Swervedriver Reunite, Guitar Pedal Geeks Rejoice

11/08/07 5:00pm

by Matt Littlefair (CHARTattack)

Out of the "Holy Crap! Really?!?" file of excitement comes news that Oxford, U.K. band Swervedriver will reunite for a tour in 2008.

On Oct. 24, frontman Adam Franklin confirmed the previously reported news through a posting on his Myspace blog.

"It all happened quite quickly," wrote Franklin. "We met up in a pub in London last month and figured out what we'd like to do, which at this point is just heading out and playing some shows again."

It's been a decade since Swervedriver's last album, 99th Dream, was released. It's also been nine years since they've trod on Canadian soil.

Though the tour is assured, new material is not. In the same posting, Franklin noted that Swervedriver's back catalogue would make up the bulk of the touring repertoire, but did leave faintest, glimmering shred of hope for some new cuts.

Through the band may have been on an extended "break," Franklin has managed to keep himself plenty busy in the intervening years. Having shed his Toshack Highway moniker, he released Bolts Of Melody under his own name in June of this year and has been touring behind it since. According to Franklin, he's also already started work on the follow-up to Bolts and hopes to release it next year.

As though that weren't enough, the former-cum-current Swervedriver lead singer also joined forces with Interpol drummer Sam Fogarino in early 2007 and formed a group called The Setting Suns. On Oct. 28, the band posted a pair of brand new tracks on their Myspace page — "Don't Go To Dream State" and a cover of The Kinks' "The Way Love Used To Be." Both songs are part of their debut EP, set for release on iTunes sometime in November.

Dates for the tour have yet to be confirmed, but check back, we're sure to have 'em (and tickets in hand) once they are.