Britpop: Last News

Johnny Marr has announced details of a reissue of his 2003 album with The Healers, ‘Boomslang’, which will feature previously unheard material. Find out more below.First released by Marr and The Healers back in 2003, the album will now be offered in its entirety for the first time in over two decades.

Paul Heaton has added extra dates to his forthcoming UK tour, and confirmed that Lightning Seeds will be joining him as special guests for one of them.The performances will all take place later this year, and come in support of The Housemartins and Beautiful South legend’s new album ‘The Mighty Several’.Set for release on October 11 – and available for pre-order here – the project has been produced by Ian Broudie and follows his 2022 LP ‘N.K-pop‘ with Jacqui Abbott.Originally, the tour dates were set to kick off in Bridlington on November 29, and make stops in Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham, Newcastle and more, before concluding with two back-to-back shows at London’s Eventim Apollo on December 10 and 11.Now, the tour has been extended as Heaton has added three extra shows to the schedule. These include a stop at the P&J Live venue in Aberdeen on Friday, December 13, and a new gig at the Civic Halls in Wolverhampton.

Oasis have shared a previously unheard version of ‘Up In The Sky’ from their upcoming 30th anniversary edition of ‘Definitely Maybe’. Check it out below.The iconic Britpop band announced their plans to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album earlier this year, when they confirmed that a reissue of the 1994 classic would be arriving on August 30 via Big Brother Recordings (pre-order here).Coming in various formats, it’ll contain recordings from the abandoned original session at Monnow Valley Studios, as well as outtakes from the definitive album recording session at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall.Now, ahead of its release, the band have dropped the previously unheard version of ‘Up In The Sky’ – recorded from the scrapped Monnow Valley recording sessions.The song has become a staple in Oasis’ discography and has often been interpreted as seeing the members take aim at those who place themselves on a pedestal, or feel the need to make grand, political gestures.

Travis have surprised fans by busking on a vintage double decker bus in Glasgow City Centre.The Glawesgians paid their hometown a visit off the back of releasing their latest album ‘L.A. Times’, which dropped last Friday (July 12) by busking songs from the record on a beautiful double decker bus.The bus was the exact same vehicle used in the band’s music video for latest single ‘Bus’, which was also directed by frontman Fran Healy.Fans could spot Healy on the hop-off back exit as he sang songs from ‘L.A. Times’ as well as old Travis hits.

Danny Dyer joined Robbie Williams on stage at BST Hyde Park yesterday (July 6) for a version of Blur’s ‘Parklife’ – watch the footage below.The unlikely pairing came together midway through Williams’ set at the British Summer Time show on Saturday, the lone UK festival appearance for the ‘Rock DJ’ singer in 2024.“It’s the double act you didn’t know you needed in your life!” exclaimed Williams as the song began.Dyer took up the cockney spoken-words parts of the 1994 song, first made famous by Phil Daniels, with Robbie taking the place of Damon Albarn and the pair being backed by the Coldstream Guards.

Blur have shared a new clip from their upcoming documentary, To The End – watch it below.On July 5, two weeks ahead of To The End‘s cinematic release in the UK and Ireland, the band shared a new clip that chronicles the minutes before Damon Albarn and co. took to the stage at Wembley last year.In the clip, we see throngs of fans at the sold-out Wembley Arena, as Albarn, Alex James, Dave Rowntree and Graham Coxon huddle together before heading out on stage, sharing a laugh.Albarn narrates: “I don’t allow it to get to me ’cause I accept if my voice can’t sing all those songs then that’s just the way it is.

Charli XCX has responded to Pulp frontman Jarvis Cover playing her track ‘Girl, So Confusing’ remix during his Glastonbury DJ set.The ‘Common People’ singer took over the Stonebridge Bar in the Park on Friday (June 28) where he played a DJ set with Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip. During the set, Charli’s remix of her ‘Brat‘ track ‘Girl, So Confusing’ featuring Lorde was played.Charli commented on a TikTok of the song being spun by Cocker to which she commented: “Omg I’m dead.” Fans took to the comment section to express their excitement.

