London, Summer '92. I think I've changed a lot since then, do you?

I have, from time to time, praised my inspirations for the play I Hate This in this blog. Sometimes other plays, or playwrights, or comic book authors, what have you.

I've been a fan of the band Everything But the Girl since 1988, because I am a weepy, sensitive guy with a thing for British easy listening ensembles. By the early 90s, however, they had gone seriously VH1, and had almost dropped below my radar. On a whim I bought Amplified Heartwhen it was released in 1994. Toni and I fell in love to that album.

It was different from what they had been producing, they'd gotten awfully sappy (see: Worldwide)and with AH they'd gotten back to some seriously cutting lyrics - wrapped in soft and delicate music. It wasn't until almost a year later Missingwas released as a disco remix and they become a club phenom.

When they came to the Odeon in Summer, 1996 to promote Walking Wounded- for their only Cleveland appearance, ever - they sold out, and we were there after the show, waiting for them to emerge for their bus. Though they were making a bee-line for it, Ben Watt was waving his hand to us to follow, saying, "Join us!" We met Tracey and Ben in the door of the bus signing autographs and accepting praise. They were sweet.

It wasn't until later that year that Ben's book Patientwas released in the US. I had no idea. He had been struck in 1992 with a bizarre, rare disease that dissolved most of his intestines. There is a big, ugly scar on his belly in the photos inside AH, but I didn't put it together. That and astounding and unhealthy looking weight loss. Again, what did I know.

It's a great, short book, about his ordeal working back from a near death experience. It's a quiet book. It's the first time I had ever had any insight into his and Tracey's relationship (for all I knew they'd worked together for years, but weren't involved. Straining to maintain your dignity, in fear, dealing with the medical community - which was we all know, is not nearly as brilliant as they pretend to be.

Knowing what he went through also put the lyrics he and she have written since into sharp relief. It also, I imagine, explains the third-life crisis that might send the late 80s light-jazz-pop dolls into the clubs, and turn Ben into an obsessed DJ.

They haven't released a studio album since 1999's Temperamental,which is irksome (the fact that they haven't released any new work is irksome, not Temperamental.) But they appear to have been busy. Serve your muse. Mind your business.

There was a time when I had toyed with adapting that into a solo perf. And sometimes it's better to tell your own stories than someone else's.

UPDATE: I was distressed that the track Love Is Strange from their 1992 release Acoustichas been approriated for a Hummer commercial. I was relieved to read their disclaimed on their website that they were never contacted about this arrangement, that they were opposed to their work being used in that way, and that there was unfortunately nothing they could do about it because though they control the rights to their own songs, it's a different story when you've covered someone else's.