Aside from the occasional drummer, Placebo’s core of lead-singer and guitarist Brian Molko paired with bassist and guitarist Stefan Olsdal has driven the band since their chance encounter in 1994. When they released their first LP ‘Placebo’, they had already sorted a record label following strong early singles ‘Bruise Pristine’ and ‘Come Home’. Later single ‘Teenage Angst’ also became popular, but it was the track ‘Nancy Boy’ that really asserted the band as unique. The members’ androgynous appearance and Molko’s nasal voice, coupled with lyrics about subverting gender identities and drug abuse led to it becoming simultaneously wildly popular and controversial. ‘Nancy Boy’ became a breakaway success, hitting number four on the Official Singles Chart, and bringing the album back to fifth in the UK Album Chart.

They followed up with second album ‘Without You I’m Nothing’ in 1998, which also spawned successful singles ‘Pure Morning’, ‘You Don’t Care About Us’ and ‘Every You Every Me’. ‘Pure Morning’ and ‘You Don’t Care About Us’ charted at fourth and fifth respectively, the last two UK top ten singles released by Placebo. The album itself entered the charts at seventh, reaching platinum status in 2003.

Today the band took to social media to let fans know that ‘Placebo’ would be turning 30 on the 17th of June, and that they were paying homage to it with a new reimagining. The post reads “Celebrating three decades since the release of the debut album, ‘Placebo RE:CREATED’, features powerful new reworked and embellished versions of all ten tracks from the original album plus two bonus tracks.”

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However, ‘Placebo RE:CREATED’ will be no mere reissue, nor will it be a complete makeover. The post continues “We think of this record as a director’s cut. We haven’t recreated it from scratch. We went back to the original master tapes and brought 30 years of playing these songs live back into the record. This project was about finally finishing the record, dragging it into the 21st century sonically, while preserving the integrity and the spirit of the original. It’s not about improving it, there’s nothing wrong with it, it’s about completing it.”

Along with the announcement of ‘RE:CREATED’, Placebo have also revealed a 30th anniversary tour to go with it. The setlist will cover fan favourites and deep cuts from both ‘Placebo’ and ‘Without You I’m Nothing’. The European leg kicks off in Portugal on the 28th of September, arriving in the UK and Ireland for a six-night arena run through late November and early December. The UK run of dates is below, with the full list and tickets available on their website:
• November 28 – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
• November 30 – Glasgow OVO Hydro
• December 2 – Dublin 3Arena
• December 4 – Manchester Co-op Live
• December 5 – London OVO Arena Wembley
• December 7 – Cardiff Utilita Arena

Placebo play a one-off date in the UK next week, performing for the Teenage Cancer Trust’s benefit show at the Royal Albert Hall on the 28th of March. ‘Placebo RE:CREATED’ releases on the 19th of June – you can find out the story behind the project here, or pre-order physical versions here.

I’ve dreamed of covering a Placebo song for years. I think it always had to be “Without You I’m Nothing”, a song of longing and loss that for me will always feel current and relevant, as someone who always felt that human connection was the key to happiness – and as an outsider looking in, as someone uncomfortable in their own skin.”

Placebo’s song, perhaps notable for featuring backing vocals by David Bowie, was a huge critical and popular hit with fans and became a staple in the band’s live set up until 2012 where it has been performed more sporadically, in part due to the band’s insistence of not playing ‘hit’ songs during live sets. The song however, provides the perfect tone and emotional gravitas for an artist of A. A. Williams’ capabilities and her version is sure to be a hit with her audiences.

An upcoming North American tour with Sleep Token will undoubtedly open doors to whole new sets of admirers for Williams and, with her unique blend of strings and guitars, the artist continues to gain attention from listeners of all genres. Williams will be embarking on a co-headlining tour of the UK and Europe with Kalandra this November and December. Tickets can be purchased here.

