The Hacienda

Although The Distractions played at Tony Wilson's Factory Club in Hulme, they had already disbanded by the time Factory Records and New Order opened the soon-to-be-legendary Hacienda in Manchester.  That didn't stop Mike Finney though...

THE SECRET SEVEN

The Hacienda,

Manchester

THE secret's out: the Seven have risen majestically from the ashes of The Distractions and are now ready to stake their claims for the sovereignty of the new pop hierarchy.  And within a year The Secret Seven will surely be on a par with ABC and the Associates.

Since the Distractions split earlier this year, the Seven have strung together a remarkably strong set of songs which are already inscribed in my mind by the words "pure pop classics."

Pure is the important word.  The Secret Seven present  a form which draws its strength from a sweet mixture of subtle passion and contagious optimism.

Like ABC, they deal in a world where love is help up as a glorious standard by which to live your life.  Love is a bright beacon to follow closely - no a nadir of anger, upset and dirty despair.

This concept of love and life suggests that the Seven are working within a limited scope.  Of course they are: the scope of traditional pop music.  The Seven don't broach "hard" topical subjects and I doubt that they ever will.

Visually the Seven reply unashamedly on the antics of Mike Finney and his lovely female co-singer, whom he enigmatically introduced as Janet.

Together they plat out a predictable, but none the less cute drama - singing coyly to each other, looking lovingly into each other's eyes and generally giving the impression that they wouldn't object to be labelled another Dollar.

Then again, why shouldn't Finney manipulate and build upon a current trend to get a slice of the commercial action?  He's definitely done his first stretch of hard groundwork and the Secret Seven are now on the verge of the big time, as a result of it.

In fact, if tonight's adoring audience response is anything to go by, the Secret Seven will soon have to change their name to the Famous Five.

FRANK WORRALL.