All About Eve Live

Anyway, my nostalgia aside, we're here tonight for the Mission's latest London date. If memory serves, I was a tad bit disappointed by their Astoria date last year, and I've got to say that I've got higher hopes for tonight's show. That this show is being recorded for a future DVD release bodes well. Still, we can't complain about the support band tonight as they're the Mission themselves! Wayne is playing an acoustic set which will obviously be some kind of bonus feature on the DVD. I was somewhat critical of the heavy handed treatment the band gave some of their greatest hits last time around, so to be able to hear the intricacies of 'Naked and Savage' and 'Wake' is a rare treat and cements the strength of the original compositions. When he isn't absorbed by notions of a studio heavy Led Zeppelin sound, Wayne Hussey is one damn fine songwriter and musician. Wayne has no hesitation in mocking Manchester United fans about today's score (Man U 1, Fulham 3), setting a tone which continues throughout the gig.

Our old pal Rob Holiday from Sulpher is still handling live Mission guitar duties (alongside playing in just about every other alternative band on the planet!), although he seems less focal than at their last gig, he's obviously got past not being the frontman of his own band when on stage with the Mish and is happy to let Wayne hog the spotlight. So far so good.

The Mission obviously have been doing a spot of mind reading tonight as of all the songs they could have opened their set with they chose my personal favourite 'Crystal Ocean'. This song alone is an absolute marvel. Especially compared to the material played at last gig I saw at the Forum, which was the guitar tuning behind dry ice offerd by The Sisters of Mercy last April which Andrew Eldritch tried to pass off as a live show. If we're going to use the football analogy that Wayne is so fond of, if comparing his showing so far tonight to that of his former band mate back in April, we can say that the score thus far would be Hussey 1, Eldritch 0.

Kinky new song 'Evangeline' follows, but apart from a showing of the porno by numbers 'Slave to Lust' later on, that's the only material on display from 'Aura'. The rest of the set is pure greatest hits. It's as if the band have asked their fans exactly what they want to hear and are delivering at full force. 'Serpents Kiss', 'Wasteland', 'Garden of Delight' - they're all here, and unfortunately so is 'Sea of Love'! More surprising is the inclusion of old live favourite 'Belief' which hasn't been aired for eons. Even more surprising is the inclusion of 'Severina' . As there's no sign of Julianne Regan, it'll be interesting to see how they're going to get round the problem of the female vocals. Fortunately the solution does not involve Wayne kicking Rob in the bollocks in order to get a high pitched backing vocal, instead our tatooed lord of industrial plays the melody to Julianne's vocal as a guitar solo - now isn't that clever? Our half time score- Hussey 2, Eldritch 0.

'Tower of Strength is the band's only full blown attempt at rocking out, and why shouldn't they? One wag from the audience even throws Wayne a replica of his old black hat, which Mr Hussey wears with pride. The main set out of the way in grand style, Wayne returns alone for another acoustic session. This time we get 'Blood Brother' and a rather pretty version of Chris Isaac's 'Wicked Game' (which is actually one of my favourites songs says your reviewer, waving goodbye to all signs of his credibility!). Wayne starts to play 'Wishing Well' which he soon gets bored of and instead plays Neil Young's 'Like a Hurricane'. Soon the rest of the band are back for perhaps the fastest paced encore in history. All credit to them though, as they manage to fit in 'Butterfly on a Wheel', 'Beyond the Pale' and (surprise, surprise) 'Deliverance'. This was no pure nostalgia trip, this was a once great band proving that they can be every bit a good as when in their prime. "I hadn't enjoyed this tour much up until this point", notes Wayne, "But this tour has confirmed my faith in this band and its audience". A shower of Blue Nun at the crowd and Wayne and co are gone. Our current score Hussey 3, Eldritch 0

This is one show I could watch again and again. I can't wait for the DVD. But wait a minute, wasn't the Sisters' spring tour recorded for a DVD as well? Our final score - Hussey 4, Eldritch 0, with a rematch to come when the two DVDs finally get released!

Someone told me about your site so I had a look and wanted to say 'thanks' for the reviews. I am flattered beyond statement that I am 'the best assistant Dr Who never had'.

Thanks to new formula Persil, Julianne's whites have never been brighter.

