I love music and living in London I am never short of gigs to go to but one in particular has caught my eye and the date 22nd January 2010 has been pencilled in my diary for the last month - Brett Anderson, indie god and Suede fronting legend is playing at the O2 Empire in Shepherd’s Bush.

Suede provided the sound track to my student years in the early 90s and have attained an almost mythical presence at the head of the Brit Pop movement: more articulate than oasis, more melodic than Blur. I remember the date 11th May 1992 as if it was yesterday. A few weeks earlier the NME had featured a then unknown band on its front cover and proclaimed them to be the greatest band in Britain; that band was Suede of course and I was hooked on them before I even heard a note of Anderson’s tremulous yet soaring voice. That Monday morning in May saw the release of their debut single ’The Drowners’ and I was at my local independent record shop at 9.30 in the morning (how many English Literature students are up at that hour?) to grab my copy. I was told that the delivery hadn’t arrived yat and so I waited in the shop until 1 in the afternoon before I finally got my hands on the beautiful 12 inch vinyl. The white sleeve showed a naked female model body painted to look like a besuited man holding a gun. This mixture of threat and androgony was continued on the song itself that stomped along as if glam rock had moved into the 90s.

I was in love with the record from its first play and for the next five years their music was rarely off of my stereo. The band hit problems of course; Bernard Butler, a brilliant guitarist and early driving force of the band, had personal and artistic differences with Anderson, who developed addictions to various substances, and the band suffered a slow death that finally ended in 2003.

Anderson however has cleaned himself up, dusted himself down and is now back, in my opinion, better than ever. His voice has a new maturity to it and an almost torch-like weariness, a soul, that fits this man who has seen and achieved so much. I have not been so excited about a gig for a long time, I can’t wait to hear Brett sing his latest solo material but it will be his smattering of Suede hits that will really get the crowd roaring their approval. I will let you know how the gig went, but I’m guessing already that it will be a contender to be my gig of the year!

Last thing before I go I have a little and rather strange favor to ask of you guys. A mate of mine works in theatre and is looking for a set of shutters for this play that is going up next month. If you know of anyone who has any avalible please give me a call.