Put your hands up, and clap loudly for the return of the newly energised Reef, writes Susan Welsh
Gary Stringer, lead singer of the band Reef, sounds ridiculously cheery for someone who has a lot of late nights.
“It’s because we’re coming up to the Highlands again. I’ve fond memories of playing Loopallu Festival in Ullapool and staying in a really cool guesthouse. It’s absolutely gorgeous there. I’m also a keen surfer, so would like to try surfing in Thurso, and I’d love to visit Orkney and see Skara Brae,” said Gary.
“There’s also no way I’d forget our appearance at Belladrum last year. It was roasting hot and they had all that paint going off.”
During the band’s performance at the Highland festival, the audience took part in a Holi Festival of Colour, an event that sees vivid powdered paint thrown into the air where it then explodes and showers everyone and everything close by, turning the audience into a multicoloured mass.
“The air was thick with all that paint going off, but from the stage it looked beautiful, if a little strange. I enjoyed watching it but wasn’t tempted to join in,” said Gary.
There will be no paint bombs when the band play The Ironworks in Inverness tonight, Thursday, April 2, but the show promises to be equally colourful and entertaining as north fans will be among the first to hear some of the new songs the band has written.
“Kenwyn, our old guitarist, had made if fairly clear for a couple of years that he didn’t want to make a new record. When he left, we auditioned for a new guitarist and were delighted to have Jesse Wood (son of legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood) join us. His sound is fantastic, different to Kenwyn’s – a bit dirtier. We started writing again after Jesse joined us,” said Gary.
It’s hard to believe, but this year will be the 21st anniversary of Reef forming. Within six months of getting together Gary Stringer, Jack Bessant, Kenwyn House and Dominic Greensmith had attracted interest from many major record labels. Their CD single containing the songs Good Feeling and Choose To Live, was picked up on by Paul Weller, who offered the band a support slot on his Wild Wood tour. Reef signed with Sony S2 later that year.
A tour with Soundgarden and The Rolling Stones followed and they quickly built up a reputation for being a fantastic live act. The band became one of the highest-profile bands of the 90s and had massive hit singles with Place Your Hands, Come Back Brighter, Consideration and Yer Old. Place Your Hands, released on October 21, 1996, is Reef’s most successful single to date, and remains a party favourite.
“A few years ago, there was a rumour going round that we didn’t like playing Place Your Hands. I don’t know where these things start, but we love that song and don’t care if people do sing those words, as long as they sing along.”
He’s referring to fans singing the words “it’s your letters” in the chorus instead of “put your hands on”. Gary said: “Every week on the Chris Evans programme TFI Friday, they’d have a band playing a song while he introduced the letters section. When it was our turn, we played a parody of Place Your Hands, singing It’s Your Letters instead. It was so popular that they kept it in every week.”
Over the years, each original member of the band has followed their own musical path. In 2003, they took a break.
“When 2010 came around, we were offered some shows and festivals which sold out. Then we’d another run in 2013, then last year Jesse joined us and he’s given us a new burst of energy and the band a fresh feel,” said Gary.
“Right now, we are super busy with the new tour. The response to it has just been spectacular, out of this world and beautiful, just beautiful. It sounds cliched, but there’s nothing like getting up on stage in front of hundreds of people, throwing energy out there, and getting it back tenfold.
“At the Inverness show, the fans will hear some of the new tracks. We’ve started writing again and put down four songs just before Christmas and another four just after Christmas. We wanted to book the tour so we could try these new songs, including Just Feel Love, First Mistake, Ball and Chain, Out of Control, You Are So Cold, to see how they went down, but we always play the songs people have bought their ticket for – we wouldn’t not want to play them.”
Reef play The Ironworks, Inverness, tonight, Thursday, April 2, and are joined by support band Vukovi. Under-16s must be accompanied by an adult. Doors open at 7pm. Contact: 0871 789 4173. The band are also at The Garage, Aberdeen, tomorrow, Friday, April 3. Tel: 01224 587594.