And so to our third All About Eve gig in two years. Has it really been that many? Once again I’m standing before the band I only ever dreamed about seeing live a few years back. It would be brave to say this, but the Eve’s Christmas show at Union Chapel last year (Click here for a review of that gig) was possibly one of the best gigs I’ve ever attended, thus as we might anticipate, expectations for tonight are high. Yet whilst previous gigs were special purely for the fact that the band were there at all, tonight offers something different. This evening the Eves will showcase their first new material since the ’Ultraviolet’ LP of ten years ago. Yet if this is a cause for celebration, there is also cause for sadness. The Eve’s shaggy haired guitar god Marty Wilson Piper has left for pastures new, leaving his place to be filled by former Malluka guitarist Toni Haimi.

However, are the Eves really at the right stage in their come back to be flirting with new material? Their fans are obviously still very much behind them, as attested by the numbers gathered in the Empire tonight, but the Eve’s gigs for the last two years have been a pleasant piece of nostalgia, and I’m not sure if I really want the memory soiled just yet. Most fans would probably admit that the bass heavy ‘Ultraviolet’, with it’s electronic feedback and remote vocals, was their least favourite Eves album, and that the band really did best to quit whilst they were ahead. Truth be told, the honeymoon period of the last few years is really over now, and the next few gigs will decide if All About Eve are once again going to be as relevant as they were a decade ago, or will continue as a fond memory.

The first impression as the band stroll onstage, is just how youthful and vibrant they suddenly appear. It may have been the fact that so much of the Eve’s last few gigs were for the most part sit down affairs, but much of this can be attributed to the absence of Marty. Not only did he give the band and air of visual maturity, but his guitar style paid homage to a vast strain of guitar legends such as Page and Gilmour. Put simply, Marty Wilson Piper was the proud keeper of the Eve’s musical heritage. By comparison, new boy Toni is a virtual carbon copy of Placebo main man Brian Molko, being contemporary in both image and guitar style. Considering the ‘Goth RIP’ banner that the Eve’s performed under once their original Gothic fixation was over, Toni’s floppy black fringe and eyeliner feel like a blast from their past. Could it be that through his presence AAE are hoping to reel in the panda eyed, baggy trousered teenage masses that currently haunt Camden?

Brian Molko...Ooops, I mean new AAE guitarist Toni Haimi

Andy Cousin looks younger with every gig

Andy Cousin and Julianne Regan must both be the wrong side of 30, yet both look not a day older than they did back in their 80’s prime. Julianne’s ever-changing wardrobe appears to favour the retro-kitsch futuristic tonight, as there’s definitely an air of Space 1999 about her outfit. A vision in white, complete with tight white T shirt with crucifix logo and a (very) short skirt, Julianne has got a new weapon that will ensure her a whole new legion of male followers - a pair of boots. But these aren’t just any pair of high-heeled boots. Just as Kylie’s career was transformed thanks to a pair of hot pants, Julianne looks set to achieve immortality courtesy of a pair of PVC go-go boots which make us realise just what great legs she’s been hiding all these years.

Anyway, back to the music. Old favourites are par for the course next, starting with ’The Dreamer’ and continuing with ‘In The Clouds’. As usual the obligatory shower of plastic spoons cascades down mid way through (With Julianne even sporting one in her hair!) and we ponder how excited the local cutlery manufacturers must get when they hear that there’s an All About Eve tour coming up! Even ‘Flowers In Our Hair’ pops up, although compared to past performances, all these tracks feel somewhat restrained. Whereas in Marty’s hands the solo guitar sections would blast the roof off, Toni appears to favour a low-key approach. He’s more content to radiate the power of his instrument, rather than to focus it into specific bursts.

