Speaking to NME, frontman Charlie Steen implied modern Britain’s need for positivity and defiance. “Cutthroat is a joyride”, said the vocalist, “It’s for the inexperienced driver. The one who wants to go fast for no reason other than it’s fun,” he added. “It’s driven by hunger. Hunger for something better. For something you’ve been told you don’t deserve.”

The album definitely represents a new path for the band, whether they stay on it is another thing, but it’s stylistically and lyrically very different from their earlier work. Namely ‘Songs of Praise’ (2018) and ‘Drunk Tank Pink’ (2021) were more pensive and introspective displays of their obvious talent. The records explore themes of sorrow and discontent, and are majorly guitar led, fitting somewhere in the borders of post-punk and rock.

This album maintains that same raw feel that the group are so iconic for, but it is reborn with an increased precision. This is especially impressive considering the bravery in the approach. The album distances Shame from continuity and pushes the boat on the genre and sound connotations fans have come to expect.

Exploring electronic sound and synthetic textures, the new approach separates their live performances from their studio sound far more than their previous work. The lyrics take a tone of defiance, which Steen describes as being “not poor me, but about f*ck you”. Both compliment each other fantastically to create a concoction of excellence.

Shame, despite their brilliance and mass following, have never been able to break into the mainstream. Extraordinarily and fairly uniquely, Shame boast one of the most impressive lists of acts who have supported them, and gone on to huge success: Fontaines DC, Wet Leg, English Teacher and The Murder Capital to name just a few. Their influence on this era of guitar music is as mammoth as it is under-appreciated.

Despite this, In an emotional Instagram post caption, the band explained why they are still going after years in the game: “We did it because it’s what we love. Even after all these years knowing each other it’s still the only thing that makes sense.”

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But maybe this will be the one, Shame have been making very good music for a very long time, perhaps all it needed was a shine of polish and a hint of optimism.

Shame will take the album on tour around the UK and Europe later this month, starting in Paris and ending with a curtain call in London at the end of November.

Tickets can be found here.

“Shame” is out 10/10.

Pre-save it here: https://t.co/hWgTWQeBeF pic.twitter.com/raTupS98Ea

— Lauren Mayberry (@laurenevemay) October 4, 2023

Mayberry announced initial details of her solo project back in July, promising that it would be an eclectic mix of emotions and musical styles. Now, Mayberry has had the chance to introduce fans to her new material after completing a tour in the United States, before hitting the road again in the UK and Europe.

Speaking to NME about taking the leap into the uncertain and often times nerve-wracking solo world, Mayberry said, “there’s always nervousness. For any front-person in a band, but especially a woman, as soon as you say the words ‘solo material’ people get very upset with you. I feel like every second sentence is, ‘I’m not breaking up the band, guys, however…’ But we’re lucky enough to have fans that care so much that they don’t want it to break up. I feel grateful, but I’m trying to be reassuring to them – ‘just give us a couple more years guys, it’s going to be fine’.”

Mayberry has stated that bringing her ideas and concepts to life as a solo artist has allowed her to explore female specific experiences that may not have been easy or a right fit for Chvrches. Sharing an artistic direction with two men in the band, Mayberry worried that her unique perspective on themes or directions would not necessarily resonate with them.

She added, “there are a lot of specific things about the female experience that won’t apply to Iain and Martin. Obviously they have been very supportive of some of that making its way into Chvrches’ music, but sometimes I don’t want to sing about certain things or perform in a certain way when I’m on stage with men – if that doesn’t sound terrible. They’re the nicest men, but sometimes it’s not a conversation that I’m comfortable having fully in that context.”

So far, Mayberry has been buoyed by the response that her new material has received from live audiences and, as her UK and European leg gets underway, she is hoping that the new songs continue to ring true for her scores of fans spread across the continent. As for Chvrches, the band is set to release a 10th anniversary edition of The Bones Of What You Believe later this month, although any imminent projects are not foreseen by Mayberry at this time.

Lauren Mayberry Tour:

06/10/2023 – )2 Institute 3 – Birmingham
08/10 – Gorilla – Manchester
09/10 – Scala – London
11/10 – Melkweg Oz – Amsterdam, Netherlands
12/10 – Lido – Berlin, Germany
13/10 – Strom – Munich, Germany
15/10 – La Maroquinerie – Paris, France
16/10 – Luxor – Cologne, Germany
17/10 – Rock Cafe – Prague, Czech Republic
19/10 – Flex – Vienna, Austria
21/10 – Bogen F – Zurich, Switzerland
22/10 – Magnolia – Milan, Italy
24/10 – La Nau – Barcelona, Spain
25/10 – Sala Capernico – Madrid, Spain

The UK shows are set to take place across June of 2024, with them visiting London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Cardiff along the way.

