MARC ALMOND has dismissed the current revival of ’80s electro-pop and distanced SOFT CELL’s forthcoming reunion gigs in LONDON from the wave of nostalgia sweeping BRITAIN.
And he added that he and Cell-mate Dave Ball are planning to release a new album.
He says: “I always felt that Soft Cell ended before our time, due to circumstances beyond our control, and I always knew that it was an unfinished story. Our split was never acrimonious, and both Dave Ball and I have worked together since, on projects attached to my solo career. Over the last two years we have been working together again with a view to releasing a new Soft Cell album.
“Neither of us have any interest in being part of the ’80s nostalgia trip, in fact that was my least favourite decade, nor do we have any desire to relive old glory, which anyone acquainted with Soft Cell will know were anything but glorious. In the end it is simply because we have a chemistry and creativity together that is still worth exploring. Both Dave and I have enjoyed solo success and can now return to Soft Cell on our own terms. If people wish to use words like ‘revival’ and ‘comeback’ then so be it – you just can’t fight these things.”
Soft Cell’s “comeback” – the pair’s first gig together for 17 years – takes place at the opening of a new London venue, Ocean, in Hackney on March 15 and 16.
The duo’s career kicked off with the Number One single ‘Tainted Love’ in 1981, a single which re-entered the charts a further three times and reached Number Five on its re-release in 1991. Their other marked hits included ‘Bedsitter’ (Number Four), ‘Say Hello Wave Goodbye’ (Three), ‘Torch’ (Two) and ‘What’ (Three).
The show on 15 March is a private gig, but tickets for the following night’s show are on sale to fans priced #17.50 from the Ocean Box Office:020 7314 2800.