The breezy Brit pop of ‘Blue Eyed Boy’ reminds us of Julianne’s underrated Mice project, which demonstrates that she was writing fresh, valid songs well into the 90s. However, an appearance by ‘Ultraviolet’ track ‘Phased’ might be seen to pre-empt what’s coming next, that being our first deluge of new material. If the Eve’s make any major mistake at this gig, it’s for going for new song overkill. It’s not that any of the songs presented are unimpressive, it’s just that it’s all too much to take in during one session. Overall most feel a little ‘in-yer-face’ in a way that we wouldn’t expect from the Eves. If, like me, you like this band through their intimate and tender first two albums, you may not warm instantly to this kind of approach. However, if you were impressed by the risks that the Eve’s took with ‘Ultraviolet’, the band’s new offerings will be right up your cul-de-sac. Instant standout has to be the song ‘Daisy Chain’ which bridges all the eras of the band on one fluid pop moment, ranging from the folk-filled romance of their debut LP, to the intimacy of ’Scarlet’, the ambience of ‘Touched By Jesus’ and the edge of ‘Ultraviolet’.

If have any complaint tonight, it’s about how distant and removed the band appear from the audience, and I’m not just talking about the crash barrier at the front of the stage. Past gigs have almost been like one big party between the band and their audience. Tonight it feels like there’s a transparent wall between them and their spectators. There’s hardly any joyful banter between the band, and if there are any witticisms, it’s Andy that’s providing them, not Julianne. As she barely speaks, it’s easy to feel that she’ s disorientated from the whole experience. She really doesn’t appear to be with us until right near the end, when she gives us an impromptu impersonation of the Virgin Mary. Anyway it’s been a long tour, so I guess all this is understandable.

There’s some nice improvisation going on with the opulent ‘Wishing The Hours Away’ (Always a favourite), and the band close the first set with a cascading ‘Outshine The Sun’ which is more than welcome.

Obviously there’s an encore. Cue a bright and breezy ‘Our Summer’. Julianne then introduces "the first song we wrote with Tony", which just happens to be ‘Life On Mars’, which if I’m not mistaken was actually written by David Bowie! It’s a nice addition all the same. When the band advertised this gig as being ‘all electric’ they weren’t kidding. There was barely an acoustic sighted, with sadly no appearances from ‘Martha’s Harbour’ or ‘Lady Moonlight’. Whilst we can commend the Eve’s for trying to distance themselves from their past, too much of tonight’s performance was stuck in the same gear and desperately needed to slow down by way of such reflective material. Despite this, All About Eve are being very brave by attempting to create something new at a time when it would be all too easy for them to carry on carting out their greatest hits show. They may not be swimming in the same deep waters they were at the time of ‘Ultraviolet’, but they’re just starting to dip their toes in again. Will they sink or swim through their efforts? Only time will tell.

They had a go at being a dance act and then retreated back to their shrouded black corner where they have stayed ever since. Despite the early promise of their early mid-eighties EPs, the band lost their edge forever when they swapped their bombastic rock for washed out, gauze coated Led Zeppelin stadium sounds. A sound they continue to toy with to this day. New LP ‘Aura’ is virtual recap of past triumphs- ‘Dragonfly’ is a virtual rewrite of ‘Butterfly On A Wheel’ and ‘Evangeline’ a retread of ‘First, Last and Always’. And whilst ‘Aura’ may have won four out of five stars in Q, its an album purely for the fans.

Of course a tour is inevitable, and the Mission tonight deliver the goods to the UK. Hard though it may be to believe now, in their day the Mission were both a top ten act and a guaranteed stadium filler. The sheer number of fans assembled at the Astoria tonight gives us a cautious reminder of this- in fact it’s hard not to move without being knocked flying by some mop topped Goff kid.

Rob From Sulpher?!?

Yup, there’s a good part of the audience tonight who must have been embryos at the time of ‘God’s Own Medicine’. After an intro that appears to go on forever, out stroll our flower power heroes- Adams, Hussey, Garrett and ROB HOLIDAY FROM SULPHER?!? No, our eyes do not deceive us, the high lord of UK Industrial cyber death is playing with the hippy Goth wonders- though it has to be said that his tattoos and combat gear look a tad out of place next to Hussey’s mystic garb! Although after seeing Andrew Eldritch clad in a Kappa jogging top in this same venue a mere 12 months ago, its a relief to see a band who don’t mind dressing for the occasion.