The band took to Twitter to share a promotional tour video to get the UK fans hyped for the shows to come, with tickets already being on sale.

Everything Or Nothing At All Tour Announced in the UK for 2024!

Presale: Begins on Wednesday, 28 June at 9am BST, ends on Thursday, 29 June at 10pm BST

General Onsale: Friday, 30 June at 9am BST

See all upcoming shows here: https://t.co/00T9ExQAnu pic.twitter.com/Iqo6aVixa6

— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) June 27, 2023

This tour follows their explosive Glastonbury performance which was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews. In a set that the Guardian declared “recaptured their very essence,” frontman Dave Grohl promised to return to the UK, and as highlighted in a tour press release, he is “making good” on this promise. Though Grohl may have humbly travelled to Glastonbury by train, his performance solidified him as the star that he is.

Taking to Twitter once again, the Foo Fighters shared another UK tour-related video with the message “We’re coming back next year for a whole fucking tour so you can come back and see us then.”  

Stay tuned… pic.twitter.com/NX8XDSEqrE — Foo Fighters (@foofighters) June 26, 2023

The Everything or Nothing at All tour will see the band’s longest stretch in the UK since the release of their eleventh studio album in June 2023, But Here We Are. Met with critical aclaim, But Here We Are was their first album release since the death of their longtime drummer, Taylor Hawkins.

The support acts for the tour have already been announced, with the Foo Fighters being joined by Wet Leg, Hot Milk, Courtney Barnett, Honeyblood and Shame.

Full tour details were shared on the band’s Twitter, and can also be found below:

Everything Or Nothing At All Tour:

13 June 2024
Emirates Old Trafford
Manchester, UK
With Wet Leg and Loose Articleshttps://t.co/NFF8pXvEkF

17 June 2024
Hampden Park
Glasgow, UK
With Courtney Barnett and Honeybloodhttps://t.co/JBmIBv0vd4

20 June 2024
London Stadium
London,… pic.twitter.com/qyWYyu3c3U

— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) June 27, 2023

Purchase tickets for the 2024 UK Everything or Nothing at All tour here.

13/06/2024 – Emirates Old Trafford Stadium – Manchester
17/06/2024 – Hampden Stadium – Glasgow
20/06/2024 – London Stadium – London
22/06/2024 – London Stadium – London
25/06/2024 – Principality Stadium – Cardiff
27/06/2024 – Villa Park Stadium – Birmingham

Stream But Here We Are here:

Shame singer Charlie Steen said in a statement, according to NME: “It’s another Christmas classic…It’s about a period of time in which I’d regularly be trekking up to the streets of Edinburgh to see an ex-partner… These are some of the thoughts I’d have when I’d be leaving Waverley station, en route back to London in the winter nights.”

Deviating slightly from the sound that the band presented on their recent, critically acclaimed full-length album Drunk Tank Pink, the song makes heavy use of acoustic guitars, a melancholic, lo-fi synthesiser and restrained vocals. As described by Steen, the lyrics of the song centre around thoughts surrounding a romantic relationship, though none are presented in the same tender, syrupy way that other festive tunes might approach the subject, with lyrics such as: “If I could rip off all your skin, and parcel it inside a tin, I’d write your name in biro, on the ribbons like decorations”.

The song is not the only Christmas track that Shame have put out, as back in 2018, the group released a rendition of the José Feliciano’s classic “Feliz Navidad”, maintaining the jovial energy of the original but undeniably injecting some of their own raucous style into it, and also making surprising use of an autotune effect on the lead vocal.

As previously mentioned, Shame’s recent full-length album Drunk Tank Pink has made its way to a lot of top albums lists this year with its grit and aggression. In a glowing Allmusic review, writer Heather Phares wrote: “Shame sound unstoppable on “Drunk Tank Pink”, yet they also find new ways to channel that energy.” You can read the full review here. The album can be found on all streaming services, and physical media can be found here. 

In other news regarding Shame, the band will be embarking on a North American tour in February 2022, with dates in British Columbia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin and New York City. Come April, the band will be embarking on a European tour, with visits to France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Norway, to name just a few countries. Shame presently have two UK shows lined up for 2022, at London Stadium and the Truck Festival in Steventon, UK. Tickets for Shame’s upcoming shows can be found here.

The band took to Instagram to share the news, posting: “shame don’t cancel shows baby. Fill your veins with the good juice, cleanse your soul of scepticism and get some tickets for live music. Most dates sold out, original tickets still valid or you can get a refund at point of purchase, handful of tickets now available for a couple of dates.. Expect only the best.”

