The Delgados "amicably disband"

What is there to say? I could sit here for hours, days and weeks trying to think of some way to capture the emotions or experiences of the last 10 or 11 years and there's no way I'd do it justice. The Delgados were a fucking tremendous band, especially if you happened to be in them – honest, down to earth, hilarious company and, particularly in the case of Alun and Emma, truly gifted songwriters.

We started the band with little or no expectations whatsoever, struggling, in the case of Paul and I, to learn our respective instruments and trying to make sure - above all else, that we weren't fucking pish. I've talked at length in various diary entries about events and coincidences that helped the band along our way so there's no need to repeat myself. Suffice to say that, over the course of the last 10 years I have came across a dizzying array of characters: cunts both great and horrible, people who I would consider amongst the best and worst I've ever met.

This is an industry that exaggerates the qualities people already possess: those with a tendency to self-importance become insufferable wanks; those who are a good laugh down the pub tend to remain a good laugh down the pub and more often than not, get the drinks in. I can hold my head up high and say that, perhaps with the odd exception (although I can't think of any), we were the latter. I'm immensely proud of our records and as a result of making them I've got to share in some of the most amazing experiences, travel to some of the most spectacular places and hang out with a bunch of uniquely splendid individuals.

Truth is though, it knocked fuck out me. Physically, emotionally and financially I found it increasingly difficult to pour so much of my energy and time into something that never quite seemed to get the attention or respect I felt it deserved. I would be a traitor to myself as well as to every Delgado fan if I continued to clock on and clock off, dragging myself into a recording studio, giving half hearted, insincere interviews and generally continuing with the band when my heart wasn't in it.

This is not an Oscar speech, a eulogy or a pointless farewell: just a 'love you' to the band and crew; a thank you to everyone who has ever worked for us; and an acknowledgement of the debt of gratitude I owe to all of you who have bought our records and came to our concerts. Because of your support I have made more friends and visited more places in the world than I could have ever thought possible.

I will never be able to thank you enough.

It's easy. The majority of the record buying public in the UK are brainless, sheeplike people, who buy whatever they saw last in the ads on TV.

RIP Delgados. Shame I never got to see them live :(

Disc 1
1. Lazarwalker
2. Blackwell
3. I've Only Just Started To Breathe
4. Primary Alternative
5. Under Canvas Under Wraps
6. 4th Channel
7. Teen Elf
8. Sucrose
9. Everything Goes Around The Water
10. The Arcane Model
11. Pull The Wires From The Wall
12. Mauron Chanson
13. Repeat Failure
14. Don't Stop
15. Blackpool
16. The Weaker Argument Defeats The Stronger

Disc 2
1. No Danger
2. Make Your Move
3. Accused Of Stealing
4. Aye Today
5. Mr Blue Sky
6. California Uber Alles
7. Matthew And Son
8. Last Rose Of Summer
9. Parcel Of Rogues
10. I Fought The Angels
11. Ballad Of Accounting
12. Is This All That I Came For?
13. Everybody Come Down

Any news on any solo activity?

emma signed to 4ad. album should be out some day.

... and they're back, with a wee run of shows in January 2023.

Just bought tickets for the Barrowlands.

for once a reunion I'm excited about.

Piece in The Herald from last week, talking with Emma, which covers how the reunion came about and future plans, which fantastically do extend beyond the scheduled shows to hopefully include new music later on: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/20267208.delgados-reveal-inspiration-behind-unexpected-reunion/

“But it’s difficult to be in a band with a partner if you have a domestic moment in the rehearsal room. The rest of the band don’t always know at what point it’s a domestic and what point it’s a band argument they can get involved in.”

Interesting, I'd actually never considered this dynamic. That's got to be pretty awkward. Are they bickering with the bass player because of their playing, or because someone forgot to do the dishes that morning?

"the years away have seen them diversify [...] Henderson joined the fire service"

O Stewart; total adoration. Really looking fwd to this reunion.

Tonight at the Barrowlands. Really looking forward to it, of course.

Saw them at Shepherds Bush Empire on Saturday night and they were very good. Hope you get/got down early for Andrew Wasylyk too!

The clips I saw sounded great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge3ZNOwtN3Q

One of the best acts of all time.

They were great last night and seemed to having a grand time of it. Told us that there are festival appearances to come over the summer.

We did catch Andrew Wasylyk as well hamicle and he and the whole group were fantastic. I didn't know what to expect as I haven't listened to him since The Hazey Janes days, and was very happily surprised.

Let's hope a new record.

xp Yeah, the solo stuff is a little different to the Hazeys but there were maybe wee touches of it on their last record. Probably mostly the flatwound bass sound. Really pleased to see him getting more attention.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUmtH13BfnE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3ubkSVgpzo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLmc7fGVC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOfAwaQWwrY

So who knows whether we'll ever get a new Delgados album but meanwhile the new Emma album has now fully embedded and is really really wonderful, even better than her ace previous one

Thanks! I almost posted here the other day, because I was listening to "Universal Audio," and it's still really good.

I think ultimately I've landed on Universal Audio as their peak achievement (crisply uncluttered, accessible, generally bouncy and defiant) but I go through phases of loving each album the most.

The Fridmann albums now seem to be regarded either as a real elevation of earlier records or a bit of an overworked patchwork. But, prior to these, it's hard to overstate how thrilling it was when 'Everything Goes Around the Water' and 'Pull the Wires from the Wall' came out as singles ahead of Peloton - so removed from their perceived scrappy indiepop origins and when the hell did this happen??? They are both completely immaculate singles

The Great Eastern is one of my favorite albums ever. I really hope they release some new stuff. Will have to check out Emma's new record.