A. A. Williams UK and Europe Tour:

17/11/2023 – Brudenell Social Club – Leeds
18/11 – The Dome – London
19/11 – Botanique, Grand Salon – Brussels, Belgium
20/11 – O’Sullivan’s Backstage by the Mill – Paris, France
21/11 – Altigone – Toulouse, France
22/11 – Moby Dick – Madrid, Spain
23/11 – La Nau – Barcelona, Spain
23/11 – Salamandra – L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
24/11 – Maison des Choeurs – Montpellier, France
25/11 – Le Transbordeur – Villeurbanne, France
27/11 – Berghain/Kantin – Berlin, Germany
28/11 – Chemiefabrik – Dresden, Germany
29/11 – 2progi – Poznan, Poland
30/11 – Hydrozagadka – Warsaw, Poland
01/12 – Kamienna 12 – Krakow, Poland
02/12 – Instant – Budapest, Hungary
03/12 – Kasarna Karlin – Prague, Czech Republic
05/12 – Legend Club Milano – Milan, Italy
06/12 – Teatro Perla – Bologna, Italy
07/12 – Magazzino Sul Po – Turin, Italy
08/12 – La Port Franc – Sion, Switzerland

Placebo Singer Brian Molko Under Investigation in Italy After Calling Country’s Prime Minister ‘Fascist’ and ‘Racist’ https://t.co/YxPMzqiJMC

— Variety (@Variety) July 18, 2023

Prosecutors based in Turin, Italy have opened an investigation into Molko’s comments after Placebo performed at the Sonic Park Festival in Stupinigi last week. Molko’s comments were directed at Italy’s current serving Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who is the leader of the far right party Brothers of Italy-a political organisation with foundations linking back to fascist leader Benito Mussolini. Observers and critics have branded Meloni a far-right neo-fascist but the Italian Prime Minister has consistently denied this association.

During the band’s set, Molko let the crowd know his opinions of the leader, shouting in Italian, “Giorgia Meloni, piece of shit, fascist, racist.” These remarks have landed the singer in hot water in the Mediterranean country with the judicial arm of the nation now seeking an investigation into the comments.

Italy have instituted a criminal code that prohibits the public defamation of the Republic and is punishable with a fine ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 Euros. The law covers any defamation made toward the government, parliament, the courts or the army. Italy has, since 2013, revised their criminal defamation laws to fall more in line with European Union standards and defamation no longer carries a term of imprisonment-although the country’s defamation laws still bear some criticisms from the EU.

Giorgia Meloni leads Italy’s most right-wing coalition government since the second world war https://t.co/929nSNjHXK

— NME (@NME) July 18, 2023

Neither Placebo, their representatives or the authorities in Turin have commented on the investigation however, members of Meloni’s party have demanded an apology from the band. Brothers of Italy politician Augusta Montaruli said, “we cannot let an international event that attracts so many people (to Italy) be ruined by filthy words which, amidst a general silence, aim to attack the institutions of the republic.” Molko and Placebo’s fans have supported the singer.

based brian molkopic.twitter.com/zkHDr9tuNe

— NoFixedAdobe (@NoFixedAdobe) July 18, 2023

Late last year, Molko and Placebo requested via social media, that fans who attend live performances refrain from recording them on their phones. The band issued a plea to their supporters to enjoy the event in the moment and, last month while the band were playing in Dublin, Molko even halted the show to remind concert goers to adhere to their no phones policy. Video recordings of the comments made by Molko at Sonic Park Festival have found their way onto the internet despite the band’s request for no filming.

Birkin rose to prominence after appearing in the 1966 film Blow-Up before heading to France to star in the 1968 satirical romantic comedy Slogan alongside Gainsbourg, performing with him on the film’s theme song. This was to be the first of many collaborations between the two, whose working relationship soon blossomed into a passionate love affair. 

Check out the trailer for Blow-Up:

The pair quickly won over the hearts of the public and became France’s most famous couple -  renowned for their work as much as their hedonistic and bohemian lifestyle. After their separation in 1980, Birkin branched out into more serious film roles, gaining three nominations at the César awards. She continued to work both as an actress and a singer until a few years prior to her death, appearing in various arthouse films and recording numerous albums, for which Gainsbourg would often pen a song.

