“God forbid I use the F word, but instantly felt like this could be fun. It will be a joyous occasion,” declares Martin Rossiter. “I don't think musically we were ever prosaic. Even for a song that was three chords and the truth, we always weaved an extra melodic interest into everything we did. So to play those songs again, alongside the people who created them, is going to be very special.” After being approached late last year about the possibility of playing again as Gene by Creation Records founder Alan McGee and Toura Toura’s Kevin Fitzgerald, who co-manage the likes of Sleeper, Huey Morgan and Alabama 3, the four band members only met for the first time in December. The speed at which things have progressed since is testament to the group’s enduring passion and immediate reconnection. “All four of us met up, probably for the first time since our last gig, and it immediately felt just like it had always been,” explains Matt James. “We were always very self-depreciating as a group and the banter quickly kicked back in. After a few quips barked across the pub table we relaxed and we all laughed a lot. Straightaway it felt like we were a band again. We’ve just to make sure we can do it musically now too.” The band insisted on gathering together in a rehearsal room for the first time just days before signing off on this gig announcement, demonstrating their commitment to delivering again on the formidable live reputation Gene enjoyed throughout their career. “We are putting all our energy into making this musically spectacular,” explains Rossiter. “Yes, we're going to be earning some reasonably decent money, but it isn't yachts in the Adriatic money and the main thing that convinced me to do this again was that, within five minutes, the conversations between the four of us had reached the point of, 'how do we make this brilliant?' So that drive is still there, the dynamic was still there and so I started daydreaming about what it would be like to waggle my – slightly larger – ass on the stage one more time.” Gene formed in 1993 and made their debut with the single For The Dead the following year on the indie label Costermonger, which was founded especially for the release by the journalists and authors Keith Cameron and Roy Wilkinson. Limited to 1994 copies, the seven-inch sold out in two days.  The band’s debut album, Olympian, followed on 20 March 1995 and quickly became one of the era’s best and most appreciated records – including singles Sleep Well Tonight, Haunted By You and the stately title track – as it reached the UK Top 10. Olympian’s enduring and superior status was recognised when NME took the rare step of revising its opinion of the record, overriding its initial on release review to praise the record in 2011 as they declared the album possessed “a strong and commanding soul.” Further confirmation of this beloved status was demonstrated by the outpouring Gene received when Martin Rossiter and Matt James revisited the album for one Tim Burgess’s Twitter Listening Parties during the 2020 lockdown. Olympian was then included in Burgess’ hardback book which celebrated the best of those global communal listening sessions. Demonstrating the depth of Gene’s artistic vision, Olympian was followed in 1996 by rarities and b-side collection To The See The Lights, which became an immediate fan favourite, before their second full album, Drawn To The Deep End, also went straight into the Top 10 in 1997, boasting the hits Fighting Fit, We Could Be Kings, Where Are They Now? and Speak To Me Someone. With 1999’s more muscular Revelations ably capturing the fin de siècle uncertainty and hope in the air at the time, Gene initially ended on the creative high of 2002 album Libertine which Q Magazine praised for its “grace and guile” as the album gained widespread critical acclaim.  Reflecting the enduring live reputation the band enjoyed throughout their career – both for their shows and as festival favourites – Gene’s then final gig took place at the London Astoria on 16 December 2004 and saw the band go out at the peak of their powers. In their absence Gene’s influence has still been keenly felt, not only earning continued plays on radio stations including BBC 6 Music and Absolute while enjoying growing streaming numbers but following public demand and eye-watering second-hand prices for the originals, the group’s entire back catalogue was re-pressed on vinyl in 2020 alongside the release of new best of collection Yours For The Taking. Taking the opportunity to appraise Gene’s entire catalogue, Mojo concluded, “the urbane, eloquent outsiders… oozed class.”     While Olympian’s 30th birthday year adds a great sense of occasion for the band and fans alike, the four-piece is keen to ensure the London show will be a celebration of everything Gene stood for. “Olympian’s anniversary is a good reason for doing it, but we’re looking forward to playing songs from all of our career,” says James. “It is going to be a lot fun playing as Gene again.”