Housemartins United!

Great thing this here t’internet – I reckon it’ll go far…  I was looking around for a press release for the reissued London 0 Hull 4 (see yesterday) and discovered there was a virtual Housemartins reunion and I knew nothing about it. Paul and Stan did an interview together with Mark Radcliffe on Radio 2 – there’s a picture and everything! 

Sadly the broadcast has been taken down already, so an enormous tip of the hat and a hearty pat on the back to Cassette Archive for uploading the whole shindig.

(L-R) Stan Cullimore, Mark Radcliffe, Paul Heaton, Stuart Maconie (courtesy of BBC Radio 2)

Apparently they also did an interview for Mojo magazine along with Hugh and Norman and it was the first time they've all been in the same room for 22 years. For me this is akin to John Lennon and George Harrison rising from the dead and I'll admit to getting all emotional hearing Stan and Paul talking about the band so openly and so warmly. 

It was interesting to hear that the stumbling block for any possible reunion is more perception of naffness a-la-Eighties-reunion-comeback-tours (as Mark Radcliffe put it, nipping out to do Happy Hour in between Toyah and Rick Astley) rather than any animosity or general arse-iness like there is between Ian Brown and John Squire or Morrissey and Marr.  No one wants a Housemartins arena tour anyway - even a couple of concerts like the ones Lloyd Cole and the Commotions did for the 20th anniversary of Rattlesnakes would be enough for me to go to my grave happy.  

Of course band-reforming is evil and wrong… but this is the Housemartins and I’ll walk to Hull from Australia if it ever happens… So come on Norman – put your records down for a day, drive over to Hugh’s house, pick up Paul and Stan on the way and let’s get this show on the road.