6 Music's Chris Hawkins on Dodgy's what are we fighting for?
Twenty years ago this summer cool Britannia filled the air and Britpop filled the airwaves. In June 1996, Dodgy released Free Peace Suite (featuring the Top 40 singles Good Enough, In A Room and Thinking Of You). The album was launched at a lavish party in Regent’s Park during Euro 96 and entered the UK Album Top 40 at No.7.
It stayed on the chart for 35 weeks - six of those in the Top 10. Now, 20 years later, despite a confused Britannia, there’s a definite sense of déjà vu with Dodgy’s return and a session for Chris Evans, albeit on Radio 2 as opposed to TFI Friday.
I had the first play of a new album taster song, You Give Drugs A Bad Name, on my 6 Music show and the reaction was incredible with many people saying it’s the best song they’ve recorded.
It features Vanessa Wilson from Ultrasound who also appears on the album’s title track, which is so epic it has its own base camp and a team of Sherpas on hand to help listeners navigate it.
The new single, Are You The One, is a wistful, harmonious dreamer, and marks the return of a band who made the most of their ‘90s fame (their drummer Math Priest realised he was going to too many free parties when he found himself at the Oxo Tower for the launch of the PG Tips pyramid tea bag) as well as demonstrating that they’re seriously gifted musicians.
Chris Hawkins (@chrishawkinsUK)
