The expanded re-release includes six bonus tracks–remixes and B-sides that Potts says are mostly forgotten tracks. He sees it as a gift to fans: “This album is for the fans, for whoever wants to listen to all the extras and the other bits, because there's not much left.”
However, despite the fan interest, a full-on Monaco revival doesn’t seem to be on the cards right now. “The Monaco thing is always kind of tweeting away in the background, because we very nearly did a gig, and it was pulled because of Covid.” Now, Potts is touring as part of Peter Hook & The Light, performing New Order and Joy Division material to audiences that span generations. “In Australia and America, it’s such a range of ages – from kids to people who you think should be in a home. In England, it’s usually just a sea of bald heads,” he jokes.
Regarding new material from the duo, he says: “I can’t say what will happen in the future, but we’re just so busy right now.”
Although Monaco was often mistaken for New Order – especially their hit ‘What Do You Want From Me?’ – the project still holds a special place. “Obviously, I'm still in a band with Peter. But there's so much material there for us to pick from. Monaco sometimes gets a bit lost, but so many people ask for it.”
Looking back on his more front-facing role within Monaco, Potts seems very pragmatic: “I always feel that you can either do it or you can't, just by trial and error. If you did a course on writing music you'd iron out all those mistakes. It’s not really right or wrong, is it? It is what it is.”
He goes on to say how the 90s music market had changed, dominated by girl and boy bands, and rushing Monaco to release a second album, making mistakes along the way that he still takes notice of when listening back to their two albums.
For now, though, the reissue marks a quiet celebration of a moment in time that still resonates today. To Potts, the thought of staying with the listeners throughout various stages of their life is what makes Music For Pleasure so special.
“If it's that long since, they could have probably had kids. And the kids have left home, and now again they can listen to what they used to listen to.”
The expanded edition of Music For Pleasure, the debut album by Monaco originally released in 1997, will be repressed on 180gm black vinyl and released by Music On Vinyl on 20 June.