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Shame have already released the news that they will be touring the Europe in October and November 2021, and playing further dates in the UK in November 2021. These shows are planned to be played with venues at full capacity. The European leg of the tour will stop in countries such as Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and France.

Shame is formed of lead singer Charlie Steen, guitarist Eddie Green, drummer Charlie Forbes, bassist Josh Finerty, and guitarist Sean Coyle-Smith. The band started whilst the members were still at school, and they released their debut album Songs of Praise in 2018. NME gave the LP five stars, writing: “This is a band with a real sense of showmanship, as those who have witnessed Shame’s sweat-slicked live shows will know. It’s this that makes ‘Songs Of Praise’ utterly invigorating.”

Their second album Drunk Tank Pink was released in January 2021. This month the group released a documentary named Shame – Live in the Flesh. They will also be playing at BBC Radio 6 Music Festival, which will take place on 26th-28th March 2021.

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The album, featuring singles ‘Snow Day’, ‘Nigel Hitter’ and ‘Water in the Well’, marks a subtle evolution from their irate debut, 2018’s ‘Songs of Praise’, delving further into the murky abyss of punk discordance; where dewey-eyed pop melody is shown the harsh realities of human life, and the innocence is lost forever. Having said that, this album is laced with knives of brighter tone, featuring Talking Heads-style bounciness on ‘Nigel Hitter’ and early New Order momentum on ‘Snow Day’. The anger is often traded for facetiousness, exploring a darker context of combatting post-tour ennui.

Having completed production at the start of last year – with the hand of Arctic Monkeys producer James Ford holding the tiller at La Frette studios in Paris – ‘Drunk Tank Pink’ was primed, set and ready to unload both barrels of punk rage on 2020 with consummate speed and ferocity. However, like so many other albums of the last 12 months, the new Shame record was stung by the implications of the coronavirus, and delayed indefinitely.

“If you told us when we were recording [the album], that it was going to be a year until it was out, I would’ve cried,” drummer Charlie Forbes told NME. “It felt like we were on the final stretch. Everything we were planning to do this year just got pulled. This one massive thing that you were really looking forward to is not even happening this year, and it’s like…It was frustrating for all of us, but I think it’s going to pay off now.”

The name ‘Drunk Tank Pink’ derives from a shade of paint formerly blazoned across the walls of prison cells, psychiatric wards and indeed drunk tanks – designed to pacify the rampageous individual dwelling within. As a name, it isn’t a particularly true reflection of this album’s character, but instead holds deeper meaning to this particular group. “In my room, in my womb, is the only place I find peace,” bellows lead singer Charlie Steen on ‘March Day’. He refers to his bedroom in New Cross – a nursing home laundry room, drenched in the colour and nicknamed ‘the womb’ – where most of Drunk Tank Pink’s lyrical content was written. By his own admission, the renovation of his room was for the sake of cooling his own post-tour restlessness, the colour ‘Drunk Tank Pink’ serving to provide the same effect as it might in one of the aforementioned institutions. “That project was fucking great for me,” he told NME. “It gave my mind something to do.”

Find the full track-list of Drunk Tank Pink below:

1. Alphabet
2. Nigel Hitter
3. Born in Luton
4. March Day
5. Water in the Well
6. Snow Day
7. Human, for a minute
8. Great Dog
9. 6/1
10. Harsh Degreees
11. Station Wagon

Water in the Well is the latest offering from the immensely anticipated Drunk Tank Pink, Shames’ next album. Shame have also shared the high energy Alphabet, another song released in the wake of  Drunk Tank Pink, and the album’s confirmed opening track. 

Water in the Well is unmistakably Shame. The riotous guitar, hard, strong percussion, and headbanging chorus reward all the key ingredients for a smash hit Shame song. One listen and you cannot deny: Water in the Well is the music of modern rockstars, a reputation that rock band Shame is getting closer to year by year. 

Shame premiered a music video in tandem with the release of Water in the Well. The Angie rockers shared Water in the Well to their official YouTube channel earlier, the video in question gathering over 4000 views in a few short hours. 

Directed by cinematographer Pedro Takahashi, the video features a series of grainy-looking home videos of the band. From Charlie Steen flicking between green fields and rainy streets, to the group pushing a broken down car, to some bizarre shots of old school computers through the ages, the music video to Water in the Well is as bizarre and compelling as the track itself. The visualizer to Water in the Well can be watched here. 

Shame also took to Instagram to announce Water in the Well to their devoted fans. Sharing a clip of Takahashi’s music video, the band confirmed in the caption that Water in the Well is “Number 1 in the charts currently.” 

