The Optimist Gallery

The Optimist Gallery: John from Manchester

Firstly, let me say happy birthday. Didn’t realise it was 10 years already…how time flies and all that! Made me feel old…!

I stumbled upon the optimist LP totally by accident, but ultimately by fate. I’d returned to Manchester after spending 7 years living up the road in Warrington. They may only be 20 miles away, but musical taste couldn’t be further apart, therefore I’d decided my first day back needed to be spent re-aquatinting myself with indie goodness. I saw your album cover out of the corner of my eye (I had Ed Harcourt and Cosmic Rough Riders in my hand..remember them?) and just picked it up. Didn’t even look at the back or on the blurb next to it. That night me and my mates had a ‘welcome back’ knees up. As everything started to wind down, I put on your CD and as soon as the first few notes of feeling oblivion came on, we all fell silent. We listened to every song in full and suddenly, everything just felt right. We talked about each song. Each word and each sentence made sense to us! After that night, I pretty much listened to it every day, but each time made me feel that little warm feeling – still play future boy everytime I pick up my guitar!! Can’t quite sing it as well though….! The album is still in my car to this day (along with the rest). It’s the album that makes me think of friends and will always be very, very special to me.

So Olly, Gale, thank you. Hopefully, you’ll still be making music in 10 years to come. I’ll email you for the 10th birthday of ‘Outbursts’!

Merci Beaucoup.

John – 28 (and getting older)
Manchester

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