“Is it a post-pandemic thing of people looking for some comfort from something happy and familiar?”: Supergrass's Gaz Coombes ponders the retro ‘90s revival

From Blur’s sell-out Wembley shows last summer, to Oasis’s making dynamically priced millions from fans both old and new, it comes as no surprise to find that other 90’s bands are eyeing Britpop’s unexpected retro rebirth with interest.

Pulp – currently on tour in the States – are already secretly airing new tunes potentially ahead of a new album 23 years after the last…

And now Supergrass are out of the woodwork and going back on the road, with a new tour to mark 30 years since their debut album I Should Coco. The new dates – kicking off in May 2025 – will see the band playing the classic album in full for the first time with an encore of classic hits.

It looks like Britpop is well and truly back in the frame, but Supergrass’s lead vocalist Gaz Coombes wonders if they were ever really in it in the first place…

Speaking to NME the singer has distanced himself and the band from the 90’s scene that’s inexplicably so hot right now. “The mid-90s were a wild time. For us, it was different to how it seemed,” he explained. “When you look back at the lad culture and messiness, we weren’t part of it nor did we really enjoy that side of it. In terms of the freedom we had to express ourselves, it was a magical time. The label backing us for six albums was crazy too. All that excitement is what I remember.”

So why does he think that 90’s acts are getting back together and back in front of fans who might not have been to a gig in decades?

“Maybe people just want to hear something they love that meant a lot to them?” he reckons. “I’m not really into nostalgia; I just think it’s important to mark a beautiful moment, and that was I Should Coco. Plus 30 years is a big one, and this could be the only time we get to do it.”

I Should Coco reached number one in the UK upon its release in May 1995, spawning the singles Caught By The Fuzz, Mansize Rooster, Lose It, Lenny and the biggest hit of the lot and UK number two, Alright.

Supergrass - Alright (Official HD Video) - YouTube

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Over the intervening years the album has sold over 500,000 copies in the UK alone and over a million copies worldwide. It’s Parlophone’s biggest-selling debut album after Please Please Me by The Beatles.

Tickets for their 14-date UK tour in 2025 are on sale now.