Roughly 22 years after English shoegaze crew Loop called it quits, the band have announced they're reforming to play a series of reunion gigs.
While details are still slim, a statement from bandleader Robert Hampson confirms that the lineup of him, John Wills, Neil Mackay, and Scott Dowson "have agreed to perform a limited number of shows from late 2013 to mid 2014 at various venues across the world."
This will include a show as part of ATP's "End of an Era" festival at Camber Sands, whose second part they'll be curating from November 29 to December 1. Other artists announced for the Loop-curated fest thus far include Pop Group, Dirty Beaches, Fennesz and 23 Skidoo, among others. Part 1, meanwhile, will feature acts such as Television (playing Marquee Moon in full), Chelsea Light Moving, Dinosaur Jr., múm, Wolf Eyes and Mike Watt, from November 22 to 24.
Hampson explained that Loop "didn't really finish that well," having played their last show in 1991, but the band seem to have put any longstanding beef to rest enough to reconcile for the reunion performances.
"I'm not sure anyone of us can really put our fingers on specific reasons, for they are legion, but after many many years of being asked why not play again, I can't seem to find any excuses for why not to anymore," he said.
He added: "I have never really slept well over the demise of Loop, it always felt unfinished. If I had a pound coin given to me for every time I get asked to reform Loop, I'd be a very rich man by now. I had always baulked at the idea, especially when I have been asked to perform songs with a pick-up band, something I could never do… ever."
You can read his full statement over here.
The Quietus reports that the band are also about to release a few reissues from their back catalogue. A vinyl repress of their 1987 debut Heaven's End was served up by UK imprint Reactor in 2012, while their sophomore set Fade Out will be reissued on June 10 and 1990's A Gilded Eternity drops August 19. The band's The World In Your Eyes compilation will get the reissue treatment in 2014.
While details are still slim, a statement from bandleader Robert Hampson confirms that the lineup of him, John Wills, Neil Mackay, and Scott Dowson "have agreed to perform a limited number of shows from late 2013 to mid 2014 at various venues across the world."
This will include a show as part of ATP's "End of an Era" festival at Camber Sands, whose second part they'll be curating from November 29 to December 1. Other artists announced for the Loop-curated fest thus far include Pop Group, Dirty Beaches, Fennesz and 23 Skidoo, among others. Part 1, meanwhile, will feature acts such as Television (playing Marquee Moon in full), Chelsea Light Moving, Dinosaur Jr., múm, Wolf Eyes and Mike Watt, from November 22 to 24.
Hampson explained that Loop "didn't really finish that well," having played their last show in 1991, but the band seem to have put any longstanding beef to rest enough to reconcile for the reunion performances.
"I'm not sure anyone of us can really put our fingers on specific reasons, for they are legion, but after many many years of being asked why not play again, I can't seem to find any excuses for why not to anymore," he said.
He added: "I have never really slept well over the demise of Loop, it always felt unfinished. If I had a pound coin given to me for every time I get asked to reform Loop, I'd be a very rich man by now. I had always baulked at the idea, especially when I have been asked to perform songs with a pick-up band, something I could never do… ever."
You can read his full statement over here.
The Quietus reports that the band are also about to release a few reissues from their back catalogue. A vinyl repress of their 1987 debut Heaven's End was served up by UK imprint Reactor in 2012, while their sophomore set Fade Out will be reissued on June 10 and 1990's A Gilded Eternity drops August 19. The band's The World In Your Eyes compilation will get the reissue treatment in 2014.