Listen to the famous Birkin-Gainsbourg collaboration “Je T’Aime…Moi Non Plus” below:

Perhaps the British native’s most famous accolade however, is for her contribution to fashion as the inspiration for the Hermès Birkin bag, which was named after her following a chance encounter with the company’s chief executive on a flight to London. The Hermès Birkin continues to be an accessory staple amongst the rich and famous and remains one of the most expensive bags on the market to this day.

Following the news of Birkin’s death, both fans and celebrities haven taken to social media to pay tribute to the late pop icon. 

Marianne Faithfull, an old friend, wrote: “Dearest Jane has gone. I admired her as an artist so much and I’m very glad we got to work together. […] We first met several lifetimes ago – and from that day I always thought she possessed such beauty and style […] How I wanted to look like her and be like her! Her style will endure of course but she was a dear friend and I will always love her.”

Johnny Marr, who featured on Birkin’s 2006 album Fictions, described his collaborator as “a sweet and kind person with a heart for art”, while Beth Gibbons of Portishead lamented: “I’m so sad to hear that Jane Birkin has gone. She was such a beautiful, generous and kind soul. She was one of the nicest people I’ve worked with and always made me feel so at ease.”

I’m so sad to hear that Jane Birkin has gone. She was such a beautiful, generous and kind soul.
She was one of the nicest people I’ve worked with and always made me feel so at ease.
This is us rehearsing for a performance together in Francepic.twitter.com/Ep0VFhELjk

— Beth Gibbons (@realbethgibbons) July 16, 2023

Placebo’s Brian Molko shared a photo of the French icon alongside the caption: “I got a message for Jane. Soul beauty personified. I can’t begin to explain what a privilege it’s been to have you in my life. I loved you from the day we met and will continue to do so until it’s my time. Your grace and dignity were inspirations, your generosity a priceless gift. Sleep peacefully beautiful one.”

The tune represented a significant breakthrough for Placebo- with lyrical content that addressed gender identity and bisexuality. “Nancy Boy” was such a smash hit for the band that it forced their album- 1997’s self-titled record- back into the UK top ten,charting at number five after debuting at number forty.

Identifying as bisexual himself, Molko used the song to criticise individuals who embraced bisexuality as a trend rather than  through sincerity, although the song is also upbeat and takes the listener through an adventure of sex and drugs. And the song went down thrillingly for the fans at Download-with the audience reacting rapturously to the song’s surprise inclusion in the set.

Placebo played Nancy Boy live tonight and honestly I could cry with happiness. Cheers! pic.twitter.com/uO08l8ND2o

— Graham Falk (@GrahamFalk) June 10, 2023

That’s really wild, considering what I know of Molko and what Nancy Boy means to him. — Madly Jane (@GirlsandGoblins) June 11, 2023

Previously, Placebo had expressed reluctance at playing hit songs, expressing a sense of stasis and boredom with tracks that they felt compelled to play every night. Speaking about the band’s ‘best of tour’, Olsdal said, “that tour lasted for quite a long time, and we started to get this slightly unhealthy relationship with our old material. I started to feel quite disillusioned by the band and what we were doing.”

But that bad feeling was cast aside during an exciting and spirited Download set, with Placebo sending the crowd into ecstasy when the opening notes of “Nancy Boy” rang out from the Opus Stage speakers. Fans could barely contain their excitement and quickly took to social media to voice their pleasure.

Placebo will continue to delight their UK based fans- continuing their tour through the country with dates in Birmingham, Cambridge and Glasgow. There are, of course, no guarantees that Placebo will throw out more classics but very few will deny the band still know how to entertain their scores of adoring supporters.

Find tickets to Placebo’s European tour dates here.

Placebo European Tour:

