they're even on tour. Quality. Bring back the good times!
ReplyDeleteI still love Midway Still and saw them twice, first supporting Mega City 4 at Hull Uni and at there own gig at The Duchess of York in Leeds.
ReplyDelete