It may be Rob’s presence, or even the pumped energy of the crowd before them, but as the band burst into ‘Beyond The Pale’, the chains that shackled the band in the studio are ripped apart and the Mission rock like mothers. Given their usually clean sounds, its a refreshing change to here a few messy feedback bursts and a sense of aggression. However, whilst this raw approach works a treat for ‘Hands Across the Ocean’ and ballsy new track ‘Slave to Lust’, the heavy handed treatment given tender moments such as ‘Like A Child Again’ and ‘Severina’ (Tonight sadly missing Julianne Regan’s input) is woefully inappropriate. Even the minimalist menace of ‘Naked and Savage’ is totally ruined by the various elements of the band vying for our attention all at one moment.

Now don’t get me wrong in what I’m about to say, but I think that Wayne Hussey is ten times the vocalist and musician his former band mate Andrew Eldritch is. However, he has only a fifth of Eldritch’s stage presence. So considering how poorly he projects, it’s an easy opportunity for Rob Sulpher to steal the limelight, a chance he grabs eagerly with both hands.

Its only towards the end of their performance that Hussey and co strike a balance between their edgier live incarnation and their opulent studio sounds. A processed ‘Butterfly on a Wheel’ doesn’t quite capture the beauty of the original, although the following song is not only a surprise but also the highlight of the evening. Martin Gore must be a walking ball of "Aw, shucks" as Hussey and co deliver their take on ‘Never Let Me Down Again’. Taking the Smashing Pumpkins’ cover of the same song as a starting point, this version wallows in a rock dynamic that the keyboard-prodding Mode can never quite explore. ‘Tower Of Strength’ loses none of it’s grace or power, showcasing one of the few examples of a backing track that lifts proceedings into the stratosphere. ‘Deliverance’ is still the eternal crowd pleaser, taking us back to a time when Hussey’s shaded mug decorated the cover of Melody Maker on a weekly basis and James Whale barked in horror at the mere mention of Wayne‘s name.

So the Mish are still with us and are still loved by many. They give their fans exactly what they want (I counted only 3 new LP tracks tonight), so at least you know exactly where you stand with these guys. However, when compared to the high tech cyber darkness that Rob Holiday is exploring with Sulpher, the Mission feel twee and irrelevant. Tonight was a pleasant enough trip down memory lane, though sadly for the Mission it feels like a one way street.

Angels are surely watching down as the band appear before a backdrop of mahogany and stained glass, as ‘The Dreamer’ opens the gates of heaven that seven years ago appeared closed forever. It’s hair cuts all round with Andy sporting a Liam Gallagher mop top (Perhaps that’s why Julianne keeps on pretending to head butt him!) and even Marty is displaying some tidy new tresses. Julianne seems to have been at the black dye, and whilst sporting some new curves shows us what every well-dressed Top Shop Goth Goddess should be wearing next year.

Julianne reminisces about her legendary appearance on Top Of The Pops. Andy worries about the strange floral growth before him.

As we’ve noted before of the Eves, their live incarnation is usually a more motor driven creature than the gentle sylph found in the studio. However, taken out of the sweaty basement of a venue such as the Garage, tonight sees them placed into the perfect setting for their tales of myth and magic.

The early part of the set favours the more intimate acoustic moments in the Eve’s catalogue, including ‘Martha’s Harbour’ (Surely that’s the encore?). It might just be the ethereal otherworldly setting, but it feels like most of the songs are a few beat bars slower than the studio versions. Normally this would cause a few complaints, but given the reflective atmosphere that shrouds the evening, it’s just perfect. The set list makes further concession by favouring the underrated moods of the ‘Touched By Jesus’ LP. Silhouetted by the mass of fairy lights around her, every heterosexual male in the audience must feel that Julianne is looking directly into his eyes when she sings ‘Are You Lonely?’ (Or is that just me?). Even material from Julianne’s Mice side project fit well into proceedings. "Don’t go to the bar whilst we do this one" pleads Andy. Those who heed his words are glad they did, as it reminds us that the album ‘Because I Can’ is an essential purchase. 'December' loses something given it's sedate treatment, but as always it's one of those songs that captures the moment perfectly.

One twenty-minute break later and we’re into the second part of the set. The electrics get see a lot more action this time around, with a stratospheric ‘Every Angel’ and a bright and breezy ‘Farewell Mr Sorrow’. Even an acoustic led ‘Shelter From The Rain’ (Usually the ideal solution for insomnia) opens up a hitherto unseen beauty. Fortunately, the onstage banter between the three lead members of the band is kept to a tasteful minimum tonight, apart from Julianne drawing attention to her Ikea stool and giving us a recap of all the celebrities that she’s seen on recent shopping trips at Sweden‘s finest retail export (Including Claire Grogan, which is the cue for an impromptu rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’). There’s also a quick joke- "Why did the medium cross the road? - To talk to the other side!".

