A tribute to Mark Keds and Senseless Things
Hi everyone…
I’ve drafted and deleted the opening paragraph to this author newsletter four times now. I was going to launch it with a fun Q&A about life on the road with Senseless Things as they feature so heavily in my upcoming novel (sadly not my experiences, but those of their roadie, Gigsy). However, a friend of Mark Keds, the lead singer, informed me earlier today that he had sadly passed away in the early hours of this morning. It feels like a part of my youth has vanished - as it will do for many 40 or 50-somethings right now. But I know we won’t be feeling anything like what Mark’s friends and family will be feeling right now…
So…I hit pause on the scheduling - it perhaps wasn’t the right time to send that post out. However, it is the right time to celebrate the life and music of Mark Keds and Senseless Things from the point of view of a fan. And, for those of you who haven’t been lucky enough to enjoy the Senseless Things (or Deadcuts or Wildhearts) yet, perhaps its time to check them out…
I was 14, maybe 15, when I was first introduced to Senseless Things in the early 90s. You know how you get your first boyfriend or girlfriend and they introduce you to different music and you’re instantly in awe of it all - the sound, the noise, the clothes, the oh-my-god my parents won’t get this it’s so fucking SPECIAL…
Standing in the Rain was the song that stands out most to me when I remember that time (it may have been the first ST song I heard), but my favourites had to be Everybody’s Gone or Trevor.
We went to see them in 92 or 93 at Hull Uni - my mum dropping off a bunch of kids blatantly many years below the age of 18 for an over 18s gig. But, hey, it was the 90s. It was standard practice. I was given free tickets from mum’s best friend’s brother - Gigsy - a roadie with ST - and I was hoping it might boost my non-existent social credentials. It did - a bit. But I was still an awkward, shy, dorky teen with crooked teeth who refused to dance even though she was absolutely DESPERATE to.
Below pic: a very unflattering photo of teenage me, complete with crooked teeth, a Mega City 4 T-shirt, a dodgy cardy and a lunchbox
Since then, leaving my teens behind, I went through some terrible phases of dancing in shite clubs to shite music just because I thought I was lonely and it seemed like the best bet for a fruitful night (don’t worry - I no longer have to dance to J-Lo or whatever - I fell in love in 2005 and got married and stuck to music I really liked). But I’ve never stopped listening to Senseless Things and, in December, Spotify informed me that I was in the top 0.01% of ST fans. So I would say I’m pretty dedicated to the cause!
But to give some context as to why I’m writing about Senseless Things in my author newsletter…..
I spent nearly two years writing The 27 Club - a fictional and humorous story set in the 90s aiming to blast media narratives around the so-called 27 Club and get us to look at humanity instead of headlines. It pulled me straight back into the music I loved as a kid. Plus - bonus - I was able to go back to that ST gig as someone else - someone who wasn’t too shy to dance and who….well….the rest of the story is kind of under wraps for now….
But listening to the music again - ST, Mega City 4, Joyce McKenny Experience -brought back so many memories. Reminding me of my cute little dresses with lace and blue ribbon teamed with Mary Janes and white fishnets; the Jamie Hewlett design splashed across the ST t-shirt I nicked from my boyfriend; watching Katie Puckrik and Terry Christian getting people to drink their own puke on the Word; being jealous of Amanda de Cadenet for getting to hang out with Courtney Love; and buying copies of The Face because it felt ‘exclusive’ and really grown-up….
I’d never want to be 15 again but OMG - I’d love to be able to watch those gigs and TV shows again - and enjoy that feeling of complete invincibility. Senseless Things were only a few years older than me but they were pop-punk Gods when I was a high school nobody. And you think life as you see it through your teenage eyes will go on forever.
I always hoped that there could, one day, be another ST reunion gig….(I missed the 2017 gig at Hull’s Adelphi.)
But the last thing I would ever want to say is that we’ve lost ‘another’. Nobody should ever be ‘another’. Everyone is who they are and the headlines can’t possibly sum that up. And whatever Nirvana or Soundgarden or the Manics did for you - Senseless Things, through Mark Keds and the band - did something completely different.
They helped me be that little bit more popular in the run up to a Hull Uni gig for one!
Now, to cheer us all up, I want to hear other ST fan stories and celebrate the invincible youth we all shared little pieces of….please do write them in the comments.
I’ll end on the traditional last song of the night...Too Much Kissing (below).
Big love,
Lucy xxx
RIP Mark Keds ❤️
Really bloody horrible news. I first met them in a funny little place in Twickenham when they were 17. Cass and Morgan used to come round to play on the Atari and babysit for me, every making my daughter a pop kid sweatshirt of her own. Can't believe we are all 50 now. It only seemed like yesterday.
My first Senseless Things gig was 6th October 1991 at Reading University and arguably my first Indie gig having previously seen Meat Loaf, Bucks Fizz and Roxette. I was 15 and starting to find my own tastes in music and see the bands I really wanted to see. I enjoyed this gig so much that I went to see them at the Town & Country on 6th December 1991 where Frank & Walters supported, and if I am not mistaken Mega City Four were special guests. It was also at this gig that I got photographed with my best friend and featured in an article by Steve Lamacq in the NME about band t-shirts, subsequently we recreated the photo at the 2017 gig at Shepherds Bush. In the 90s I got to see Senseless Things around 15 times around venues such as Reading Uni, T&C, Old Trout and Kilburn National as well as seeing them at Slough Festiva, Phoenix and Reading Festival. One of the most memorable gigs was 13th March 1993 where Carter supported. This period of my life was great, I was seeing the bands I loved with my best friends.
Senseless Things then split, despite me staring at the stage at Phoenix Festival in 1995 willing them to turn up. Fast forward to 2015 and I am watching Mark's new band Deadcuts at Cargo in London. They were raw, needed some work but certainly had potential. I saw them again at Shiiine and they were well polished and delivered a great set. Like many I was lucky enough to see Senseless Things one last time in 2017 at the Shepherds Bush Empire, I night I'll remember and hold even more dearly now.
Mark and the rest of the band gave me so much in my teens, friendship, memories and personality. I still listen to their music frequently with the go to songs of Too Much Kissing, Everybody's Gone, It's Cool to Hang Out with your Ex and Is It Too Late, and of course Shoplifting. Reading the news last night I cried, this shocked me as I don't typically cry, don't get me wrong I have feelings but I just don't often cry, but this just shows the bond the band created with their fans and an emotion tie to that time of my life.
Rest in Peace Mark, you'll never be forgotten x