Formed in 1986, PWEI will celebrate its 40th anniversary with the upcoming release of ‘PWEI.40‘, due on 19th February 2027. A collaboration and celebration involving band members Graham Crabb and Adam Mole, the project brings together the band’s past and present, with four live appearances offering a chance to experience that history first-hand.

The band will be performing at Shiiine On Festival in Minehead on 13th November, followed by a show at 93 Feet East in London on 26th November, with special guests So Good. They will then head to Network in Sheffield on 27th November, also joined by So Good, before finishing up at Stourbridge Town Hall on 5th December, returning to their hometown for the final show.

Following their tour in early May, these additional appearances mark another opportunity to catch PWEI live within the same year. However, these shows are from a traditional performance. Alongside guest appearances, including John and Rat as Ned’s Acoustic Dustbin, there will be live painting taking place on stage during the band’s set. Additionally, vintage PWEI live and backstage footage will also be featured, taken from their performance at Aston Villa Leisure Centre on 12th and 13th March 1994.

Renowned for their chaotic alternative rock sound, the band have never turned away from exploring politics, science fiction themes and anti-corporate rebellion. Four decades on, those ideals still resonate. In a world where anti-establishment attitudes remain prominent, PWEI’s return feels immensely relevant, bringing together longtime supporters who grew up with their music and a younger generation discovering it for the first time.

The upcoming PWEI.40 release reflects a mixture of nostalgia and reinvention. Instead of simply re-examining their past tracks, the band have given their familiar tracks a refresher. Songs including ‘Kill the Baddies’, ‘There Is A Psychopath in My Soup’, ‘Bulletproof’ and ‘1000 X no’ have been reworked, breathing new life into old material that has been associated with the band for years.

This project also brings together musicians from across a range of genres, with contributions from Stephen Mallinder of Cabaret Voltaire, solo artist Meryl Streek and Clams Baker of Warmdaschur, among others. And, despite initially intending to avoid recording new tracks, PWEI admit they “got carried away”, resulting in two new tracks: ‘I Don’t Wanna Dance’ and ‘Night Shift Riot’

This new chapter proves that even after 40 years, PWEI have retained their rebellious spirit and creative energy. Between the exclusive live appearances, unexpected collaborations and upcoming release, the anniversary is about far more than simply looking back at the past. Instead, it is an opportunity to reinvent their sound, bring their music to a new generation and reconnect with the longtime fans who have supported them from the beginning. For those wanting to be part of PWEI’s continuing story and experience the celebrations first-hand, tickets for the upcoming live appearances are available here.