Few reunions have been greeted with the level of excitement that has accompanied Gene's return. What began with a handful of comeback shows quickly snowballed into sold-out venues, culminating in a triumphant night at London's Eventim Apollo and proving that the band's music still resonates deeply with audiences more than three decades after their debut. Ahead of two special October dates at Camden's Roundhouse, where Gene promise two nights and two distinctly different sets, we caught up with frontman Martin Rossiter to discuss revisiting the catalogue, reconnecting with his bandmates, and why thousands of voices singing songs written in their youth still feels as thrilling as ever.
After last year’s comeback shows sold out in ten minutes and culminated in that huge sold-out night at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, what does returning to London for two nights at the Roundhouse in Camden mean to you at this stage of Gene’s story?
We all crave validation, it's only human. I try my best not to get it from something as eventually meaningless as ticket sales. However, I am human, and the idea of thousands of people singing the songs we wrote when we were barely out of nappies still feels thrilling and vital.
You’ve promised “two nights, two different sets” at The Roundhouse. What shaped that decision, and how do you imagine fans experiencing the contrast between the two evenings?
We didn't want to do 'cookie-cutter' sets. Of course we'll play the hits both nights but the chance to dig deep into the catalogue was too hard to resist.
You’ve said there are “too many songs to fit into one evening.” How do you approach balancing the classics with deeper cuts, B‑sides, and songs that maybe never got their moment?
It's like silt settling after a storm, we've spent months suggesting songs to each other and eventually consensus emerges.
The Hammersmith show — 5300 people, a genuinely triumphant return — seemed to carry a huge emotional charge. What did stepping back into that moment unlock for you personally?
I just enjoy waggling my sagging buttocks on stage. What I discovered was that sagging buttocks are oh so 2026.
That concert was recorded and released as a live album, Apollo, which charted incredibly well for an independent release. Hearing that performance back, what did it reveal to you about Gene’s chemistry after 21 years away?
As long as we can stand and sing, strum, pluck and hit that chemical equation, it will still work like it always did.
With Olympian now 31 years old, how has your relationship with that album changed, and what does its longevity say to you about Gene’s place in the era?
Please don't remind me of my age! What I do love about Olympian is it successfully documents four young scamps learning how to record music. It's not perfect, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
The classic line‑up is back together. What’s surprised you most about reconnecting musically with Matt, Steve and Kevin after two decades apart?
Just how little people change. We're essentially the same, but for every pound we've put on, we've become a kilogram more kinder to each other.
You’ve invited The Slow Readers Club and Rialto as special guests at the Roundhouse dates. What drew you to those bands, and what do you feel they’ll add to the atmosphere of these shows?
All we're hoping is that their glamour rubs off on us a tad!
You’ve said, “In this increasingly bleak world come and throw your arms in the air…” What role do you think live music plays right now in giving people that sense of release or communal energy?
We inhabit a world where human contact will be close to illegal in twenty years, so come and spin around like Kylie while you still can.
With momentum building, sold‑out shows, and fans fully re‑energised, do these Roundhouse dates feel like a celebration of Gene’s past — or the beginning of something new?
Maybe a touch of both. Let's see what the future (if there is one) holds!
Gene's return could easily have become a nostalgia exercise, but Rossiter's answers suggest something far more meaningful is taking place. There's affection for the past, certainly, but also an unmistakable excitement about the present and a curiosity about what's next. As the band prepare to take over the Roundhouse for two nights of hits, rarities and deep cuts, one thing is clear: Gene aren't simply revisiting their legacy, they're reconnecting with the community that helped build it in the first place.
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