The original ‘Your Heterosexual Violence’ (YHV) formed in Woolwich, South London in 1982. Back then, they appeared once on a compilation alongside Sonic Youth and The Nightingales but can hardly be said to have set the world ablaze.
Three decades later, this comeback album is of 60-somethings refusing to be a footnote in musical history and,instead, boldly pledging to be “an asterisk with attitude.”
Front man and lead singer Brian O’Brien is under no illusions that these are the rants and railing of punks in their prime of their youth.He explains that the decision to reform just before the pandemic struck was driven by the sobering thought that “we've got to get this done before we die and that may not be long.”
O’Brien and two other original members David Dodd (guitar) and Andi Panayi (Drums) are joined by Simon Birch (keyboards) and gender neutral singer of the queer power trio Jemma Freeman & The Cosmic Something. “Jem sings like an angel caught in a riot” says O’Brien.
The album is produced by Stereolab drummer Andy Ramsay who recruited Maris Peterlevics on violin and saxophonist Steve Hamilton for a few tracks.
YHV is a band name which was, and still is, a provocative one. They declare themselves to be intolerant of intolerance and stand firmly opposed to racists,sexist and homophobes. This is a mission statement that hasn’t lost any of its relevance since the 1980s.
As you might expect, the band's influences stretch far and wide. They are reforming not reinventing the wheel.Some of their prime inspirations are clear from Love Will , a song which interweaves quotes from titles and lyrics artists including Dylan, Bowie, Kylie and Nirvana.
The truism that forms the album title comes from a line in two songs: Man in Flames (At C&A) and the closing track No Search Results (for Weatherman On Drugs).
The humour and energy stops this project being an embarrassing nostalgic trip.
“Sometimes I wish I was back in Crewe” the singer deadpans in I Could Be With You and sources of wit are found in even the most desperate of circumstances.
In Just One Of Those Things a scorned lover slashes his wrists as a sign of his devotion only to find that his girlfriend had already left the flat!
The ‘this-is-not-a –love-song’ ethic can also be heard in Valentine’s Day which features the arresting declaration that “It’s not natural to fall in love.”
The cruel ironies that come with the onset of age are hinted at Changing The Subject which features the lines Some times of the day, I don't know what to do/ But I should be having A really good time.
Perhaps with this thought in mind, this is an album where having a good time is clearly high on the list of priorities Working on the basis that if you don’t laugh you’ll cry, you’ll find fun tales of angst, misery, grief and pain.
Of the first single - House Outside The World - guitarist David Dodd says “It’s an existential pop song, partly inspired by A Happy Death by Albert Camus. Loneliness, alienation, and nothingness are the main themes.”
“We’re not doing this on any sort of commercial basis”, adds O’Brien a little needlessly and his defiant philosophy sums up this long overdue return: “I know we're a great band and as far as I'm concerned, if someone doesn't think so, they can just go and fuck off for all I care.”
Even if you didn’t even know they’d gone, this record announces to anyone who cares to listen: We’re back!
