New tv ad for Woolworths last nite: two OAPs cooing over the cd of Permission to Land: ‘Let’s buy it, dear’ it’ll be just like the old days!’. Cut to Ver ‘Ness on the bridge of their spaceship in full stadium handclap mode. (The unintended gag is the two old folk don’t look much older than Justin — check out this month’s issue of The Face for a thoughtful interview and some truly TERRIFYING pictures’ imagine Pete Burns when the collagen goes south. [Also check out this issue for a great article by Anna F of ILx]).
The band seems to be encouraging the nostalgia. Christmas single ‘Don’t Let the Bells End’ (nurse — my sides) looks set to revive ye olde Sladeian festive bonhomie, but also settle the argument that they’re a comedy lite-ent troupe. Which is disappointing, because the lp worked when it managed to muddy the issue in interesting ways: do you get off on the guilded grandeur of ‘Love is Only a Feeling’ as a bit of a laugh or is it genuinely moving? Will a monster Christmas #1 see the band shoot their load’ or will they be the first UK rock band since Queen to successfully ride the twin saddles of rock and pop with a single pair of spandexed buttocks?