Donna Matthews has officially left Elastica – with the band expanding to a six-piece. There is over an album’s worth of recorded tracks from which the second album will be chosen.
Elastica are set to return to the live arena this summer – as reported yesterday – with appearances at the Reading Festival and the parallel event in Leeds on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th August respectively. They will be headlining the second stage at both events with a new six-piece line-up.
Donna Matthews has left the band to pursue ‘other projects’ due to “a breakdown in both personal and creative relationships within the group” according to record company reports.
Justine Frischmann says: “It’s obviously really sad that this has happened but it’s also something of a relief for us all so that we can now move forward. Everyone’s really excited about playing Reading. It’s been really frustrating these last two years not being able to participate in these events.”
The new line-up sees founder members Justine Frischmann (vocals/guitar) and Justin Welch (drums) rejoined by original bass player, Annie Holland, subject of the 1994 song ‘Annie’ (co-written by Donna Matthews). She left in the summer of 1995. Donna Matthews is replaced by guitarist Paul Jones, currently recording a new LP with Linoleum.
Keyboard player Dave Bush remains in the band. Completing the line-up is an additional keyboard player and vocalist, Mew.
Meanwhile the second Elastica LP – it is now four years since the first – is still awaiting a final decision. According to the record company more than an album’s worth of material has been recorded but nothing is yet scheduled for release pending discussions with Geffen Records in America.
More than half of the tracks feature the new Elastica line-up while the remaining songs include five tracks written by Donna Matthews who plays and sings on these and certain other tracks.
Donna Matthews is currently unavailable for comment.