Indie-soul insurrectionists THE BLOW MONKEYS have announced a brand new album and tour.
The 'Celebrate (The Day After You)' hitmakers are set to release Birdsong - the London band's thirteenth album - on 15 August. It's their first release since signing to Creation Youth, the new collaboration between Creation Records founder Alan McGee and Killing Joke bassist Martin 'Youth' Glover.
“Youth is one of our closest neighbours up in the mountains near Granada, close to where I live, and I often pop in for a cup of tea," says Monkeys founder Dr Robert. "One time I was up there and I bumped into Alan McGee. I was sitting strumming an acoustic guitar and he asked if I could play 'Buick McKane', the old T Rex number. I did, which I think sealed the deal! Alan asked me to write and record a 'brilliant Blow Monkeys record'. I knew what he meant. The songs just poured out, almost without effort, which is always a good sign. It’s a very ‘up’ album, and deliberately so.”
“The album they’ve just recorded for Creation Youth at Paul Weller’s studio is as good as anything Dr Robert did back in the day," adds McGee. "It’s the original line-up bar the drummer, so it has that unique sound that’s unmistakably The Blow Monkeys. I love this band!”
Preceded by the release of its title track as a single on 2nd May, Birdsong will be followed in October by a ten-date tour, including a London show at Shepherds Bush Empire. Full dates are...
Oct 11th - Gateshead, The Glasshouse
Oct 13th - Glasgow, Clyde Theatre
Oct 14th - Edinburgh, Queen’s Hall
Oct 16th - Liverpool, Philharmonic Hall
Oct 18th - Manchester, RNCM Theatre
Oct 19th - Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall
Oct 21st - Bexhill, De La Warr Pavilion
Oct 22nd - Watford, Colosseum
Oct 23rd - London, Shepherds Bush Empire
Oct 24th - Fareham, Live Theatre
Tickets are available here.
Pic by Michele Siedner