Two years later. Back in Boston after a surreal, strange year and a half in Fairbanks, Alaska. Thanks to my sister, who snapped me out of it and got me back to Boston and back on track. To this day, I owe her my life.
The Verve, as they were now called, were coming out with a new album, and prior to its release were doing a short introductory tour of America. There was no Napster back then, no album leaks, so we didn’t know what to expect. There was a 7” single out in advance of the album, called “This is Music,” but that was all we knew.
We got to the Paradise and eventually The Verve ambled on stage. The slow, low rumblings of “A New Decade” kicked in and then, out of the blue, Richard Ashcroft rushed to the front of the stage, did his signature pose and bellowed out the lyrics in a frightening crescendo: A new decade. The Radio plays the sounds we made. And everything seems to feel all right. And a few bars later: How long will I run for? Who am I running from?
And it all just hits me. The guilt I have from the unresolved incident in St. Louis. Growing up. My shitty job. Being back in Boston. Out of college. The guilt, the guilt. Let it go, let it go. Back in boston. A new start. A new decade.
Richard Ashcroft knew.
Two years later, the world would realize that when “Bittersweet Symphony” hit the top 40 in 20 countries and broke the top 10 in the US.
(Source: Spotify)
