Spitfire - Anatomic Love (Once) / Anatomic Love (Twice) (7") (pre-order)

Spitfire are a rock ’n’ roll band from Crawley, West Sussex, who tore through the first half of the ’90s with their own collision of Garage Rock, Punk, Indie and out-and-out Rock ’n’ Roll.

Centred around brothers Jeff and Nick Pitcher, Spitfire’s ever-changing line-up included Steve White, Justin Welch, Steven Walker, Matt Wise and Scott Kenny, releasing a string of singles and EPs, two albums and a compilation along the way.

Spitfire became fellow travellers with the emerging New Wave of New Wave scene, regularly gigging with S*M*A*S*H and These Animal Men and sharing stages with the likes of Blur, The Fall, Manic Street Preachers, Pulp, Ride, Gallon Drunk, Lush, Spiritualized, Chapterhouse, Flowered Up, The Popguns and many others.

While the early ’90s around them became increasingly dominated by shoegaze and, later, Britpop, Spitfire were always happier looking backwards and sideways - to punk, garage, rock ’n’ roll.

By the mid-’90s the band had drifted apart. Jeff and Nick went on to form the MC5 influenced Cheetah, while various members disappeared into other bands and musical adventures.

Now Spitfire are back from the dead - and they’re in love.

With Steve Walker back in England for just three days, Jeff and Nick pulled an unfinished Spitfire song from the mid-’90s out of the dust. Three decades later, they decided to finish it.

Justin Welch ( Elastica / Mary Chain) happened to be free for one of those days, so the four got together for a single rehearsal, with Ye Nun Kate Hodges on bass, before heading straight into North Down Sound’s 8-track studio. Two hours later, “Anatomic Love (Twice)” was alive.

Then came the chance to record at Mick Jones’ RRPL studio. With Steve back home and Justin unavailable, Ed and Rob S*M*A*S*H stepped in - and a second version emerged.

‘Anatomic Love (Once)’ / ‘Anatomic Love (Twice)’ - the same song, recorded twice, three decades after it was started.

Not a reunion. Not nostalgia. Just unfinished business. Baby!

Limited to 500 copies on vinyl record.

Spitfire support Jim Jones at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton on Friday October 16th, and at Scala London on Sunday 18th October.

Line Up:

Jeff Pitcher

Nick Pitcher

Steven (Chalker) Walker

Justin Welch

Sister Thee Kate Hodges

Ed S*M*A*S*H

Rob S*M*A*S*H

Notes:
(Once) engineered and produced by Alex Collishaw at RRPL Studios.
(Twice) engineered by Mole at North Down Sound - produced by The Hoofe.
Mastered by Jim Riley at Ranscombe Studios, Rochester, Kent.