The Long Weekend return after a 14 year hiatus…

Following various teenage incarnations, Medway’s The Long Weekend became a 6-piece in 2003 after receiving an unexpected demo of the month in Oxford’s Nightshift magazine (“Oh yes indeed. Gnarly, nasty, noisy, bluesy swamp rock from the Elvis-inspired school”). The band spent six years squeezing their 6 sweaty bodies onto small stages around the country before imploding in 2009 in the predictable fashion that so many bands do.

Following a string of self released EPs in 03/04 and some ferocious gigs (see Bath Moles, the Metro Club, London and Chatham’s Command House) The Long Weekend made some flirtations with major labels that didn’t come to fruition and ended up signing with Mother Tongue records in 2005. Things looked promising when the urgent jangle-pop 2006 debut 7”, ‘Medway is the difference (between my town and yours)’ got some spins from Steve Lamacq and sold out. The follow up ‘Record’ then saw them made The Sunday Times ‘breaking act’ (“a blast of lairy, brackish, ghost-town rock… Great single, great band.”). But the usual frustrations took hold as further success didn’t come. Tensions rose and arguments increased making the recording of the debut album difficult and ultimately ended in a record that felt less than the sum of its parts. The NME agreed (4/10 album review for ‘20 minutes, 13 stops’) and that put the final nail in the coffin. Jobs, family and real life took hold, although some members went on to form the hip-hop group, Kids Unique and others alternative-popsters Theatre Royal who have released 5 albums and can sometimes be heard on BBC 6 Music and Radio X.

After 14 years apart the band reform for two one-off reunion shows to help good friends and gigging comrades The Len Price 3 celebrate the vinyl reissue of their now 18 year old debut album, Chinese Burn. This meant Nick had to book a flight from Canada and the remembering of half-forgotten songs had to begin. It felt right to mark the occasion with a release and Spinout Nuggets obliged with a very limited lathe cut 7”.

On both sides are songs never properly released that were firm live favourites. On side A sits the sinister prowling garage of Kenny’s Stomp (recorded 2003 with foot stomp intro by Kenny) whilst Side 1 features the pounding, Clash-like anthem, Poland (recorded 2005).

The seventy-eighth release on Spinout Nuggets, and limited to 50 hand cut copies, these will be available at the forthcoming gigs, and pre-order online.