20/06/2023 – Tollwood Sommerfestival – Munich, Germany
24/06 – O2 Academy – Galsgow
26/06 – 3Arena – Dublin
04/07 – Cognac Blues Passions Festival – Cognac, France
05/07 – Jardin Public – Cognac, France
05/07 – Festival Cruilla – Barcelona, Spain
06/07 – Arènes de Nîmes – Nîmes, France
11/07 – Stupinigi Sonic Park – Nichelino, Italy
13/07 – Piazza Napoleone – Lucca, Italy
14/07 – Autodromo Internazionale Enzo and Dino Ferrari – Imola, Italy
16/07 – Sonic Park Matera – Matera, Italy
18/07 – Piazzola Live Festival – Piazzola Sul Brenta, Italy
27/07 – Noches del Botánico – Madrid, Spain
28/07 – Low Festival – Benidorm, Spain
04/08 – Lokerse Feesten – Lokeren, Belgium
08/08 – 013 – Tilburg, Netherlands
10/08 – Kunstrasen Bonn – Bonn, Germany
11/08 – Fete Du Bruit Dans Landerneau – Landerneau, France
23/08 – Rock En Seine – Paris, France
25/08 – Domaine National de Saint Cloud – Paris, France
26/08 – Domaine National de Saint Cloud – Paris, France

In this latest Placebo interpretation, “Shout” becomes a brooding industrial march. Given that the single’s original songwriter Roland Orzabal has said that the song concerns itself with political protest, it also makes for a fitting follow-on from Placebo’s latest album release Never Let Me Go, which marked itself out with commentary on tech-saturation, rising intolerance and the climate crisis.

Placebo recently announced a postponement of their North American tour dates, with rescheduled performances for 2023 to be announced soon.

Never Let Me Go, the band’s first album in nearly a decade, arrived in March. Classic Rock said “like their sci-fi-noir rock contemporaries Garbage, Placebo are a band to which music is finally catching up” and Kerrang! described the collection as “prescient tales of loss, surveillance, and climate change,” dubbing it “a record for our times.”

Placebo formed in 1994, with the London-based pair of Brian Molko (vocals/guitar) and Stefan Olsdal (bass/guitar), releasing their eponymous debut just two years later. In the intervening years, Placebo have released eight studio albums, that have sold over 13 million copies, filled stadiums from Moscow to Sydney, won numerous awards including a 1999 Brit Award and pushed the boundaries of gender and sexuality.

The group is also on the cusp of beginning an extensive UK and EU tour supporting their most recent album. Beginning in November the tour will see the band hit 13 different venues around England and Scotland; including 2 nights at London’s O2 Academy Brixton. You can try and bag any remaining tickets for the shows here.

Placebo’s UK tour dates:

18/11/2022 – Guildhall – Portsmouth
19/11 – Brighton Centre – Brighton
21/11 – Eventim Olympia – Liverpool
22/11 – O2 Victoria Warehouse – Manchester
24/11 – Motorpoint Arena – Cardiff
26/11 – O2 Brixton Academy – London
27/11 – O2 Brixton Academy – London
29/11 – De Montford Hall – Leicester
30/11 – O2 Academy Leeds – Leeds
02/12 – O2 City Hall – Newcastle
03/12 – O2 Academy Glasgow – Glasgow
05/12 – 3 Arena – Dublin
07/12 – Corn Exchange – Cambridge
08/12 – O2 Academy 1 – Birmingham

Photo credit: Mads Perch

Placebo’s recently announced new full-length album will be their first since 2013’s Loud Like Love, setting up the impending March 25^th release date as a momentous occasion for both the band themselves and long-time fans. The band have released four singles so far, including “Beautiful James”, “Surrounded By Spies” and “Try Better Now” and “Happy Birthday in the Sky”. You can find these songs on streaming services, and you can take a listen to “Happy Birthday in the Sky” at the YouTube link below.

A recent press release calls Placebo’s Never Let Me Go an album that  “grapples with humanity’s multiple crises, from “Beautiful James,” a stirring anthem for non-heteronormative relationships, to “Surrounded By Spies,” an observation on tech-saturation, “Try Better Next Time,” a track that is both a statement on climate calamity and a poetic hope for the future, and the final preview of the album: “Happy Birthday In The Sky,” a moving ode to those who are no longer with us.”

Singer and guitarist Brian Molko said of the album: “I wanted to capture the confusion of what it’s like to be alive today the feeling of being lost, always walking in a labyrinth, continuously being overwhelmed by information and opinions.”

You can pre-order the upcoming album here. The album will be available on a number of different physical formats including CD, vinyl and cassette tape. Several different vinyl colour variants are available; black, pink and amethyst.