Of course there are encores (Julianne- "Remember just cheer loud enough and we’ll be back for more!"). Including a plaintive ‘Lady Moonlight’, before whose beauty only a cynic could fail to shed a tear. A short and sweet rendition of ‘Wild Hearted Woman’ follows, dedicated to Julianne and Andy’s mothers. There’s also a seasonal make over of ’Touched By Jesus’ that gives way to a rocking medley of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ and ‘Away In A Manger’, then again the audience are so mesmerised that Julianne might as well be singing ‘Three Blind Mice’ and nobody would give a damn. But this wasn’t a night for full tilt guitar antics (Although Marty slipped in a few where he could- perhaps they only guitarist who can claim axe man status whilst seated!), a night more for reflection and introspection- a time to find yourself rather than lose yourself. What’s more, nobody else had any hand in this show other than the band and their fans- who needs record companies and the radio? And the ethereal setting makes you wish that more bands would play vast churches in N1; A sure-fire way to send church attendance figures soaring through the roof!

‘Pinch me, I think that I’m dreaming’. Why? Julianne Regan is standing on stage with Andy Cousin and Marty Wilson Piper either side of her. The plaintive hippy musings of ’Flowers In Our Hair’ are ripping over the PA, the words barely audible over the crowd. There is an assorted collection of vampire princes and princesses roaming the bar whilst flower children abound with the overpowering allure of patchouli oil. All About Eve are finally back where they belong.

The Eve’s brand of hippy-folk-goth rock is at total loggerheads with just about every cultural movement of the moment, but on the other hand, who cares? Several hundred people are chanting the words to the Eve’s songs like a mantra, and after eight years wait, who can blame them? So tonight we have a shorn Andy Cousin, Marty Wilson Piper looking like the lost member of Spinal Tap and Julianne Regan herself looking and sounding every bit as lovely as she did in 1990. She still radiates her play schoolteacher on acid personality (The greatest assistant Dr Who never had?) and looks like she’s having a grand old time.

For those only acquainted with the Eve’s vinyl excursions, the experience of seeing the band live can be something of a culture shock. The Eve’s records are reflective, intimate pieces of life and love- music to tap your toes to rather than stamp your feet. Hence, hearing the songs surging forward from the stage with appropriate bombast is something that is a tad strange at first. Be thankful that no matter the setting, Julianne’s celestial voice still hits the right places.

There’s something of a Rocky Horror Show atmosphere as we head into a sumptuous ’In The Clouds’. Just as Julianne slips into verse, a shower of confetti and plastic spoons flies stage ward from the audience. Ah, the nostalgia! Can’t imagine that happening at a Manics’ gig, can you?

More classics follow- ‘Strangeway’, ’What Kind Of Fool’ and ‘Candy Tree’. Only guitar changes between songs hamper proceedings, but poor Marty only has one guitar strap between fifteen guitars! ’Wild Hearted Woman’ is dedicated to a certain Mr Wayne Hussey. "You Shagged Wayne" shouts one scrubber from the audience to Julianne. "No, these two did" she grins, pointing at her two fret board men.

Everything is flowing well until a piece of pond life in the audience starts hurling derivative abuse at the stage. "Please kill the man in the green shirt with the white stripe" requests Andy of the faithful. Julianne’s torrent of four letter words at this scum can’t hide the fact that she is obviously hurt by his comments, which is sad as she has done nothing to deserve them. The band are being extremely brave by making such a low key comeback, with no support from the music press and they don’t need so called ‘fans’ like Mr Green Shirt ruining what is an event that so many of us have been waiting eight years for. If you don’t like what the Eves are playing, you know where the door is. Then again I was standing by the door, and I don’t think that Mr Green Shirt would have enjoyed having his arse kicked by my size 10 steel capped industrial work boots!

