Scheer Bliss!

The fact that Derry guitar outfit Scheer are finally releasing their second album may not exactly be headline news for the majority of the population. However, the facts that . . . And Finally was recorded almost three years ago, Scheer themselves split up in October 1998 and have no plans to reform, make this a highly unusual second album.

The reason . . . And Finally is at last seeing the light of day is largely down to former Scheer bassist Peter Fleming, now head honcho of Schism Records, who have licensed the album from the band's former label, 4AD.

. . . And Finally was recorded in 1997 at Rockfield Studios with a release date pencilled in for 1998. When this was delayed, the members of Scheer involved themselves in various side projects: Peter had Schism Records; Neal and Audrey formed the brilliant Lima (who have a spiffing new single released next month); Paddy and Joe started playing with other bands. By October 1998, the respective side projects had taken on far more significance and Scheer decided to call it a day.

"We'd had a good run at it," smiles Peter. "We didn't achieve massive stardom but we had a real cult following and we were happy enough with it."

By this stage, Peter had taken over Scheer's 5,000-strong fanclub, keeping them up to date on the band's progress and eventual decision to split.

"I wrote in the newsletter that we had recorded a second album, and suddenly I was receiving e-mails, faxes, letters, asking if we were going to release it," he explains.

The seed was sown in his head. He promptly contacted 4AD, enquired about their licensing the album to Schism, and before you could say "David Beckham? - 'Airhead In a G-string' ", the deal was done.

. . . And Finally's release was initially limited to Scheer's fanclub and their website when Peter unveiled it last December. Since then, the initial pressing has sold out and the album gets its full Irish release on February 16th, soon to be followed by the UK, France, Greece and the USA.

How strange does Peter find it to release an album that he was part of making almost three years ago?

"It's weird in the sense that we all know this band is no longer around: there is no tour, no interviews. It is really for people who want to hear more Scheer material. Some of them are very hardcore followers and you have to respect that. There are people out there who really wanted to hear this album."

Peter has no unrealistic sales predictions for . . . And Finally, but he does confess to a hint of nerves about its release. After all, it is almost three years since it was recorded.

"If I was to release this album and people thought it was shit, any Scheer credibility would be dead in the water," he says, admitting that before its release he "gave it to people who weren't necessarily Scheer fans and they liked it, so I decided to take the chance."

Peter needn't have worried, the quality is up there with Scheer's back catalogue and the reaction so far has been very positive. . . . And Finally is a worthy addition to the Schism roster and a fitting epitaph to the career of the band once regarded as most likely to . . .

* . . . And Finally is released on Schism Records, Licensed from 4AD, from February 16th.