All farewells should be sudden, but not final

The Verve are embarking on their second reunion, apparently, with Richard Ashcroft digging out his cheesey trousers, making it up with Nick McCabe and booking a studio and some tour dates.

The reunion - which has generated slightly less excitement than the Spice Girls one, but more than East 17's - is expected to last until their mutual loathing once again reaches the point where they think they'd be better off solo and split again.