My favouite book is probably 1984 by George Orwell,Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is great aswell.

I've got a book called 'This is Pop' by someone called Ed Jones who was in a band called The Tansads in Wigan
around the same time as The Verve. He also wrote the music reviews for the local paper, so here's the first
piece of press that they ever recieved, in The Wigan Reporter.

"Verve are a four piece from Wigan and judging from the fact that I've never heard of them before, this is
presumably their first offering. The music is downbeat Velvet Underground kind of stuff, not completely
lacking in lighter moments however, and not unpleasant at all. Overall I liked it, the band have a definite
sound and there is soul and self belief in what they do, musicianship and arrangement are not that
important if the songs are OK, which I think these are. Given time and a little commitment, they could
progress to better things I'm sure"

There was also an interview that the author did with them in the same paper at a later date, here's a
couple of extracts that he printed.

Q "If Verve was a cheese which one would it be?" (?!?!)

Richard: "Garlic Roulé"
Simon: "Edam"
Nick: "Mature cheddar melted on crumpet"

Not particularly insightful but hey.

He then goes on to describe a gig when they were supported by Verve .

"The band were brilliant, mesmeric even then, and frighteningly unselfconcious. Ashcroft always got the
plaudits, but for me the star was McCabe; his guitar had real danger lurking within it, immense but still
understated. Sure enough this was competition like we'd never had before."

Hope this raises a few smiles. - Next week Verve in The St Helens Star!