Love in the Medway

In which Stephen Morris looks into what Medway songs you could play to your valentine this year.

On 16 January 2024 I received a Whatsapp message from one Mr Steven Keevil, of this parish, reading as follows: “Idea for Feb piece. As it’s Valentine’s. What’s the Venn diagram of Medway Sounds/Love Songs?”

It’s an interesting question. Not least because the music of Medway does not appear to be synonymous with the concept of love at all. If you are after a selection of slushy ballads to get you in the mood for lurve, you would probably need to search beyond the likes of Thee Headcoats’ The Messerschmitt Pilot's Severed Hand, Stuart Turner’s A Gallon of Water Makes a Mile of Fog or Frau Pouch’s All Hail Space Chicken.

Medway’s music is notoriously reflective of its post-industrial surroundings. It is, for the most part, gnarly and raw, cynical and snarling – with a greater focus on a quick fumble than anything as deep and meaningful as true, all-encompassing love.

In fact, there have been times when Medway’s music has explored the exact opposite of love with the apparent condoning of boorish behaviour: of a man’s entitlement to sex and threats of violence if “his” woman doesn’t toe to line.

When Medway music does offer its softer, more vulnerable side, it is more likely to display a worn and rugged broken heart than anything resembling the chocolates and prosecco sentiments found on Simon Bates’ ‘Our Tune’.

And so, with such a caveat in mind, let’s take a very Medway look at ten songs about love (or whatever passes for it in these parts).