Danny Dyer joined Robbie Williams on stage at BST Hyde Park yesterday (July 6) for a version of Blur’s ‘Parklife’ – watch the footage below.The unlikely pairing came together midway through Williams’ set at the British Summer Time show on Saturday, the lone UK festival appearance for the ‘Rock DJ’ singer in 2024.“It’s the double act you didn’t know you needed in your life!” exclaimed Williams as the song began.Dyer took up the cockney spoken-words parts of the 1994 song, first made famous by Phil Daniels, with Robbie taking the place of Damon Albarn and the pair being backed by the Coldstream Guards.

The Lightning Seeds‘ ‘Three Lions’, Neil Diamond classic ‘Sweet Caroline’ and Fat Les’ ‘Vindaloo’.The news follows England’s glorious victory last night (July 10), which saw Ollie Watkins score a last-minute goal to push the Three Lions into the final against Spain on Sunday (July 14).Now, William Hill have said those three songs are collectively estimated with 3/1 odds to top the charts, adding: “Three Lions has been a UK No.1 single in three separate years, spanning across three decades, so you cannot write off another return to the top for The Lightning Seeds.“England are in a final of a major tournament on foreign soil for the first time in history and the tunes will be blaring out this weekend,” they continued.

Suede have announced that the recording of a new album is under way, and it’s going to be “noisy”, “unhinged” and “raw”. Check out a live preview below.Speaking at the Isle of Wight Festival 2024 over the weekend, Brett Anderson said he was “very excited” about the direction of the Britpop band’s forthcoming tenth studio record, which follows 2022’s ‘Autofiction‘.“We’ve started recording it. It’s gonna to be noisy.

Liam Gallagher has given an update on the status of a possible Oasis reunion, following reports that the band apparently booked concert dates at Wembley Stadium this year.Earlier today (June 23), Gallagher replied to a fan who asked if a reunion of the band is happening next year. “Nobody’s told me,” he tweeted, “maybe [they’re] getting a new singer like the dude out of Queen”, referring to Adam Lambert’s stint with the classic rock band.Nobody’s told me maybe there getting a new singer like the dude out of queen— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) June 23, 2024This follows an exclusive report by The Daily Mirror, published yesterday (June 22), which claims Liam and Noel Gallagher had apparently booked dates for an Oasis reunion at Wembley Stadium in July this year, all before plans ultimately fell through.An anonymous source told The Daily Mirror that fans were close to seeing a reunion this year.

Suede have previewed a new song titled ‘Antidepressants’ at their recent Isle of Wight 2024 set.Last night (June 22), frontman Brett Anderson introduced the song after performing the ‘Coming Up’ cut ‘Filmstar’. “Here’s a song we’ve been working on for our tenth album,” he told the crowd before revealing its name.‘Antidepressants’ features jagged post-punk guitars with verses delivered by Anderson in sprechgesang mode, before its anthemic chorus blazes through in true Suede fashion.

Oasis guitarist Bonehead has gifted a busker in Glasgow tickets to one of Liam Gallagher‘s ‘Definitely Maybe’ anniversary shows in the city.Bonehead, real name Paul Arthurs, bumped into young busker Thomas Smitheram performing the band’s 1994 hit ‘Half The World Away’ on Glasgow’s Buchanan Street, and appeared to have gifted him gig tickets.In an Instagram post, Bonehead shared a photo of the pair together, saying, “Yes Thomas. Enjoy the gig @thomas_smitheram.”Bonehead, who played rhythm guitar for Oasis from 1991 to 1999, has been working with Gallagher again over the last decade and has been playing on his former bandmate’s tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Oasis’ classic debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’.He began working with Gallagher again in 2013.

Noel Gallagher has joined forces with his beloved Manchester City football team, and designed the new font on their kit.The Britpop legend and former Oasis star has been a longtime supporter of the team, and is often seen in attendance at their matches rooting for them.

Pulp guitarist Mark Webber has announced a new book, which presents a visual history of the band. Find out more and pre-order it below.Titled I’m With Pulp, Are You?, the project sees Webber gather his extensive collection of ephemera and objects, accumulated over 40 years with the band, and present it to fans to create a one-of-a-kind insight into the group.It comes as a visual history of Pulp, and combines a variety of images from over the years – as well as flyers, record covers, setlists, badges, posters, press clippings, merchandise and more – to deliver a unique overview of the band, as seen through the lens of one of its members.“I began to excavate the boxes of Pulp ephemera that I’d hoarded over the years and was amazed to discover so many things that I hadn’t seen for decades, things I’d completely forgotten about,” Webber said, recalling how the idea for the book emerged.“It’s taken a while to get it all together into a book, and in the meantime the group unexpectedly reunited to go on tour again.

