Stereo Embers The Podcast 0443: Pete Astor and Andy Strickland (The Loft)

"Feel Good Now" Alright, let's get the spicy stuff out of the way; yes, the Loft split up onstage in front of 3,000 people while opening for the Colorfield at the Hammersmith Palais. That happened. But a lot happened before and a lot has happened after, so let me catch you up. Formed in 1980, The Loft were one of the first bands signed to Alan McGee's Creation Records. Their wistful pop had jangle and nerve and they tore out of the gates cramming their resume with notable achievements for McGee's lable like being the first Creation band to appear on television, the first top the indie singles chart, the first to be invited on to a major UK tour and the first to record a Janice Long BBC radio session. The Loft were poised to be a huge band, but the public split came before their first album was ever released and so fans could only be left to wonder what might have been had they been able to just get a record on the shelves. Compilations like Magpie Eyes and Once Around The Fair were released over the years, but as we know, great as they may be, it's not the same thing. Singer Pete Astor and drummer Dave Morgan went on the form the Weather Prophets, while guitarist Andy Strickland formed The Caretaker Race and bassist Bill Prince formed The Wishing Stones. Happily, the ice that forms after an argument started to thaw and the Loft slowly drifted back to each other. I'll let Andy and Pete tell you that story, but let me just say this. We're so lucky that it did because the band's debut album is one we finally get to hear and it was well worth the wait. The ten songs on Everything Changes, Everything Stays The Same are perfectly crafted pop gems with spry rhythms, jangling beauty and melodic mastery. I love this record. Pete's been on the show before, and he's a lovely guy to chat with, but having him back with Andy was a real treat. www.tapeterecords.de (https://www.tapeterecords.de) www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Stereo Embers The Podcast IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com (mailto:editor@stereoembersmagazine.com)