The classic full tilt rocker that is ‘December’ closes proceedings, and from the treatment that the band has received from certain quarters of the audience tonight, you could hardly blame the Eves for not performing an encore. However, they’re a braver bunch than most and two more songs follow. Amongst these is ‘Martha’s Harbour’, which despite the earlier hostility loses none of it’s passion or sentiment. The harmony generated amongst the crowd by the song being obvious proof of this. As Marty notes of Mr Green shirt- "Even an MTV moron like you wouldn’t shout out in a song like that". However, that’s all there is and ‘Every Angel’, ‘Tuesday’s Child’ and ‘In The Meadow’ are all notable by their absence. Get the impression that if it hadn’t been for Mr Green Shirt, we might have received a second encore?

Hopefully, the Eves won’t let the stupidity of some of their fans get in their way, and soon they’ll be venturing out into larger venues once more. On the whole, tonight’s intimate setting was a perfect showcase for a very private band and their devoted family of followers.

THE MISSION- ‘Tower Of Strength’ & ALL ABOUT EVE- ‘The Best Of’ (Spectrum Records).

In 1977 England went mad. Punk rock had arrived. Three years later and it was all over. But what were you to do if you were a social outcast and Boy George was too much of a pop star for your tastes? Why, you dyed your pink Mohican black, swapped your dog collar for occult jewellery and located the nearest Bauhaus or Sisters Of Mercy gig. Goth had arrived.

Come 1986 and the ears of a nation were being ravaged by the machinations of the Stock, Aitken and Waterman pop factory, but as the radio disappeared further up it’s arse, many of the leading lights of the underground turned their attention to the top forty. Embracing the hippy ideals that punk had so lovingly spat upon, this second generation of doom laden rockers openly touted the likes of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Doors as influences. Fields Of The Nephilim, Gene Loves Jezebel, The Cocteau Twins, Ghost Dance- Their names were many, but of this number we shall concern ourselves with only two- The Mission and All About Eve.

Both bands have just had budget priced compilations released through Spectrum Records (Two great eighties bands, one label named after a crap eighties computer!). The Mission LP being titled ‘Tower Of Strength’ and the All About Eve compilation imaginatively named ‘The Best Of All About Eve’.

The Mission were the product of rogue Sisters Of Mercy Wayne Hussey and Craig Adams. With their early releases, such as 'Serpent’s Kiss' (Sadly absent from the compilation) they promised a mechanised clone of the Sisters given a slightly commercial bent. However, by the time of their breakthrough with the ‘God’s Own Medicine’ LP, and subsequently ‘Children’, the intensity given to their earlier releases was washed aside by over lush production and studio heavy sounds. The likes of 'Kingdom Come' and 'Black Mountain Mist' sound terribly dated, making little, if any impact on the listener, with Hussey’s already uncommanding voice washed completely away in the mix. The production of former Led Zep bassist John Paul Jones can shoulder some of the blame, but the Mish were just as responsible; They didn’t just want to work with Led Zep- In truth they wanted to be them!

The Stadium friendly sounds of ‘Carved In Sand’ looked destined to place the Mission on an equal footing with the Cure. It was all going so well until a fatal attempt to become Jesus Jones with the dance embracing sounds of the 1992 ‘Masque’ LP saw the band’s fans desert them in droves. A shame, as looking back ‘Masque’ is one of the Mission’s better records, which has stood the test of time well. Band members left, members of other eighties bands joined, such as Etch from Ghost Dance and Andy Cousin of All About Eve (More about them in a second). ‘Never land’ and ‘Blue’ appeared, attempting to recreate the sounds of old, yet despite particular strong songs, were completely ignored. The end was nigh.

As a compilation, ‘Tower Of Strength’ sucks. Early tracks, such as ‘Naked and Savage’ and ‘Wake’ are completely ignored in favour of the commercial peak of the ‘Children’ era. Even ‘Masque’ is mis represented with the lame ‘Until There’s Another Sunrise’ and ‘Like A Child’ again (No ‘Shades of Green’ or ‘Spider and the Fly’) with not a sign of ‘After Glow’, the greatest top ten hit the Mish never had. Were I a Marilyn Manson fan who’s just discovered the old school Goths, from the evidence on this compilation, I’d wonder why how the Mish got so big for so long (You’re better off checking out the old ’First Chapter’ compilation, kids!). At least ‘Tower Of Strength’ itself still hits the right places.