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Shame start Water in the Well with a few short bars of manic percussion, and frontman Charlie Steen belts the song’s opening words with not a moment’s hesitation. Steen sings the devilish lyrics: “There’s something, in the hills/I feel it linger and I’ve seen it kill.”

Steen continues, singing: “There’s water in the well/ I see it float on, float on, float on for you/Tried to call you late last night/I heard you shiver/I gave you a fright”. Steen’s mighty roar parallels the croons of punk legends that inspired the very band we know and love today. 

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The high energy chorus paired with the raucous electric guitars and aggressive percussion knocks your socks off. Brooding and biting, Water in the Well has only increased fans’ anticipation for Drunk Tank Pink. 

Luckily, Shame have already established the release date of their new extended play. Drunk Tank Pink will arrive early next year, on January 15th, via their label Dead Oceans records.

Water in the Well is out now. Drunk in the Tank will be made up of eleven tracks, including both Water in the Well and Alphabet. The full tracklist for Drunk Tank Pink will go as follows:

1. Alphabet
2. Nigel Hitter
3. Born in Luton
4. March Day
5. Water in the Well
6. Snow Day
7. Human, for a Minute
8. Great Dog
9. 6/1
10. Harsh Degrees
11. Station Wagon

Shame played BiL live from Electric Brixton, one of London’s token live music venues. Ja Humbly, also known as his alias, Molten Jets, directed the live video, which is said to be the first teaser of Shames’ upcoming Shame live session film. 

Molton Jets shared the live video of BiL directly to his YouTube channel today. Gathering over 4700 views, the live version of BiL can be watched here.

The track opens with a defiant, repetitive percussive beat, setting a riotous tone to the song. With no time to waste, Shame play a jagged riff on the electric guitar, building the anticipation, before taking BiL down a notch to a low tempo transition led by lead vocalist Charlie Steen. 

Steen’s raw vocals encapsulate a person lost and confused. Steen croons the forlorn lyrics, seemingly singing to a lost love: “I’ve been waiting outside for all of my life, And now I’ve got to the door there’s no one inside, When are you coming back?”

This theme continues throughout the song. Steen questions the unknown persona, singing “When are you coming home? I’ve been kicking the curb, I’ve been chipping the stone.”

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BiL, live from Electric Brixton. Our newest offering into the world is available now via link in bio. Thanks to @molten_jets for providing the vibes, to @makeness_ and Kai AH for giving the goods and to the venue for allowing us to perform on stage again.

A post shared by shame (@shame) on Oct 29, 2020 at 5:05am PDT

Shame took to Instagram today to ring in the release of BiL. The South London group shared a snippet of their live performance, announcing the new track’s arrival in the caption: “BiL, live from Electric Brixton. Our newest offering into the world is available now via link in bio.” The post, which has already received over 6000 likes, elicited an excited reaction from fans. One overjoyed fan wrote: “Wow! I am in love with this tune already!” 

Thankfully, BiL will not be a standalone single from the band, because Shame has confirmed that there will be a live session film recorded entirely from Electric Brixton. The release date of the live session film remains unconfirmed, and fans can only hope it comes out sooner rather than later. 

Meanwhile, Shame are set to return to the Electric Brixton in April 2021. Naturally, the upcoming show is already sold out.

According to Hannah Overton from the Secret Group, a record label that manages the band, said fans can expect a new Shame album in 2021. In an interview with Music Week in August, Overton relayed Shames’ eagerness to put out new material.

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BiL 29/10/20

A post shared by shame (@shame) on Oct 28, 2020 at 11:15am PDT

Overton declared that “We’re really excited to be able to put out new music from them, and they’ve been working really hard on an album.” Overton also relayed that the coronavirus pandemic “has been difficult for Shame” who take great joy in playing insane shows. 

Overton said that “Lockdown has been difficult for them because obviously they’re a brilliant live band and should have been playing this summer. I really hope they will be able to play some live shows, if not towards the end of this year then definitely next year. There will be more music coming from them really soon.”

Alternative rock band Shame consists of Charlie Forbes, Eddie Green, Charlie Steen Sean Coyle-Smith, and James Finerty. Songs of Praise, their showstopping debut album, came out in 2018.

BiL is out now.

In response to a question on whether self-employed musicians and those working in the creative sector should find new employment as a consequence of the pandemic, the Chancellor said “I can’t pretend that everyone can do exactly the same job that they were doing at the beginning of this crisis. That’s why we’ve put a lot of resource into trying to create new opportunities.”

What’s Rishi Sunak’s message to musicians, actors, freelancers in the arts who don’t feel govt is supporting them? Should they get a different job?

