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In a recent interview on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the Doncaster rock star said about a potential political career: “I have actually thought about that, I know it’s crazy. I feel like you start something as a musician and then you kind of connect with people on the daily, like I always make an effort to see people outside the gigs and see people walk around the festival. This whole community was built on human connection, about how people live and what people struggle with. I thought maybe one day, I think I could do something that would be, I could provide some good somewhere. I think that has actually crossed my mind – Yungblud the politician.”

Yungblud then went on to discuss modren-day notions of masculinity, explaining how this is something he explores in his upcoming album. “With this album, I said at the start of it, I really want to embrace my masculinity, which is a crazy thing to say in 2025. What went into this new album was, like, there is a different type of masculinity. There is a beautiful, pure, loving, caring, but also … I like to box, I like to sing, but I also like to wear a kilt. There’s a new type of masculinity that can be out there and that can be shown, and, as I say, with this community what I want to give is I want to give love and pure love.”

The rock singer, who has always been very open about his mental health struggles, also talked about how he deals with hate and the impact it has on him. In a talk with The Independent, he opened up saying: “I’ll never forget, someone came to me in a pub in east London and just was like, ‘your music is terrible and I don’t believe you and I hate it. I remember, I was, like, 22 and I was trying to like (think) how do I respond to this? And I kind of was just, like, ‘Oh yeah, cool’. I really shut down. I think about that probably once a week.”

The pop-punk musician, known for songs including ‘Cotton Candy’ and ‘Fleabag’, has had two number one albums in the UK chart with ‘Weird!’ in 2020 and his self-titled album in 2022.

Earlier in the year, he received the Disruptor of the Year award at the Nordoff and Robbins Northern Music Awards, held in Liverpool.

To celebrate the occasion, the band have recorded a stripped-back acoustic cover of Shania Twain’s classic You’re Still the One, a song that frontwoman Gill Montgomery says holds personal significance, saying of the album’s recording process: “It had been a pretty taxing weekend… or year, really. The line ‘looks like we made it’ just kept popping up over the years. We’d been singing it so much along the way that it really felt part of our journey.”

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The band’s journey began in 2019, a product of long-standing rock connections forged through former projects. Montgomery and drummer Josie O’Toole, previously of The Amorettes and Tequila Mockingbyrd respectively, initially joined forces to cover tour commitments for their old bands. By 2021, bassist Lzi Hayes joined from her day job as an estate manager at the V&A, and The Hot Damn! was born. ““I think we both had moments where we were like: ‘Can I really be fucked starting again?” Hazed said to Louder Sound, adding: “In a way Covid did us a favour, because it gave us a bit of time to take stock, and miss it, and be like: ‘Yeah, we do want to do this.'”

The band opted to forge their own path with a fresh, neon-saturated aesthetic, trading black attire for tie-dye hues, glitter, and party props. The concept paid off, capturing attention before they’d even released a single. O’Toole saying in Louder Sound, “It’s about making the biggest impression you possibly can. We’re on a shoestring budget, but if we get some party canons from Asda and launch them at the end of the show, it still works. It’s fun, and it’s us.”

Having partnered with Echelon Talent Agency earlier this year, The Hot Damn! have designed their upcoming shows to reflect their “mission to make rock fun again.” While their vision of confetti, glitter curtains, and beach balls seemed ambitious, fans have quickly gravitated toward their light-hearted take on live music.

Montgomery, whose day job includes managing a funeral home in South East London, brings an unconventional perspective to her role in the band. “It’s interesting,” she says. “You’re either for it or you’re not.” But when it comes to performing, she takes inspiration from rock legends who’ve built legacies on charisma, not perfection. “I look at people like Iggy Pop or Alex Harvey. They make it interesting and fun.  I never wanted to be an Adele. I just wanted to be different, be… not boring If you’re boring, you’re fucked.”

The Hot Damn! have already made their mark on the airwaves, enjoying A-list radio rotation on Planet Rock, BBC 6 Music, and Germany’s Star FM and Radio BOB!. The band’s debut has also met acclaim, being described by Rockfield as “not only a feel-good instant cure for S.A.D but the spontaneous dancing and prancing around the room it inspires will also get the blood pumping on a cold autumn night.” Now, following their international debut in Germany earlier this year, Dancing on the Milky Way paves the way for The Hot Damn! to share their rose-hued bubblegum brand of rock with audiences across the UK.

In this project we see Gallagher going back to his past. He touches base with the life he had, back in the day when he was broke, a daydreamer and wondering what life could be like. It is a way of going back to the beginning for him. The songs that have been already released from the album are “Pretty Boy”, “Easy Now”, “Dead To The World” and, now, we are presented with “Council Skies”. Which is believed to be the last release before the final drop.

We can confirm it is an album close to his heart and has transmitted a different level to his sound. The rockstar himself admits that “Dead To The World” is the best song he has ever written.

Throughout the album expect to hear the likes of collaborators such as Paul “Strangeboy” Lacey, who’ve worked together for a long time running during their musical careers. The Smith’s co-songwriter, Johnny Marr, makes an appearance in three tracks including the already released “Pretty Boy”.  And last but not least ,The Cure frontman Robert Smith has also input towards remixes on a couple of the songs as well as live recordings.

Noel Gallagher explains “It’s going back to the beginning. Daydreaming, looking up at the sky and wondering about what life could be … that’s as true to me now as it was in the early ‘90s. When I was growing up in poverty and unemployment, music took me out of that” on the making of Council Skies.

The name claimed itself when he was sat at his coffee table and saw a book by Pete McKee titled that same way; Council Skies. He rather liked the ring of it and thought it fit only too well into the significance of his album. It is said that the musician got in contact with McKee to request permission for using the same title on his release. A success, clearly.

The album release will be followed up by an arena UK tour. Starting on the 21st of July in Buckinghamshire he will make his way around the country until finishing in Liverpool on the 21st December.

Tickets are available here.

UK Tour dates:

21/07/23 – Pennfest – Buckinghamshire
23/07 – Wollaton Park – Nottingham
28/07 – Crystal Palace Bowl – London
30/07 – Brighton Beach – Brighton
05/08 – Audley End – Essex
19/08 – Caldicot Castle – Monmouthshire
20/08 – Hardwick Festival – Sedgefield
24/08 – Vivary Park – Taunton
26/08 – Wythenshawe Park – Manchester
27/08 – Royal Hospital – Dublin
30/08 – Bonus Arena – Hull
01/09 – Don Valley Bowl – Sheffield
14/12 – OVO Arena Wembley – London
15/12 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham
17/12 – International Arena – Cardiff
18/12 – First Direct Arena – Leeds
20/12 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow
21/12 – M&S Bank Arena – Liverpool