The definitive line up of Nigel Clark, Andy Miller and Mathew Priest is back………
The first time round, Dodgy were only together for seven years but in that time they sold over a million records worldwide, released three albums and 12 Top 40 singles, including 3 Top 10s and the Top 5 hit Good Enough, still a staple of the Radio 2 playlist; sold out the Brixton Academy for three nights in a row and were awarded an unprecedented 90-minute Saturday evening slot on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury Festival in 1997 just before Radiohead. Not bad, considering that they also partied harder than an Ewok.
The English trio began their climb to fame in 1992, releasing three singles on their own Bostin Records label, later signing to A&M Records, around the same time as they inked a publishing deal after they made two A&R men battle for their signatures in a pub video football competition. The partnership with A&M generated three albums of life affirming, beautifully crafted songs – The Dodgy Album (1993), Homegrown (1994) and Free Peace Sweet (1996).
Live performance was always integral to the Dodgy experience. When the band first formed they started the infamous Dodgy Club to ensure that the audience got more than just a band on stage. A dedicated touring band – in one 12-month period between 94/95 they played almost 250 shows – Dodgy built a devoted and loyal fan base. Their positivity and summery songs made Dodgy the perfect festival band, and it was such a natural habitat for the trio that in 1996 they conceived their very own Big Top Tour, giving a fledgling Muse their second ever gig when the tour rolled into Exeter. I’m told the boys are happy to have the favour repaid.
In a bittersweet twist of fate, it was the dying wish of the band’s close friend and crewmember, Andy Moore that brought them back together in 2008 and they all agreed that life was too short and anyway, they had forgotten why they split up in the first place.
Since they got back together they played an extremely successful set of reunion shows culminating in an overwhelming finale at the Shepherds Bush Empire, and like prodigal sons, they have been welcomed back to the festival circuit, including legendary appearances at Guilfest, The Wickerman, Summer Sundae, Cornbury a secret gig at The Truck Festival, a headline show at Beached in front of thousands on the beach in Scarborough and they headlined BUGJAM, Whatfest and The Purple Weekend in Northern Spain, and to cap it all they were asked back to play Glastonbury once again their second home in the 90’s, where an exuberant Will Young was spotted ‘dancing like he was on something’ at the side of the stage. Bless.
Besides the hits, such as Staying Out For The Summer, So Let Me Go Far, Making The Most Of, If You’re Thinkin Of Me, Melodies Haunt You, In A Room, and the epic Grassman – (I mean, I could go on) the boys have started introducing new numbers into the set, slowly and surely building up enough songs for new album which they are recording in Malvern and getting mixed in Denton, Texas by Matt Pence who mixed the John Grant and Midlake albums, amongst others
As singer Nigel says, “What’s the rush? We’re gonna take our time to make sure this album is better than our last one… and that was brilliant. The fans deserve it, they’ve waited long enough, so they don’t mind waiting a bit longer”
As anyone who has seen them so far this year will tell you, the Mighty Dodgy Vibe is back and stronger than ever.
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