The Verve Finally Getting Credit
British rock band The Verve recently reunited and played several shows in the United States. The band just finished a stint at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, as well as a show at the Los Angeles-based Coachella festival and others. The Verve broke up ten years ago and hasn’t played a show or even attempted a reunion since. Now they’re finally back, and the fans haven’t gone anywhere. Tickets to Verve shows have been tough to come by; granted they didn’t announce a lot of shows, but for a band that was never outrageously mainstream to begin with, it says a lot about the band and its fans that tickets still go so quickly.
In 1997, The Verve had its only real hit, “Bittersweet Symphony.” Sure, they made waves with a couple other songs like “Lucky Man” and “Sonnet,” but it was “Bittersweet Symphony” that all non-fans or casual fans remember. So how does this “one-hit wonder” from the 90s inspire people to snatch up tickets so quickly? Well, any true Verve fan knows that not only was “Bittersweet Symphony” not indicative of the band’s style, but it wasn’t nearly one of the their best songs. True, a lot of people found out about the band because of the song, but it was the rest of The Verve’s material that made them a cult classic. They had soft, inspiring ballads like “The Drugs Don’t Work,” a song that touched on the delicate topic of a man dying from cancer. They had songs that really rocked, like the amazing “The Rolling People.” As fans delved further into the band’s back catalog, they found tons of quality material, like the songs “Slide Away” and “History.”
The Verve was one of those bands that never truly got the credit they deserved until it was too late. Not only were they pegged as a one-hit wonder in the 90s, but the Rolling Stones sued them because “Bittersweet Symphony” used an unauthorized sample of an old Stones B-side. The lawsuit caused tension between members of the band, and most people would agree it played a large part in The Verve’s breakup. The band disappeared before most people could appreciate their greatness. It also didn’t help that another band, The Verve Pipe, came out around the same time and was often confused with The Verve, despite a pretty clear difference in the sound of each band.
The Verve are often described as “psychedelic Brit-pop,” a label that you don’t hear thrown around too often. Even though the band broke up in the 90s, they were a huge influence on the wave of Brit-pop to come. Bands like Coldplay, Snow Patrol and Muse were able to succeed because The Verve paved the way (not that those bands wouldn’t have succeeded – The Verve just made it easier on them).
It’s the greatest thing about music: That you don’t have to be around to be a major influence on others. As long as you produce quality music that stands the test of time, people will come around eventually. It’s good to see The Verve getting the recognition they deserve. And they didn’t even have to make a bunch of catchy ringtones.
About the Author: Jason Gluckman is a freelance writer specializing in music, entertainment, social issues and self-improvement.
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Print Article | Download PDF | 25 views | May 05 2008
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