The Chancellor told me it’s “not right that there’s no work available…and everyone is having to adapt.” @ITVNewsPoliticspic.twitter.com/ewrQixpAne

— Daniel Hewitt (@DanielHewittITV) October 6, 2020

The comments prompted a backlash from a host of acts, who emphasised the importance of the music sector and wider creative industries to the UK economy. Folk-pop troubadour Damon Gough (aka Badly Drawn Boy) accused the Government of having ‘given up‘ on musicians. Derbyshire rock three-piece Drenge highlighted the importance of the sector to the UK economy, a theme also picked up by alt-rockers Shame, Blur drummer Dave Rowntree and X Factor alumna Diana Vickers.

To give up on Music, Art, Film, Theatre, all other art forms which celebrate the Human Spirit.. is to give up on Life itself Mr. Sunak !

— Badly Drawn Boy (@badly_drawn_boy) October 6, 2020

The live music industry brings in £5.2 billion a year, with nearly 200,000 jobs according this report published… last November.
What training has Sunak had?https://t.co/O5LJHUUuVj

— drenge (@drenge) October 6, 2020

Northern Irish indie-rock stalwarts Ash were also keen to emphasise the jobs the music industry supports off-stage.

Not just musicians though is it? It’s our technicians, our engineers, our management, our agent, our promoter. It’s the venues, their staff, the production companies, transport, storage. It’s roughly one million people you’re throwing on the job market.

— ASH (@ashofficial) October 6, 2020

Lily Allen delivered a more tongue-in-cheek response to the Chancellor’s comments, joking that she would now “get implants and join OnlyFans“.

Rishi Sunak took to Twitter to respond to some of the criticism, saying “I care deeply about the arts which is why our £1.57bn culture package is one of the most generous in the world.” In a separate ITV News interview, Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner said that the Chancellor should be working with businesses which would be viable if not for the pandemic.The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s comments coincided with a rally in Parliament Square in support of creative industry freelancers. The demonstration was organised by Let Music Live and spearheaded by Electric Light Orchestra musician Jess Murphy.

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Excellent placards at today’s demonstration #letmusiclive

A post shared by Let Music Live (@letmusicliveuk) on Oct 6, 2020 at 8:23am PDT

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Many years we have toiled. Brutal winters and fearsome summers have passed. But on this day, this great day, we finally bestow onto you our new single. Alphabet is now out on all platforms, produced by James Ford, with video directed by the indomitable Tegen Williams. Link in bio. We’ll also be “playing” a “show” at Brixton Electric on 22nd of April 2021. Sign up to our totally virus free mailing list by next Wednesday at 10am to access presale tickets to this show and more. General tickets on sale Friday 18th September. More announcements to follow…

A post shared by shame (@shame) on Sep 10, 2020 at 10:11am PDT

Alphabet is the bands first new content since they covered the B-52’s Rock Lobster for Spotify Single back in 2018. They have been riding off the back of the success of their 2018 debut LP Songs of Praise, and quite rightly so. The album was a 10 track amalgamation of the old and new, obviously influenced by bands like The Fall and their contemporaries Fat White Family but with a humour and intelligence unique to them.

Stand out track One Rizla, previously released as a single in 2017, is a catchy tune with guitar licks as slick as the sweat on the band-members foreheads during live performances. Frontman Charlie Steen shouts down the mic ‘My voice ain’t the best you’ve heard// And you can choose to hate my words// But do I give a fuck’.

The anarchic sentiment expressed here is nothing new, we’ve heard it from The Clash, The Sex Pistols, and more recently bands like Fontaines D.C. and Warmduscher; but the lyrical wit of Shame sets them apart from the rest. On 2017 single Visa Vulture the band deliver an ironic ode to Theresa May with weepy sounding guitars and a slow rhythm reminiscent of an Elvis love song. This track actually got them a shout out from The Sun, who criticised them for ‘crudely insulting the PM’.

Also, Charlie Steen’s voice is actually pretty good. You can hear the softness in it on the last track of the debut EP: Angie. Angie is a romantic song filled with melodic guitar riffs. It is more U2 than the Ramones, showing the versatility of the band.

Their new song Alphabet is worth the wait, with angry guitar licks and fast percussion Shame remind us who they are and why we love them. ‘What you see is what you get’ shouts Charlie Steen, who actually features in the video along with the other band members.

The video was directed by Tegan Williams, who also directs music videos for West London band Babeheaven’s dreamy tunes. Inspired by ‘a series of surreal dreams’ that Steen had while writing the song, it is arresting and unforgettable; like the band itself.