While reunions of the higher-profile, aborted, and surprising varieties were getting all the attention in recent weeks, noise rock fans have been celebrating the return of the Jesus & Mary Chain.

Jesus & Mary Chain in 1989.

The seminal alternative rock band, set to play its first gig since 1998 at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in California on April 27, added two more reunion shows today and addressed its decision to reunite.

Band cofounders and brothers Jim and Williams Reid and company will play the Boadilla del Monte in Madrid, Spain, on July 13 and a second show at Barcelona's Parc del Forum on July 14.

"It's taken this long for me and William to get to a point where it would be realistic to [get back together], and to some degree each of us assumed the other wouldn't be interested, and it was only after we talked about it that we realized this," Jim Reid said in a statement. "Also Coachella were very persistent."

"The last Mary Chain gig was in 1998 and was such a bloody awful mess, too much drink, too many drugs, nobody seeing eye to eye on anything and the band just blew up, and I suppose you could say this is another good reason for our reformation, 'cause that was no way for the Mary Chain to end."

Reid said he wasn't sure if the shows would lead to new material or an extended tour. Both Reid brothers are set to release solo albums this year.