Liam Gallagher has confirmed that he reserves a seat at every one of his solo shows for his brother and former Oasis bandmate Noel.Last week, X user Simon Love shared a post saying he had attended a Liam Gallagher show, where he noticed that a seat had been reserved for Noel. He wrote in the post: “I’m in a hospitality box at Liam Gallagher and I’ve just seen this on a seat in front of mine.”I’m in a hospitality box at #LiamGallagher and I’ve just seen this on a seat in front of mine.

Liam Gallagher has compared Manchester’s new Co-Op Live arena to New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden – despite the venue’s recent problems.The venue in Gallagher’s hometown has had its fair share of teething problems this year, mired in controversy after myriad delays. It was due to open on April 23 with a show from comedian Peter Kay, but after power supply issues at a test event featuring Rick Astley, Kay’s show was first postponed by a week and then for a second time as the venue “wasn’t ready“.Shows by The Black Keys, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Olivia Rodrigo and Keane were all postponed, too, while Take That decided to move their five concert dates to the AO Arena instead.

Liam Gallagher debuted the ‘rap’ from the Sawmills demo of Oasis‘ ‘Columbia’ during one of his recent shows in Manchester. Watch the footage below.The Britpop band released the previously unheard version of the song – titled ‘Columbia (Sawmills Outtake)’ – last week to preview their upcoming 30th anniversary edition of ‘Definitely Maybe’.Mixed for the first time by Noel Gallagher and Callum Marinho, the extended early take of the track clocks in at over seven minutes, and is based around an effectively simple chord structure.It boasts “hypnotic rhythms” that “spiral into delayed drums and droning feedback”, as well as a ‘rapped’ segment from Liam.The singer incorporated the ‘rap’ into his live performance of ‘Columbia’ at his show at the Co-Op Live arena on Saturday night (June 15) – which marked the first ‘Definitely Maybe’ tour date since the demo dropped.Later, a fan on X/Twitter asked Liam if he was “gonna rap again for the rest of the tour”.

Scott Walker and The Divine Comedy and the art rock of Roxy Music and Suede.In a GoFundMe page that has been created for him by John Williams, it is explained that Reynolds has been homeless “since his landlord sold the flat he had lived in for over a decade”.The campaign aims to raise £8,000 and at time of writing has so far reached a total of over £3,400. You can see the fundraiser page here.It goes on to say that Reynolds has had to face the “stigma” of being a “50 something self-employed musician/writer”, which has made finding a new flat difficult.“He’s spent the last year sofa surfing, staying in b&bs, caravans and a friend of a friend’s barn,” it continues.

Blur have paid tribute to their former collaborator Françoise Hardy, who has died at the age of 80.The French singer-songwriter, actor and model’s death was confirmed by her son Thomas Dutronc on Tuesday (June 11).A cause of death has yet to be disclosed. However, Hardy shared in 2021 that she had been diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2018 following a lymphoma diagnosis in 2004, and said she felt “close to the end” of her life.Hardy worked with Blur in 1995 on a reworked version of the band’s single ‘To The End’ – the original of which appeared on their third studio album, 1994’s ‘Parklife’.The team-up ultimately became a duet, ‘To the End (La Comedie)’, and it was subsequently serviced as a single in France.

Placebo have announced details of a second feature-length documentary, This Search For Meaning. Check out the trailer below.The project is an intimate and enlightening portrait of the band, which explores both the meaning and subject matter behind their songs, while also diving into their evolution as a group and as human beings.Created by Scottish award-winning filmmaker Oscar Sansom, the documentary won’t simply present a narrative about the origins of the band, it’ll instead take a deep dive into the legacy they created through their themes of surveillance, culture, scrutiny, sexuality, gender identity, addiction, trauma and more.It’ll also include informal conversations with both vocalist-guitarist Brian Molko and bassist–guitarist Stefan Olsdal, as well as contributions from artists who either admire or have been inspired by Placebo.