Stunner of 69
The Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt on returning to his fin de siècle triumph, 69 Love Songs
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HE trouble with magnum opuses, Stephin Merritt is fast realising, is the cost and effort of regular restoration. “Oh my god, I’m not looking forward to learning the whole thing again!” he sighs, facing the prospect of once more scaling his three-hour 1999 masterpiece 69 Love Songs for a series of full album shows in 2024. “And all in a different key, because I was playing baritone guitar on the original tour and I assume I won’t be for this one.”