Olympia, WA's Some Velvet Sidewalk came up at the same time as Beat Happening and both were part of the sludgy, lo-fi "love-rock" indie scene there as well as being signed to K Records. Led by Al Larsen, SVS had a revolving membership in its 10-year run (1987-1997), including Bikini Kill drummer Tobi Vail, and made six albums before disbanding.
Indie-pop quintet Heavenly will pair their already-announced 2026 tour with a new album, their first since 1996's Operation Heavenly. The band-original members Amelia Fletcher, Cathy Rogers, Peter Momtchiloff, and Rob Pursey, plus new drummer Ian Button- recorded Highway to Heavenly with producer Toby Burroughs. It will be released on February 27 via Fletcher and Pursey's label, Skep Wax.
We played a bunch of reunion tours, and I think we did what we kind of set out to do. So I don't think anyone's upset about it or anything. But I mean, for sure, getting back together would mean a big paycheck, but I think all of us are pretty good with what we did, sort of just, like, artistically with the band and committing to ourselves and playing with each other.
I think about how short life is a lot. I think we buy into a fantasy that America, money, status, time and titles are real. Those things are really just fabrications in the framework of the American psyche. Our government has failed us. Corporate America owns every facet of our lives. We're all glued to social media. Cheap dopamine hits scrolling by.
In the 41 years since This Is Spinal Tap was released, David St. Hubbins ( Michael McKean), Nigel Tufnel ( Christopher Guest), and Derek Smalls ( Harry Shearer) have experienced no shortage of career highs and lows, playing major festivals before splitting up, seemingly for good, over a decade ago. However, the music industry loves a comeback story. So director Marty DiBergi (played by actual director Rob Reiner) is back to document the boys with Spinal Tap II:
"Keeping a rock band together for 50 years was like a marriage, and it's sad that with Clem's passing and without having Chris onstage, I can't see myself being onstage as Blondie, even though I am the face of Blondie."
