WYWA: Lady Gaga’s Eerie New Video, Gorillaz Perform Debut LP, The Struts Team Up With Brian May, And More
It’s almost fall, and there is so much new music I’m looking forward to. New albums from Biffy Clyro, Creeper, AFI, and Witch Fever are on the horizon. Just in this past week alone, we got new bangers from Lady Gaga, The Struts, and Biffy Clyro. We talk about all this and more in this week’s edition of While You Were Away.
The Struts recruit Queen’s Brian May for reimagined version of ‘Could Have Been Me’
The Struts have teamed up with the legendary Brian May for a reworked version of their hit single “Could Have Been Me.”
“Working with Luke [Spiller, frontman] and The Struts has been a joyous journey for me,” says May. “I became obsessed with this great song ever since I was inspired by the original version and felt an uncontrollable urge to mess with it! It carries a great positive message for rebellious kids of all ages. And, together, we rock!”
Spiller adds, “This song is all about seizing your dreams and living life to the fullest, no matter the obstacles. It’s a powerful anthem that reminds us to chase what sets our souls on fire. Collaborating with Brian on this track is a dream realised, and I can’t wait for you all to feel the energy and inspiration behind it. Hopefully, this song will go on to inspire many more people to take life by the scruff of the neck and drink it down deeply! Every day is a gift. Let’s celebrate them together.”
See the two rocking out together in the video below.’
Watch: Lady Gaga gets creepy in Tim Burton-directed video ‘The Dead Dance’
Lady Gaga stars as a creepy doll come to life in new music video “The Dead Dance,” directed by Tim Burton. This marks Burton’s first time directing a music video since The Killers’ 2012 track “Here With Me.”
In the video, Gaga awakens and rips herself off a wall filled with creepy dolls. She jerkily moves around the doll-ridden island until she’s joined by her backup dancers, who join in some impressive choreohraphy.
The song is featured in the second season of Netflix’s Wednesday, with Gaga making a guest star appearance as Rosaline Rotwood. Watch the video below. The second half of Wednesday’s current season is streaming now.
Gorillaz share London performance of debut album on YouTube
Gorillaz have released a full video of the first night (August 29) of their recent London residency at the Copper Box Arena, where they performed their 2001 debut album in its entirety.
Released as part of YouTube Music Nights, the show features special guests Miho Hatori and Sweetie Irie, who joined the band on a reworked version of “Clint Eastwood.” Watch the show below.
The band’s four-night residency is part of their 25th anniversary celebration. The following nights saw full album performances of Demon Days (August 30) and Plastic Beach (September 2). They concluded the residency with a special performance of their unnanounced ninth album, which featured special guests Johnny Marr, Sparks, Joe Talbot, and more.
Biffy Clyro share new single ‘True Believer’
With the release of their 10th album just around the corner, Biffy Clyro have released new single, “True Believer.”
Frontman Simon Neil says the song is “about faith: not religious faith, but having faith in your life decisions. Try not to doubt yourself so much. Whenever you’re in those moments to make big life decisions, you’re not as flippant as you think you are.
Sometimes I look back and think, ‘Why did I make that decision?’ and actually, I knew exactly what I was doing at the time. So have faith in yourself and the people you love. Love is the only thing in my life I have conditional faith in. It’s what drives my relationships and our music.”
“True Believer” follows previously released singles “A Little Love” and “Hunting Season.” Stream the new song below.
Biffy Clyro’s new album, Futique, arrives on September 26th. Pre-order it here.
Tours on sale this week
Alter Bridge will hit the road with Filter, Sevendust, and Tim Montana next spring. The tour kicks off April 25th in Orlando, Florida, and runs through a May 24th concert in Tampa, Florida. See all the dates here.
Radiohead have announced their first tour dates in seven years. The band will launch their UK/European tour with four nights in Madrid on November 4th. The jaunt wraps up with a four-night stint in Berlin from December 8th through December 12th. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 12th. Get all the details here.
Halsey will celebrate the 10th anniversary of her 2015 debut album, BADLANDS, with a 22-date international tour this fall. The tour starts on October 14th in Los Angeles and spans across North America, Europe, the UK, and Australia through February 2026. See all the dates and get tickets here.
In support of his new album, Deadbeat, Tame Impala will head out on a small tour this fall. It all starts Halloween night in Brooklyn, New York, and will make stops in Chicago, Austin, San Diego, and Los Angeles before wrapping up in Oakland, California, on November 14th. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 12th.