All About Eve began their life as a Siouxsie and the Banshees clone powered along by primitive drum machine rhythms. Come the time of their self-titled debut LP in 1988, the band had metamorphosed into Fairport Convention with female vocalist Julianne Regan assuming the role of the post punk Sandy Denny. Haunting folk songs such as ‘Lady Moonlight’ and ‘Martha’s Harbour ’ took them to the top of the charts, but blazing rock tracks such as ‘In The Meadow’ reminded the world of where they came from, marrying the romance of Julianne’s lyrics with Tim Bricheno’s Dave Gilmour style riffing.

Considering the traditional atmosphere of the Eve’s records, they’ve aged far less than the Mission’s out put of the same period, if anything sounding to these ears as fresh as they did ten years ago. Even a nod towards Clannad with the ‘Scarlet and Other Stories’ LP and a dodgy ‘flower power’ image couldn’t dent the Eves. Then it all went horribly wrong. Tim left to join the Sisters Of Mercy (He was replaced by Church guitarist Marty Wilson Piper) and the Eves had a go at being Curve. Soon they had drifted away like the forest breeze that embraced so many of their songs and the world of music was a much lonelier place.

‘The Best Of All About Eve’ is a far better compilation than the Mission offering, with even the overlooked sounds of the ‘Touched By Jesus’ LP sounding far superior than their time, though let us not forget that the Eve’s influence continues to be felt, with Grasp and the Lead Feathers to name but two who’s style of folk derived rock continues the Eve’s legacy. Sadly, early tracks such as ‘D For Desire’ and ‘In The Clouds’ are absent from the 'best of', but the band always had some aversion to them any way.

The surprising conclusion to the stories of both The Mission and All About Eve is that both bands have just reformed. Considering that both always appeared to have a non-existent sense of timing, it’s interesting to wonder why this has happened now (The words ’Financial Instability’ come to mind), but new product is awaited with much interest. Time to shake off your bats and place flowers in your hair once more.

FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM- ‘One More Nightmare’ (Trees Come Down A.D.) / ‘Darkcell’ (A.D.).

So, it’s finally happened, the Goth equivalent of Kevin Keegan returning to Newcastle or Tom Baker resuming the role of Dr Who- The Nephilim are back in town! Five dusty dealers in high octane metal fusion who ventured into light ambient texture, exploring Shamanism, Chaos Magik and extra dimensional travel along the way. Misunderstood for occult leanings and a post apocalyptic cowboy image borrowed from the movie ‘Hardware’ (In which Nephs' singer Carl McCoy starred) they never waned from their original purpose or let changing trends get in their way, and unlike their peers (The Sisters and the Mish) they never sold out. Yet in 1991 it all came to an end; Mc Coy assuming the name Nefilim and exploring a harsher, heavier sound that owed more to Ministry than Joy Division. His former band mates recruited singer Andy Delany and united as the absurdly rockist Rubicon. When McCoy mysteriously cancelled all his remaining Nefilim 1996 tour dates and his dissatisfaction with his current project filtered through, rumours span into overdrive about a reunion; which proved true when all the original band members (sans Paul Wright) reunited at the 1998 Zilo festival.

So why does ‘One More Nightmare’ leave such a stale taste in the mouth? The obvious factor is that this is not a new release, but in fact a remix of the band’s first single from way back in 1986. However, the biggest surprise is just how similar the overall sound is to the industrial assault of the Nefilim LP ‘Zoon’ of which Carl was so displeased. However, unlike the ‘Zoon’ material, this release adheres closer to the restrained guitar activity that was the trademark of the old Nephilim, only bursting to the fore as required.

‘Dark Cell’ was also originally featured on the Neph’s debut EP ‘Burning the Fields’ and the version presented here deviates very little from the original, apart from the distorted vocals, sampled dialogue (Mr A Crowley if I’m not mistaken) and the occasional burst of feed back.

We’ve waited so long for this moment that any new Nephilim material would be scrutinised into infinity, so perhaps Carl and the lads are doing the right thing by bridging the gap between the old manifestation of the Nephilim and the new, but then again, it’s easy to get the feeling that the band are still biding their time until they can decide upon the direction that their latest incarnation will take.