Endless Arcade was arguably a pivotal moment in the band’s career, being their first LP without co-founding member Gerard Love, who left them in 2018 after their 2016 album Here. Having been bolstered by the addition of Euros Childs (of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci fame), the band seem to be making do without him, but this next album should hopefully ensure their staying power without their teammate of almost thirty years.

“I Left a Light On” and its music video was recorded in Wales’ Rockfield Studios, with Ryan Eddleston helping out with the filming, showing the band performing the track in the studio. Blake said that “I wrote this song on the piano at Rockfield Studios while we were mixing Endless Arcade. We went back there recently to record it. As a band we’ve already started thinking about another new album, this song is the first signpost towards that“.

And it’s not the only good news for the band’s fans. They’re scheduled for a new tour starting tomorrow, taking them all around the UK, Europe and parts of Ireland. Of course, they have to start off near their roots, with a concert at the SWG3 in Glasgow. Tickets can be purchased here and the UK and Ireland tour dates can be seen below.

New song! Tour starts this coming Wednesday at SWG3 in Glasgow! Hoping to see some of you over the next few weeks https://t.co/CRaRQyYLLI

— Norman Blake (@MrNormanBlake1) April 4, 2022

Teenage Fanclub UK and Ireland Tour Dates

06/04/2022 – SWG3 – Glasgow
08/04 –  Leadmill – Sheffield
09/04 – Beckett’s – Leeds
10/04 –  Rock City – Nottingham
12/04 – Institute – Birmingham
13/04 – Waterfront – Norwich
14/04 – Komedia – Bath
16/04 – Chalk – Brighton
17/04 – Wedgewood Rooms – Portsmouth
19/04  – Union Chapel – London
20/04 – Empire Music Hall – Belfast
21/04  – Academy – Dublin

New song ‘The Sun Won’t Shine On Me’ is out today on all digital platforms >>> https://t.co/oQ1ve6PVT5

This is taken from the upcoming new LP, Endless Arcade, released 30th April via PeMa & @mergerecords https://t.co/abr0EXJupm@MrNormanBlake1 @FranMacdonald @ROMBrighton pic.twitter.com/Kd5QCOaa7e

— Teenage Fanclub (@TeenageFanclub) March 15, 2021

Lead vocalist Norman Blake said of the release: “This is something of a rarity for Teenage Fanclub – a song in waltz time!”
Drummer Francis Macdonald took to Twitter to mark the release, posting: “*Hey!* NEW Teenage Fanclub song….” and “One more time for those at the back…”

Fans were quick to express their excitement at the new release.

@HeadRowde posted: “Must be 30 years since I first saw TFC at Reading. Lost the obligatory t-shirt before the weekend was over, but not my love for the band. Still class, and this is lush.”

@mhairi_duncan wrote: “Just beautiful. I just drifted away listening. Good to hear from TFC.”

@dfr10 added: “This is just great. A real Monday morning tonic.”

The sweet-but-sombre single was accompanied by a video. featuring artwork by H. Hawkline and photography by Donald Milne. The video shows a variety of seascapes, but all focus is on the lyrics and searing guitars of the track.

Endless Arcade will be the group’s eleventh studio album. Originally due to be released in October 2020, and then delayed again from 5th March 2021, fans have been kept waiting for the release. This meant that the scheduled tour for the album, due to take place in April 2021, was postponed to September 2021, and April and May 2022.

The Scottish rockers originally formed the band in 1989, and it is made up of Raymond McGinley on lead guitar, Dave McGowan on bass, and Euros Childs of keys, alongside Macdonald and Blake. The group have had five singles in the UK Top 40 chart, and three Top 10 albums.

Home, the lead single from the band’s forthcoming album Endless Arcade, incorporates the melodic guitar sound which first endeared the band to a dedicated cult following in the 1990s. Three members of the original Teenage Fanclub line-up remain in post: singer-guitarists Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley, and drummer Francis MacDonald – who returned to the group in 2000 after an eleven year absence.

The band’s last record, 2016’s Here, became their third to reach the top ten in the official UK Albums Chart. The four years following release have seen the Bellshill outfit undergo some major personnel changes.

Original Fanclub bassist Gerard Love departed the band in 2018, later telling The Scotsman that he had reached the difficult decision to leave in part because of doubts about international touring commitments. In an admirably honest interview, he said “As much as I like touring and being in other countries, it’s the getting there that kills me. I do it when it’s necessary but I’m anxious about flying – once you lose connection with the earth I start to panic.”

Long-term band member Dave McGowan has now taken over bass duties from Love; while there is a new kid on the block in the shape of renowned Welsh musician Euros Childs, formerly the frontman with fellow 1990s’ cult favourites (and former Fanclub touring partners) Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci. Pembrokeshire-born Childs, who had previously collaborated with Norman Blake as part of their two-man side project Jonny, formally joined the band in 2019.

Blake told Bad Feeling Magazine that Childs was a natural fit, saying: (Euros) is kind of like one of the gang, he’s been around the band for years. We’ve toured together, he knows our aesthetic, he’s a really cool guy and easy to get along with. And so we approached Euros and asked if he would be up for playing keyboards, and he said yes. And he’s also a great singer. So it didn’t feel like someone was replacing Gerry (Gerard Love), because Dave (McGowan) was moving around to bass, you know? It kind of softened the blow of that.”

The band’s latest record Endless Arcade hits the shelves on March 5th 2021; having had its original 2020 release date pushed back as a consequence of the pandemic. The celtic five-piece will take the album on the road around the UK and Europe, with the full list of tour dates and tickets available via the Teenage Fanclub website here.

Endless Arcade, the new brand album from Teenage Fanclub, will be released 5th March 2021.

Pre-order over here >>>https://t.co/iA8nINx8sH pic.twitter.com/89SkKFt8GS

— Teenage Fanclub (@TeenageFanclub) November 11, 2020

In a Twitter preview of Endless Arcade, Resident Music hail the record as “Quintessential TFC“; adding that “there’s nothing quite like The Fannies to assuage the mind, body & soul & reaffirm that all’s not lost in the world.” Meanwhile Rough Trade describe it as a “gloriously sweet pop album.”