Placebo will also be embarking on a UK tour later this year in November and December. You can view the dates down below, and tickets for the tour can be found here.

Album Release Shows
23/03/2022- Le Trianon- Paris
25/03- Metropol- Berlin
28/03- Melkweg- Amsterdam
29/03- Orangerie (Botanique)- Brussels
31/03- Islington Assembly Hall- London

UK Tour
18/11/2022 – Guildhall – Portsmouth
19/11 – Brighton Centre – Brighton
21/11 – Eventim Olympia – Liverpool
22/11 – O2 Victoria Warehouse – Manchester
24/11 – Motorpoint Arena – Cardiff
26/11 – O2 Brixton Academy – London
27/11 – O2 Brixton Academy – London
29/11 – De Montford Hall – Leicester
30/11 – O2 Academy Leeds – Leeds
02/12 – O2 City Hall – Newcastle
03/12 – O2 Academy Glasgow – Glasgow
05/12 – 3 Arena – Dublin
07/12 – Corn Exchange – Cambridge
08/12 – O2 Academy 1 – Birmingham

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The upcoming 2022 tour is in support of the band’s forthcoming eighth studio album entitled Never Let Me Go, which is set to be released on the 25h March 2022 via Rise Records. The thirteen-track album marks the group’s first full release in over nine years, with the duo’s last album Loud Like Love having been released in 2013. The album sired great commercial success and reached number thirteen within the UK album charts, Loud Like Love was the last album to feature former drummer Steve Forrest.

A press release for the upcoming new album provides the following statement, stating Never Let Me Go, “grapples with humanity’s multiple crises, from “Beautiful James,” a stirring anthem for non-heteronormative relationships, to “Surrounded By Spies,” an observation on tech-saturation, “Try Better Next Time,” a track that is both a statement on climate calamity and a poetic hope for the future, and the final preview of the album: “Happy Birthday In The Sky,” a moving ode to those who are no longer with us.”

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Frontman Molko discusses the influences and process taken to produce the group’s new album, “I wanted to capture the confusion of what it’s like to be alive today the feeling of being lost, always walking in a labyrinth, continuously being overwhelmed by information and opinions.”

Placebo first rose to fame in the 1990’s with their debut release, the self-titled album was released on 17th June 1996 and garnered great commercial and critical acclaim. The band’s alternative sound ensured the album’s success and in turn, Placebo became one of the era’s most defining groups, topics and themes heard within the group’s lyrics further cemented their importance within pop culture. The debut album’s most successful single, “Nancy Boy”, was the group’s breakthrough single and is now a crucial element within the era and genre’s musical cannon. The track’s lyrical content of drugs and sexuality were deemed trailblazing during the 1990s and paved the way for modern acts to sing openly about such topics.

Pre-order sales for Never Let Me Go are now available, fans will be able to purchase the album via multiple digital platforms as well as various physical formats. Placebo’s new release is available on Limited edition 2LP red vinyl, a web exclusive pink 2LP vinyl and a standard black 2LP vinyl. Music fans will also be able to purchase the upcoming album on caseate in a wide variety of limited-edition colours.

Placebo UK tour dates

18/11/2022 – Guildhall – Portsmouth
19/11 – Brighton Centre – Brighton
21/11 – Eventim Olympia – Liverpool
22/11 – O2 Victoria Warehouse – Manchester
24/11 – Motorpoint Arena – Cardiff
26/11 – O2 Brixton Academy – London
27/11 – O2 Brixton Academy – London
29/11 – De Montford Hall – Leicester
30/11 – O2 Academy Leeds – Leeds
02/12 – O2 City Hall – Newcastle
03/12 – O2 Academy Glasgow – Glasgow
05/12 – 3 Arena – Dublin
07/12 – Corn Exchange – Cambridge
08/12 – O2 Academy 1 – Birmingham

Click here to purchase tickets.

Click here to pre-order Never Let Me Go.

Photo Credit: Mads Perch

Placebo is an English rock band that was formed in 1994 by frontman Brian Molko (Vocalist and guitarist) and Stefan Olsdal (Guitarist and Bassist). Robert Schultzberg (Drummer) was a band member from 1994-1996 and was replaced by Steve Hewitt (Singer, songwriter, drummer and record producer) following his departure. Hewitt also left the band in 2007 and was replaced by Steve Forrest (Drummer) who left the band in 2015 leaving Molko and Olsdal as a duo.

