Always Ends

"Always Ends" is the follow up album to 2010's brilliant comeback (after 17 years!) "Note To Self". Self-produced, the album takes the band to a new high point whilst continuing the Midway Still trademark sound - melancholy pop songs wrapped in joyful noise!

Midway Still are a punk-pop band formed in 1990 in South London, England, by singer/guitarist Paul Thomson, bassist Jan Konopka and drummer Declan Kelly. After only 8 gigs the band were given a live review in Melody Maker, and soon after that were the subject of much label interest. Signing to Fire Records' subsidiary Roughneck (run by now Domino main-man, Laurence Bell) the Midways set off touring endlessly around the UK and Europe, with the likes of Therapy, Mega City Four, Snuff, Leatherface and Jacobs Mouse. Following their NME single-of-the-week debut I Won't Try , the band recorded a John Peel session in 1991 and released the Wish EP (including a cover of My Bloody Valentine's You Made Me Realise ( a firm live favourite!) prior to the release of their debut album, Dial Square (1992). The album was made by Sonic Youth producer Don Fleming, and 1992 saw the band play both Reading and Glastonbury Festivals, among others. Their second album, Life's Too Long was recorded in 1993 and was produced by Leatherface 's Frankie Stubbs. Once again the band hit the road, but towards the end of this year Kelly announced his intention to quit the band. Thomson and Konopka auditioned dozens of drummers and replaced Kelly with Brad Aitchison, with whom they recorded a third album. However, something had been lost, BritPop was coming in and the record (and the band!) were shelved. Thomson went on to sign with EMI Music with his band Grouch, (which included Konopka) and it was not until 2000 that Thomson and Kelly resurrected MS, being joined by Russell Lee on bass. A single, the charmingly titled "Fuck You" was released in 2001 on the band's own Antipop Records and they continued to play sporadically live in London over the next few years. In 2007 they were invited to play the 4 for Wiz gig with Carter USM and The Senseless Things after the Mega City Four singer's tragic death. It was around this time that a new album was discussed, which finally led to the recording of Note To Self in 2010. The album represented both a return to form AND a leap forward for the band and was greeted by the few in-the-know with warm appreciation after it's release on Boss Tuneage. In November of that year the band made their first trip to Japan and played a successful 7 date tour there. 2012 will see their new label, Bitter and Twisted Records, put out a new album Always Ends and re-release Note To Self as well as rarities by themselves and associated bands.