Unexpected return from Albany band will see ‘evocative’ comeback show

Simon London + The Spirits will make a return to the stage at Six Degrees with an unexpected reincarnation after a 12-year break.

Shelved indefinitely in 2009 when London left Australia to live in Sweden with his wife Tammy London, the Spirits had enjoyed a busy seven years after their inception in 2003.

Releasing three well-received albums, enjoying radio airplay and touring frequently across Australia, they built a strong fan base.

After the band took a hiatus, London got busy recording and touring with his wife as Simon and Tammy London and more recently as The Red Tails with Vikki Thorn from the Waifs.

The Spirits songs will be given new life as the trio make their return to the stage at Six Degrees tonight.

London said until recently, the occasional question about a Spirits comeback was usually met with a response along the lines of ‘I can’t see it happening’.

When the group’s inaugural and long-time drummer died last year, the commentary became even less optimistic.

“What happened though, was quite the opposite,” London said.

“It was actually my wife Tammy who prompted me to rethink things, just pointing out that it’d be a shame if those songs never saw the light of day again”.

Based back on the south coast in Torbay, London recruited local musicians Mark Gretton and Caleb Drage.

The trio have been bringing back selected songs from the previous three albums while also creating more than a dozen new songs, each vying for its place on a new album, to be recorded in January.

The new songs “evocatively mine a deep vein of material” around themes of relationship, loss, shared journeys and perceptions of the world.

Albany-raised London said he used to ensure the Spirits visited the south coast regularly, building a loyal following.

Now calling Albany home again, it seems only fitting that their comeback show should be here in the heart of town.