The band released their debut self entitled album Placebo in 1996, the album received attention and placed the band on the musical map. The inspiration for the band’s new single “Surrounded By Spies” came from Molko discovering that his neighbours were spying on him. Molko said of the single “It’s a true story told through a lens of paranoia, complete disgust for modern society’s values and the deification of surveillance capitalism,” The press release said of the band’s new single “Within the magnetic slow-burn of new track “Surrounded By Spies,” no punches are pulled in confronting the erosion of civil liberties”

Watch the video for the band’s new single “Surrounded By Spies” here

The band’s new album Never Let Me Go will be their first studio album for eight years and was ready for release before the Covid 19 Lockdown. In respect of the delay of the album, Molko said “We had a lot of get-up-and-go, and then everything that happened, happened, so everything is sort of delayed by about two years now”  When discussing the band’s new album title Molko further said “The title alone is enough to give you a light punch to the gut, and it’s hard to imagine a better reason to shut up and listen” The band’s new album is now available for pre-order today November 9th. Followers are then provided with pre-sale tickets for the bands upcoming UK and Ireland tour.

– OUR NEW ALBUM – WILL BE OUT EVERYWHERE ON MARCH 25TH 2022. PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY NOW VIA OUR OFFICIAL STORE TO GET EXCLUSIVE PRE-SALE ACCESS TO OUR 2022 UK & EUROPEAN HEADLINE TOUR. https://t.co/y7w3aVyM4L pic.twitter.com/VPhOyp9PJd — PLACEBO (@PLACEBOWORLD) November 9, 2021

The band’s UK and Ireland tour will be their first tour in 9 years and will see their tour kick-off in November 2022 in Portsmouth on November 18th. Tickets for the band’s upcoming tour go on sale at 09.00 am on November 17th.

See the tracklist for Placebo’s new album Never Let Me Go below and pre-order the album here

Forever Chemicals
Beautiful James
Hugz
Happy Birthday In The Sky
The Prodigal
Surrounded By Spies
Try Better Next Time
Sad White Reggae
Twin Demons
Chemtrails
This Is What You Wanted
Went Missing
Fix Yourself

See the tour dates for Placebo’s UK and Ireland Tour below and buy tickets here

18/11/22 Guildhall- Portsmouth
19/11 Brighton, Centre
21/11 Eventim Olympia- Liverpool
22/11 O2 Victoria Warehouse- Manchester
24/11 Motorpoint Arena- Cardiff
26/11 O2 Academy Brixton- London
27/11 O2 Academy Brixton- London
29/11 De Montfort Hall- Leicester
30/11 O2 Academy- Leeds
02/12/22 O2 City Hall- Newcastle
03/12 O2 Academy- Glasgow
05/12 3 Arena- Dublin
07/12 Corn Exchange- Cambridge
08/12 O2 Academy- Birmingham

Speaking to Music Week, Molko stated that he felt the people behind Spotify were ‘just interested in making money at the expense of others. It comes from a place of just pure profit-making on their part’, and called attention to the ‘negligible’ profits that artists received from the service.

Earlier this month Radiohead’s Thom Yorke removed his solo music, and the works of his side-project Atoms for Peace, from Spotify, stating on Twitter; ‘Make no mistake, new artists you discover on Spotify will not get paid, meanwhile, shareholders will be rolling in it’. Last year, Black Keys member Patrick Carney said that the service was not fair to new artists.

The service, launched in Stockholm in 2006, currently has over 24 million subscribers, a quarter of whom pay a monthly fee for additional features. It has been touted as a legal and fair alternative to digital piracy, but has come under fire for supposedly failing to adequately compensate the musicians whose work is streamed on the service – a 2010 infographic estimated that a solo artist would need over four million plays a month just to earn minimum wage.

Counterarguments by Spotify state that the majority of their revenue is spent on royalties, and that it is the responsibility of the record companies to ensure their artists were fairly paid.