#20

He probably had a run in with her back when she was all serious and snarky when she was in Theaudience and still holds a grudge!

Not sure what’s wrong with her fronting a show about disco though, she’s a good presenter.

#21

This is fantastic.

#22

I’ve got two tickets for the gig at EartH in Hackney on Thursday 7 Feb (next week). Was well up for but now need to be away with work. Tickets are looking for a good home - face value would be great, but happy to accept any sensible offer. Ta!

#23

Boo - this Saturday’s Brighton gig has been called off because he’s got the flu.

That might mean that you don’t need to shift your tickets now @danielmartin if tomorrows gig is postponed too

#24

I love The Beta Band and a lot of Steve Mason’s solo stuff but they’ve always had a reputation for being what is euphemistically described as ‘difficult’. I think I remember David Quantick (or someone else from the 80s NME) saying that they were by far the most unpleasant people he’d ever had to deal with.

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#25

thanks - I feel bad for Steve - and wish him a speedy recovery - but I’m so pleased that I won’t need to shift my tickets and will get to seem him. He did a Sonos gig a few years back which was just awesome.

#26

Strange - I remember thinking they sounded like a good bunch when they did some of their Breezeblock mix in a sort of Old Jock Radio style. Mind you, Steve sounded like he had a pretty short fuse even then.

#27

He’s been fairly open about the mental health issues that plagued him for a long time until relatively recently, so it might be worth cutting him some slack for previous behaviour.

FWIW I chatted to him after him and Dennis Bovell’s DJ slot at Bestival a few years back and he couldn’t have been nicer :+1:

#28

That’s fair enough, although I think a lot of it (the obnoxious behaviour and possibly the mental health issues too) was drug induced.

#29

I remember listening to an interview they did with Steve Lamacq, where they were absolutely vile to him.

#30

Idle speculation about the reasons for someones mental health issues is bollocks and pointless.

#31

I only take it from what Steve Mason has said himself in multiple interviews. Certainly not meaning to upset anyone. Steve clearly suffers from depression and always has done and that is horrendous.

#32

I’ve heard him talk about it, but never the reasons. Would imagine they are deeply personal.

#33

The causes of mental illness are only very imperfectly understood. There could be a connection with heavy drug use in some cases but it’s fair to say that it’s hard to separate cause and effect. Genetic/developmental factors are undoubtedly more important.

My original point was very badly expressed, but certainly in terms of the general obnoxiousness of The Beta Band (not just, or even mainly, Steve) I think drugs had a major part to play.

#34

Yeah I agree anyone who has had depression of any kind should get a total free pass for a history of being horrible

#35
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#36

No Ireland :frowning: but looks great nonetheless. He played I Walk the Earth when I saw him here last year, was definitely a highlight.

#37

No Aberdeen this time round, sadly - the original Black Gold show was really good if I recall.

#38

I’m listening to ‘The Beta Band’ album for the first time ever today…i like it a lot!

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#39

Try The Three EPs next if you haven’t already, it’s even better.

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