If I were to make a list of my all- time favourite indie artists some of you would be able to predict many names that would appear at the top of my list such as JOY DIVISION, WIRE, SPIRITUALIZED, TODJESUS & MARY CHAIN to name a few.

Notwithstanding that predictablity, there is a name very near the top of that list that might have even the most robust indie fans among you scratching your head and saying “Huh?”

The name of this outfit is SECRET SHINE.

Who?

Let me repeat that to avoid confusion.

That would be SECRET SHINE.

Huh?

This band is different than all the others at the top of my list. You see, while they have been around since the early 90’s (with occasional periods of activity) and were on the now seemingly quixotic SARAH RECORDS label, they have only released 4 proper albums (1993, 2008, 2013, 2017). Ed. Note- plus an acoustic LP tribute to drummer Tom Morris who passed away in 2004] and a clutch of singles and eps.

Furthermore, they have played live infrequently over the years. Why? Because all of the members have (and continue to have) day jobs.

They might barely have released 60 tracks in their career- but that’s plenty to get them on my list of All- time Faves.

But don’t let their status as less than full- time musicians fool you. It might be my musical DNA, but there is something about the music of SECRET SHINE that transcends for me.

I have collected the band all these years. During the pandemic I connected with vocalist KATHRYN SMITH and her husband, and founding member, JAMIE GINGELL, through email and FaceTime to do a review of their 2020 single ‘Ember’ for LOUDER THAN WAR MAGAZINE.

INTERVIEW: Secret Shine ‘Ember’ see their dark dream pop bliss perfected

And then there was today!

We travelled to Brighton for the day. [Ed. Note- more train travel for rex!]

Kimberly and Hannah checked out some of the sites among the raindrops.

Amazingly, Kathryn took some time off her busy work schedule to meet me!

Then we ate some Thai food and caught up on a bit of our lives, the recently changed day jobs of some members of the band and, of course, SECRET SHINE. The new LP is in progress and that was awesome to hear.

She is also a member of THE USELESS USERS so we talked about that band as well.

KATHRYN is friends with BETH ARZY (also from the SARAH LABEL) that I met and watched play with THE TREASURES OF MEXICO yesterday in Brighton. I purchased their new LP at the gig and had it signed by the band as a token of my appreciation.

Anyway, two special music days in a row meeting many of my indie faves.

And so now a song by SECRET SHINE. I think from memory this will be the 5th time they have been featured.

So here is ‘Falling Again’ from their 2017 LP entitled “There Is Only Now” (on Saint Marie Records)-

SPOTIFY-

https://open.spotify.com/track/7joJnhuWe73MPEoQgShQuy?si=9amSEP4KR4-BiiK1bE__FA

And a bonus live cut from Brighton in 2018.

(Ignore the 1st box below which I can’t seem to delete without help from my tech team- Courtney?)

(SONG 697)

Play Loud Or Perish

11/27/2023