The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster reform for a handful of autumn 2012 dates

The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster

Photo: Rachael Emily link

There was a time when The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster were making light of their cumbersome, if memorable, band name and being touted as the saviours of independent British guitar music.

Formed in 1999, 'TEMBD' went their separate ways in 2011 to 'pursue other projects', the musician's equivalent of the MP spending more time with his family. Whatever was at the heart of the band's split, a swift reunion is now on the cards. Prompted in part by the response to their single Chicken finding its way into a Nike TV commercial, the original line-up of Guy McKnight, Andy Huxley, Sym Gharial, Tom Diamantopoulo and Marc R Norris is re-assembling for a few select dates marking the single's re-issue.

Originally released in 2002, the single marks a time when TEMBD were threatening to become indie's brightest light. That was until The Libertines released Up the Bracket and nobody wrote about anything else for the next five years. Criminally neglected, Guy McKnight and his charges continued to spew out weapons-grade borderline-punk guitar music but, when they split last year, one suspects it was due to the realisation that they'd taken the band as far as they could.

But they didn't reckon on the pulling power of the Nike swoosh. With Chicken back on the menu, TEMBD have so far announced three shows for late October beginning in Manchester, followed by Brighton and finally London's Electric Ballroom on 31st October 2012. We will have tickets available from 9am on Friday 22nd June, priced from £12.50.

Stewart Darkin