Chris Helme, ex-Seahorses’ singer , unveiled his new band and new songs in London at the London WC1 Improv Theatre last night following gigs at Liverpool and Leeds earlier this week.
Along with ex-Seahorses bassist Steve Fletcher, guitarist Dave Keegan, one-time Shed 7 keyboards player Fraser Smith and drummer Stuart Brogden, Helme played a set of what our reporter on the spot describes as “fairly unambitious rock music” in The Seahorses/Oasis mould, among them ‘Cold Comfort’, ‘Holding Heaven’ and a song called ‘Good Times’ that Helme said would be the first single “if there ever is one”.
Although Helme cited Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake as influences, there was little evidence of them in the new material.
According to someone close to the band, Helme had only rehearsed for three weeks prior to making his appearance although the band has been planned for considerably longer; Helme had already left The Seahorses before John Squire announced that the band was splitting.
For a full review of the gig see NME next week, on sale in London on Tuesday and