COCK SPARRER ANNOUNCE NEW & FINAL ALBUM: “HAND IN HEART” BAND TO PLAY TWO UK SHOWS IN APRIL 2024 CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER |
London, England – December 18, 2023 – Some bands say all they have to say at the very beginning of their career, with diminishing returns the longer they hang around. That could not be further from the truth, however, for the legendary Cock Sparrer, the “biggest punk band most people have never heard of.” As the band gears up for the April 5th, 2024 release of their eighth and final studio album, “Hand On Heart,” and looks forward to celebrating their 52nd year with headlining shows and festival appearances, it’s never been a better time to be Cock Sparrer than right now! To celebrate the album, the band has announced two special record release shows in the UK: 04/06/2024: London, UK – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire 04/13/2024: Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy The 10 tracks that comprise Hand on Heart will thrill the Cock Sparrer faithful with their iconic, anthemic sound, but the band still has surprises and new tricks up their sleeves, including a string arrangement by Simon Dobson (Bring Me The Horizon / Mike Oldfield) that lends a touch of class to the affair. With production overseen by James Bragg & guitarist Daryl Smith, as well as mastering by Grammy-winning engineer Kevin Tuffy, the lads sound better than ever, and for once, more of the budget went into the studio than down the pub! Pirates Press Records have teamed up with Cock Sparrer to make “Hand On Heart” available for pre-order on classic 12” 180 gram black vinyl, 12” 180 gram Milky Clear vinyl, 12” 180 gram Claret & Blue AsideBside vinyl in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, 12” picture disc with alternative artwork, digipak compact disc, and limited edition cassette! |
ABOUT COCK SPARRER: Astoundingly, the four core members present at the band’s 1972 inception – vocalist Colin McFaull, guitarist Mick Beaufoy, bassist Steve Burgess, and drummer Steve Bruce – are still the ones in the studio and onstage today, joined by their “new member,” guitarist Daryl Smith, who has a “mere” 31 years under his belt! This atypical longevity and stability are a part of Sparrer’s legacy of shoving any rules and expectations put on them by anyone else. They were childhood friends, and were already well underway playing, drinking, and rabble rousing by the time punk became a recognized social movement. While Cock Sparrer found a level of kinship with punk, their relentless independence meant they wouldn’t go down with the ship when the pop culture attention span moved on to the next big thing. While most bands were only getting started, Sparrer had already logged touring miles with luminaries like the Small Faces, Thin Lizzy, Motörhead, and Slade, and had already seen a contract with Decca Records go up in flames. Sex Pistols impresario Malcolm McLaren’s offer of management was rebuffed due to his refusal to pick up a round of drinks. So the decline of punk was yet another opportunity for the band to soldier on on their own terms, as they have continued to do for decades ever since! Nowadays, the band’s “career in reverse” sees them enjoying more success than they ever experienced in the “good old days.” Cover songs from a huge and diverse array of artists from Rancid to Against Me!, The Bouncing Souls, The Interrupters, Ted Leo, and more are a testament to their wide ranging influence, as is their status as an in-demand live act at festivals all over the world. However, as always, it is at their own headlining club shows that Cock Sparrer are most in their element, playing for sold out crowds of adoring fans of all ages. It turns out, over 50 years of doing things their own way has attracted legions of like-minded faithful! |
Photo by: Roberto Pavic |
Track listing: 1. With My Hand on My Heart 2. Mind Your Own Business 3. I Belong to You 4. Rags to Riches 5. No Way Out 6. Take It on the Chin 7. Nowhere to Be Found 8. One Way Ticket 9. My Forgotten Dream 10. Here We Stand Cock Sparrer are: Colin McFaull – vocals Daryl Smith – guitar Steve Burgess – bass Steve Bruce – drums Mick Beaufoy – guitar For more information on Cock Sparrer: Instagram // Facebook |
Month: December 2023
Free Sergio signs to High End Denim
Hailing from Tel Aviv, Israel, Free Sergio is a high-octane skate punk band with elements of ska sprinkled into the chaos. After a successful European tour and debut record, the guys are back with 16 new songs. “The Nail in the Coffee” is a fast and furious release and will drop on January 19 via High End Denim Records.
You can hear “מהזהפהקרה” now – a tune sung entirely in their native tongue of Hebrew.
Social Distortion Announces Co-Headline Tour With Bad Religion
Today, Southern California punk legends Social Distortion announce an epic co-headlining tour across the US with fellow Epitaph label mates Bad Religion that kicks off in Bakersfield, California on April 9th 2024. With additional support from The Lovebombs, the two iconic bands will join forces to bring their signature sounds and beloved catalogs to stages across the continent, showcasing their enduring legacy and influence on the punk rock movement.
Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness comments, “It gives me great pleasure to announce that in April we will be going on a nationwide co- headlining tour with our friends in Bad Religion. Yes, we are back in action and can’t wait for this tour!! We did this with them in Australia in 2022 and the shows were amazing!”
He continues, “We have also decided in celebration of the 40-year anniversary and re-release of ‘Mommy’s Little Monster’ that we will be playing the album in its entirety. This should be a very special tour and we are all looking forward to it.”
“Bad Religion and Social Distortion first played together in 1980,” Bad Religion singer Greg Graffin adds. “Though we evolved in different directions, we both carried the torch of Southern California punk all along the way. Now we’re so excited to be on the same stage again.”
Formed as rebellious teenage punks in the working-class suburb of Fullerton, California, Social Distortion survived their tumultuous youth to pioneer an undeniably honest and fiery brand of rock ‘n’ roll that would incorporate outlaw country, classic seventies punk and primal blues. Seven studio albums and countless electrifying live shows have earned the band a dedicated worldwide fanbase and catalog of timeless anthems including “Story Of My Life,” ”Ball And Chain,” “Prison Bound” and more. The band’s last release, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes entered the Billboard 200 at #4 and in 2019 they celebrated 40 years as a band.
Social Distortion also share rescheduled dates for their previously postponed tour with follow SoCal rockers, The Bellrays. Ness enthuses, “I am also happy to announce the tour with “The Bellrays” from last summer will now be happening in September & October 2024. I’d like thank the fans who bought tickets for their patience while we worked on the rescheduled dates. Words can’t describe how happy I am to be back onstage doing what I love. See you all soon.”
Artist Pre-sale tickets are live today at 12 noon local time with codes: BALLANDCHAIN or SUFFER
The general on-sale will be December 15th, 10 AM local time.
All tickets will be available HERE
SOCIAL DISTORTION TOUR DATES
W/ Bad Religion
April 9 – Bakersfield, CA – Mechanics Bank Theater
April 10 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
April 11 – San Diego, CA – PETCO Park
April 13 – Las Vegas, NV – Virgin Hotels Las Vegas – The Theater
April 14 – Mesa, AZ – Mesa Amphitheater
April 16 – Lubbock, TX – Lonestar Amphitheater
April 18 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
April 19 – San Antonio, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port
April 20 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Greenway
April 22 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
April 23 – New Orleans, LA – The Filmore Harrah’s New Orleans
April 26 – St. Augustine, FL – The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
April 27 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Live
April 28 – Clearwater, FL – Coachman Park – The Sound
April 30 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre
May 1 – North Charleston, SC – Firefly Distillery Lawn
May 3 – Oxon Hill, MD – The Theater at MGM National Harbor
May 4 – New York, NY – Pier 17 The Rooftop
May 5 – Philadelphia, PA – The Filmore Philadelphia
May 7 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
May 10 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
May 11 – Detroit, MI – The Masonic Temple Theatre
May 12 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady Music Center
May 14 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave/Eagles Club – Eagles Ballroom
May 15 – West Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom
May 17 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater
May 18 – Chicago, IL – Salt Shed – Indoors
May 19 – Columbus, OH – Historic Crew Stadium
w/ The Bellrays
Sept. 13 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox
Sept. 14 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox
Sept. 15 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox
Sept. 18 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
Sept. 19 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
Sept. 21 – Edmonton, AB – Midway Music Hall
Sept. 22 – Edmonton, AB – Midway Music Hall
Sept. 23 – Calgary, AB – Macewan Hall
Sept. 25 – Winnipeg, MB – Buron Cummings Theatre
Oct. 1 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
Oct. 2 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
Oct. 4 – Guelph, ON – Guelph Concert Theatre
Oct. 5 – Toronto, ON – History
Oct. 6 – Montreal, QC – M Telus
Oct. 8 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall
Oct. 9 – Hampton Beach, NH – Casino Ballroom
Oct. 11 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount
Oct. 12 – Stroudsburg, PA – Sherman Theater
Oct. 13 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
Oct. 15 – Norfolk, VA – The Norva
Oct. 16 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte
Oct. 17 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
Oct. 19 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall
Oct. 20 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom
Oct. 22 – Albuquerque, NM – Rio Rancho Event Center
Oct. 23 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
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