Section 25 - 'Duette' Review and Vin Cassidy Interview (2020)

Section 25 - Duette (2020)



It's arguable that Section 25 have never received the credit they truly deserve.

Hopefully, the 'new' live album 'Duette' performed by founder member Vin Cassidy alongside longtime collaborator Stephen Stringer, recorded live at 'Replugged in Vienna on 25th October 2019 will help correct this, building on the positive reviews for 2018's "Elektra" and last year’s lavish, 5 album, boxset / re-issue of debut album "Always Now" via LTM

Section 25, are one of the 'Factory' bands who aren't Joy Division/New Order or Happy Mondays... while these acts tend to be the ones first name checked, the aforementioned label wouldn't be as celebrated if it wasn't for the 'other' bands such as Stockholm Monsters, A Certain Ratio, Durutti Column, Northside, or, indeed Section 25

It's hard to give a 'brief introduction' as the story of the band has so many twists and turns, triumph and tragedy over a period of 40 plus years...

Brothers Vin and Larry Cassidy formed the band in Poulton Le Fylde, near Blackpool in 1977 along with Paul Wiggan. They were fans of 'Kraftwerk', 'Can' and 'Neu!' alongside disco; they began dabbling in electronic music at a similar time as pre Sully/Catherall Human League, Public Image Ltd and Joy Division (their debut single, 'Girls Don't Count' produced by Ian Curtis and Rob Gretton)

The 1st album, the previously mentioned 'Always Now' was recorded in early 1981 but delayed until the Autumn due to the most the ambitious and expensive sleeve/packaging Peter Saville ever designed for the label which made it difference to market abroad

The 3rd album, 'From The Hip' was released in 1984 and marked a change of direction after line-up changes see Vin and Larry's sister join the band as well as Larry's wife Jenny. The lead track from this album, with its ethereal female vocals 'Looking From A Hilltop' (produced by Bernard Sumner) became a club hit... for casual fans this is possibly the most familiar track in the catalogue as it's often been used to represent the band on compilations

Vin left during the recording of the 4th album (recorded in 1986 but not released until 1988)

Sadly Jenny passed away following a battle with cancer in 2004.

The band then reformed and have changed line several times since 2006, sadly losing founding brother, Larry following a blood clot in 2010, continuing to release new material.

In 2016 there was an unexpected boost in bands profile when rapper Kanye West sampled the song ‘Hit’ (a paean to the then recent murder of John Lennon) from ‘Always Now’ for the outro of his 2016 track ‘FML’ (a favour later returned as Section 25 covered this on 'Elektra')



2018’s 'Elektra' featured the line-up of Vin Cassidy, Bethany Cassidy (Larry's daughter), Jo Cassidy, Michael Cassidy and long-time collaborator Steven Stringer with guest guitar by the band's original guitarist Paul Wiggin. 

It’s possibly the most 'mainstream' (is that a dirty word?) that the band have ever got despite there being a mix of styles. The songs wouldn't sound out of place on movie soundtracks or daytime radio, from the opening 'Laid Back', the uplifting 'The Greatest Thing' and 'euro-rock' 'You Want Some'

Worth checking out, it's a seriously great album.

But that's not what we're here for...

For 'Duette' rather than 'Section 25' as a band, this is Vin and Steve as a live project running alongside the parent group (sometimes called ‘S25 Industrial Unit')



Although many of the tracks performed on this release date back to the early 1980's the arrangements of more than 50% of the album actually take their lead from revisiting/reimagining done on the 2010 release 'Retrofit' (sadly Larry Cassidy's last work).

'Wretch' for example sounds like a sibling of 'Working Men’s Club's' celebrated single 'Teeth' (which itself was compared to a mix of early New Order and Public Image)

The gig gets off to a storming start with 'Be Brave' with Vin's vocals, opposed to Larry's suiting the more aggressive and electronic sound before leading into 'Girls Don't Count'

Next up is 'Hit', never a mainstay of the bands set previously. I feel it does jar a bit following the opening tracks and slows things down abruptly but it does lead nicely into 'Melt Close'.

After this the performance picks up the uptempo electro-pop of 'Beating Heart'

'You Don't Have to Be Liked to be Loved' takes an interesting departure from the recorded version which was sung by Bethany on the previous album. Rather than a gentle sway it's now got a big danceable beat and groove that wouldn't have sounded out of place in the Hacienda in it's prime.

This leads nicely into the final 3 tracks which leave the performance / album on a high and the audience / listener wanting more.

The previously mentioned 'Wretch' leads into long time firm favourite, the unrelenting and driving 'Dirty Disco' before climaxing with an euphoric version of 'Looking From A Hilltop' 

The closing track could easily be doubled in length beyond the 6 minutes 17 seconds it is here, especially as it feels it's going to kick in again just as it ends.

With male vocals on the track it's transformed into something akin to 'Underworld'. That's not meant as criticism at all... in my mind when listening to it I'm imagining Vin and Steve performing on the Main Stage at Glastonbury, just as the sun is setting and lasers firing out over 50000 people dancing along

Which brings me back to my opening point...

Unlike many bands and artists of their generation, or since, Section 25 are still creating new and innovative material, developing and adapting as they go

I'd recommend 'Duette' as a great introduction to the band if you're unfamiliar, and an opportunity to reacquaint yourself if you already were

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A Brief Interview with Vin Cassidy

Do you think that Section 25 have been more influential than they are given credit for?

Yes absolutely, we have never had the real credit but that is something I definitely do not worry about these days. 

Were you influenced at all by the likes of Chemical Brothers, Underworld etc to do  the ‘S25 Industrial Unit’ project

No not in the least , it was something that came from within in a quite basic way . I had not worked like this for some time and for me the time felt right.

Was there a deliberate attempt when making ‘Elektra’ to make it more accessible/mainstream?

It was not deliberate, more just a result of the type of mix of people working on the project.

Did Kanye sampling ‘Hit’ change things for you? Has it changed the way you make music?

No not really, but the money has been useful in re-mastering material and in terms of studio time etc.

What have you been listening to during lockdown?

There has been a real return to my early listening, a return to less complicated stuff of my youth I suppose, maybe because when you are young things appear black and white  .....maybe I crave that certainty in these fucked up times ....not sure what that is about or why but I have been listening to a lot of firsts like ''Piper At The Gates Of Dawn'' and ''Are You Experienced ?'' as well as Hawkwinds ''Doremi Fasol Latido'' , they were the first band I really saw live at age 13.

What’s next for Section 25?

Hopefully gigs later on in 2020 or more probably in 2021 . Also some new recordings for the new streamlined fighting unit that is Section 25 now.

Iain Key 2020