Last week, we reported from the London 2010 Red Bull Music Academy that Gerald Simpson (aka A Guy Called Gerald) had stated that he and Graham Massey, both original 808 State members, were in talks to work together once again. The assumption, at the time, given what Simpson had said during a discussion about the early days of the seminal UK group, was that Simpson and Massey were talking about working together again as 808 State.
At 1:12:00 of the interview (see below), Simpson is quoted as follows:
We're actually gonna get together in a few months' time. I think there's probably gonna be some more information as the date gets closer, because I'm not sure of the exact date. So I'm actually gonna get together with Graham and do a live jam again, using loads of the old equipment.
The story of an imminent reunion was quickly picked up by the Guardian and has since spread across message boards online, all of which has prompted Massey to come out on the official 808 State message board to clarify that he and Simpson do indeed have plans to work together again, but under their occasional moniker Rebuild, and not as 808 State.
Here is the statement made by the 808 camp:
1) 808 State as a band couldn't really reunite as they have never broken up.
2) A reunite of the original line-up is highly unlikely given the relationship between Gerald Simpson and Martin Price (well pigs might fly).
3) Gerald and Graham already reunited in 2007 as Rebuild.
4) There are plans for another Rebuild gig happening this year, that's what Gerald was talking about at the Red Bull Music Academy.
5) There is a possibility Graham and Gerald will work together on some new material, again, this will not be under the name 808 State.
So while there were assumptions drawn from the Simpson statement - taken in the context of the RBMA interview - if anything, this story has generated a surprising amount of interest from the public in a reunion of the original 808 State line-up.
At 1:12:00 of the interview (see below), Simpson is quoted as follows:
We're actually gonna get together in a few months' time. I think there's probably gonna be some more information as the date gets closer, because I'm not sure of the exact date. So I'm actually gonna get together with Graham and do a live jam again, using loads of the old equipment.
The story of an imminent reunion was quickly picked up by the Guardian and has since spread across message boards online, all of which has prompted Massey to come out on the official 808 State message board to clarify that he and Simpson do indeed have plans to work together again, but under their occasional moniker Rebuild, and not as 808 State.
Here is the statement made by the 808 camp:
1) 808 State as a band couldn't really reunite as they have never broken up.
2) A reunite of the original line-up is highly unlikely given the relationship between Gerald Simpson and Martin Price (well pigs might fly).
3) Gerald and Graham already reunited in 2007 as Rebuild.
4) There are plans for another Rebuild gig happening this year, that's what Gerald was talking about at the Red Bull Music Academy.
5) There is a possibility Graham and Gerald will work together on some new material, again, this will not be under the name 808 State.
So while there were assumptions drawn from the Simpson statement - taken in the context of the RBMA interview - if anything, this story has generated a surprising amount of interest from the public in a reunion of the original 808 State line-up.
