11
Apr

People say that the world is getting smaller and smaller everyday. That a virus like H1N1 can travel from Mexico to Australia in hours, traveling first class on a pressurized airplane cabin. That the internet connects us all in intertwining social networks. That we are closer than ever. And if that wasn’t enough for me to understand this phenomenon called globalization, I could find Kentucky Fried Chicken all over London.

But does that prove anything?

The world is still GIGANTIC. And I don’t mean it in any geographic, geological or geometric way. My friend Jennifer woke me up today with a Divine Comedy song: “Absent Friends”. While she was enjoying the music of Mr. Wright in London, I ended up at a second-floor hipster discotheque in Miami Beach. Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer” welcomed me. What would I have given to be at the Buffalo Bar singing along to “Love and Death in Metroland”. So yes. Absent Friends. I’m the absent friend. Not her. Not Daniel who was throwing the party. Not Christos who, I bet, was dancing to Blueboy at the El Records special. No. They don’t belong to Miami. It seems it’s clear I don’t either. I’m the one that is absent there.

The distance to London, the price of a transatlantic flight, the wasted hours thousands of miles above sea level, are a fact. The immigration regulations to move and establish myself as a London star are heartless and also a fact. Being an absent friend just makes the world utterly GIGANTIC.

I guess our indiepop scene has made us all get closer, better, friends. But at the same time, we are spread all over the world that being together is such a rare commodity. Which could be something not too terrible as there is always something to look forward to. When we make the world collapse, when we make it the size of the palm of our hands, when we travel to a Popfest, or next stop Indietracks.

Last October while I was in Berlin, at the Firestation headquarters, we discussed about the much needed The Jeremiahs’ retrospective CD. Aside from the great 7″ they released on the Abstract label, and a couple of compilation tracks, Uwe has some fabulous demo tapes by them. After having a listen to them, Uwe pulled out from his shelves a 12″. A white and light blue sleeve, with black typography all over it. The band’s name was “This Gigantic World” (I bet you didn’t see that coming?). It was a 12″ single, on the A side a track called “Raft”, on the B side “Hoover Bag”. Now you ask me what’s so special about it? Well, listen carefully. After The Jeremiah’s split, Simon Ashby, the singer, went to form This Gigantic World.

The band was conformed by Simon on vocals and guitars, Matt Vessey on bass, Jason Brown on guitars and Trevor Rising on drums. The record must have been released on 1991 as it was recorded on December 1990. It was produced by Ciaran McLaughlin from That Petrol Emotion. It is catalog number TAKE 6.

That’s all information available. The mighty Google suddenly becomes terribly small in results. I wonder what happened to them. I think “Raft” is such a great song, with fantastic basslines and breezy vocals, not that far away from c86-cult favourites The Jeremiahs. I wonder if they had more songs. If there are any demo tapes lying around some attic. If they are still based in UK, or if they set sail on a raft somewhere else in this gigantic world. If they become absent friends.

As always, any further information about them please share!

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Listen
This Gigantic World – Raft

6 Responses to “:: This Gigantic World”

I knew Simon Ashby in the late 1970’s, we were mates and I remember him getting his first guitar and learning to strum chords in his bedroom! I was around when he formed The Jeremiah’s and recall seeing them at probably their first ever gig in Tadley! We lost touch but I am pleased to see that they went on to make some great music and have some fans out there!
Chris Thain

January 25th, 2011

All questions happily answered – drop us a mail 🙂

jason

July 22nd, 2011

There seem’s to be quite a bit of interest in our past musical exploits these days. If you want to know about either The Jeremiahs or TGW let me know.

Simon Ashby
October 31st, 2011

Hi I’m Theo, I’m Dutch, and I bought in the 90ies Total guitar magazine which had a CD with. And on that CD is the song Big Appetite which I’m was almost forgotten. Today rediscovered it and it still gives the chills. What a great song! I know very little about this band but hope there’s soon some more of them on the internet or you tube. A live version of Big Appetite sure would be appreciated!

Theo Wolthers
November 15th, 2011

Poppy Seeds… i still have somewhere back in Blighty a copy of a cassette of This Gigantic World. Now here i am in Brazil desperately wishing i could find a copy of a Thousand Things to Do. Whats more we even played on the same bill once. Happy days back in Manchester – anywhere i can get a digital copy of some TGW material????

tim Lucas
December 13th, 2011

I was on Tapton Ents 1988-1991 at Tapton Hall in Sheffield and we hosted This Gigantic World several times as well as seeing them in Manchester. There was me, Mark, Yousaf and Tony – remember us..? You were AMAZING and I did have a recording of our hall ball but misplaced it.

Love to get hold of some of your material from back then..!

December 5th, 2018