| NEW ALBUM, THE WILL TO LIVE, OUT NOW ON MERGE RECORDS Having released one of the year’s most celebrated rock albums and dazzled ecstatic fans across America and beyond, Titus Andronicus have much to celebrate. Today, they are cranking up the festive mood yet another notch with the release of their first-ever standalone holiday single, ‘Drummer Boy‘, and the sharing of plans to ring in the new year with additional tour dates across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. ‘Drummer Boy’ takes the music of Billy Joel‘s evergreen anthem ‘Piano Man‘ and uses it to tell the story of the nativity from the perspective of ‘The Little Drummer Boy’, made famous in the 1958 Christmas classic of the same name by the Harry Simeone Chorale. The result is an instantly memorable new addition to the winter holiday canon, sure to please not only fans of Titus Andronicus and Billy Joel, but also “Weird Al” Yankovic and even the Peanuts gang, as bassist R.J. Gordon recites the passage from The Gospel of Luke which was immortalized by Linus in A Charlie Brown Christmas to stirring effect. “I first connected the dots between the great Billy Joel song and the beloved Christmas standard several years ago, but it got tossed onto the pile with so many of my other crazy ideas,” singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles explains. “Things being how they are, though, I may not have the luxury of time to execute all those crazy ideas, so when we had two days off in Montreal on our recent tour, we figured we’d grab the reindeer by the antlers and cross this one off the list, so as to avoid the pain of eternal regret. Also, I’ve noticed a lot of discourse recently about what constitutes a legitimate ‘parody’, and I’d like to get a piece of that action.” Watch the lyric video for ‘Drummer Boy’ here: https://youtu.be/0Gy6WyZQBtI To create this sterling new addition to the Christmas canon, Titus Andronicus reunited with The Will to Live producer Howard Bilerman at his Hotel 2 Tango recording studio in Montreal, QC, adding a dash of jingling cheer to the “Ultimate Rock” sound which earned The Will to Live such acclaim. Also contributing to the wholesome fun are members of the Canadian rock band Partner, as well as once-and-future Titus Andronicus tour companions Country Westerns. To make things even cosier, ‘Drummer Boy’ comes packaged in an official lyric video that doubles as a “fireplace for the home,” ensuring that no listener will go without a proper hearth this holiday. The celebration does not end once the wrapping paper and pine needles are swept away, however, as Titus Andronicus will resume their rigorous touring schedule in February, undertaking an already-announced run of concerts in the UK and Ireland (beginning February 2nd in Limerick), and a brand new heap of North American concert appearances which will carry the Rock Fan’s Rock Band from sea to shining sea (beginning February 28th in Pittsburgh). Tickets for all these dates will go on sale Friday, November 18th at 10:00 AM (local time). Concert tickets are the perfect gift for the Titus Andronicus fan in yr life, but if you are feeling particularly generous, there are plenty more options to be found at Merge Records or the official Titus Andronicus internet store. ‘Drummer Boy’ single art – credit: Howard Bilerman (click for hi-res) Titus Andronicus – The Will to Live // Merge Records – Out Now |
| 1. My Mother is Going to Kill Me 2. (I’m) Screwed 3. I Can Not Be Satisfied 4. Bridge and Tunnel 5. Grey Goo 6. Dead Meat 7. An Anomaly 8. Give Me Grief 9. Baby Crazy 10. All Through the Night 11. We’re Coming Back 12. 69 Stones (click album art for hi-res) |
| 2023 UK + IE Tour Dates: Feb 3rd | Limerick, IE – Pharmacia Feb 4th | Dublin, IE – The Grand Social Feb 7th | Edinburgh, UK – The Mash House Feb 8th | Glasgow, UK – Broadcast Feb 9th | Manchester, UK – YES (Pink Room) Feb 10th | Leeds, UK – Belgrave Music Hall Feb 11th | Sunderland, UK – Pop Recs Feb 13th | Nottingham, UK – Bodega Feb 14th | Birmingham, UK – Hare & Hounds Feb 15th | Cardiff, UK – Clwb Ifor Bach Feb 16th | Brighton, UK – The Hope and Ruin Feb 17th | London, UK – Moth Club Feb 18th | London, UK – Moth Club Praise for The Will to Live: “Robust, pained, and glorious.” – Vulture “A rollicking good time and their best record in years.” – Pitchfork “The message is heavy but the music is tremendous fun: singalong choruses, prog rock posturing and lyrical rampages.” – Uncut “Lyrically rich with a kind of punk transcendentalism… it’s up there with Titus’ mightiest efforts.” – Rolling Stone “The Will to Live still finds the bandleader Patrick Stickles howling out big questions.” – The New York Times “As glorious and life-affirming as rock music gets.” – AV Club “The Will to Live is Titus Andronicus firing on all cylinders and delivering meaty rock riffs in generous quantities.” – FLOOD Magazine “The Will To Live wastes no time getting in your face with a grandiose array of heavy and emphatic instrumentals, which only amplify the thought-provoking and poignant songwriting.” – Consequence “Warm, yet raucous rock that straddles the border between accessible and elaborate.” – Paste Magazine “The Will To Live is full of epic indie rock indebted to Springsteen and Built To Spill with finely detailed lyrics covering from the domestic to the cosmic.” – The FADER “The Will to Live manages to be both rambunctious and reflective, resulting in a hearty, heady feast of rock n’ roll.” – Under The Radar |
@thebristolnomad / @bristolnomad_gigphotography
Role: Photographer / Reviewer / Interviewer
Chief, the one that bugs the team for team for their reviews and images. Creator and founder of The Bristol Gig Guide. Can usually be found swamped in admin or getting cramp kneeling at the front of a gig.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Gig Reviews, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots, Videography work, Interviews and Touring
First attended gig: Republica, circa 1996.
First gig shot: Hands Off Gretel, at The Louisiana!
Dream gig: Huge metalhead and my ultimate dream gig would be shooting my heroes Slipknot at a huge stadium gig, or as festival headliners. And to experience shooting a headline tour outside the UK
