Reasons for silence

From Glasgow comes the sad news that, after five albums, The Delgados have decided to call it a day.

And just when smiles seem to have broken out on their faces for the first time in their career, too.

Apparently the split is amicable: "The reason has been put down to the departure of their bass player Stewart Henderson who informed the band in the New Year that he did not wish to make another album. The Delgados have always been known as uniquely collaborative songwriters and as such, it was decided that the band could not continue without all of its original members."

The four will continue to run their label Chemikal Underground, but without the flagship names of The Delgados and Mogwai, who defected some time ago under not entirely friendly terms, where they go from here is unclear, though in terms of music-making Alun Woodward and Emma Pollock have solo projects to work on.

The band statement ends: "Don't be too upset everyone ... get a massive carry out, turn the stereo up and play your albums at full volume". Fair enough, but they've quit not when they were ahead but when they were still very much undeservedly ignored, and for that reason I'll be crying into a bottle of Buckie at their demise.

(Thanks to Kenny, Ian and Largehearted Boy for all being the bearers of bad tidings. And, above all, thanks to Jez for showing me the light.)