Britpop Comebacks

As well as new acts, the Britpop era also saw (coincidental?) career resurrections or boosts for several more established acts. I've already looked at Shaun Ryder's comeback with Black Grape, but there was also some others...

Paul Weller's career had hit something of a slump at the end of the 80s when his record label refused to release the fifth album by The Style Council. After breaking up the band, he went solo and released two fairly acclaimed albums. However, 1995 album "Stanley Road" became the biggest selling of his career and his first number one album for a decade.

Elvis Costello reunited with The Attractions for "Brutal Youth" (1994). Following diversions with (instrumental) soundtracks and classical music, this was viewed as a return to form and vastly outsold his previous few albums.

In 1996, the Sex Pistols reunited for a world tour ("Filthy Lucre Tour"), which spawned the inevitable cash-in live album. Radio 1 broadcast one of these shows live one Sunday evening, and I'm pleased to say that I actually listened to it. Even though I remember it being a bit lame.

Morrissey's solo career had stuttered a bit after a successful start. Even though previous album "Your Arsenal" was very good (and did fairly well in America), it only reached number four in the UK charts and created lots of negative press because of some of the ambiguous lyrics and themes, especially in regards to football hooligans and the National Front. But "Vauxhall And I" (1994), considered by many to be Morrissey's best solo album, was released to much fanfare and was his first number one album since "Viva Hate" in 1988.

Edwyn Collins had enjoyed some succes with Orange Juice in the 1980s. However, his subsequent solo career seemed to be going relatively nowhere until 1994 with the release of international smash hit 'A Girl Like You'.