Yes! Exciting breaking news: The latest news is that BBC Radio 2 is to broadcast the Squeeze concert live from Newcastle City Hall on 25/11/2010.
When Squeeze’s 22 date ‘Spot The Difference’ tour stops in Newcastle on 25th November, the evening will take a slightly different format. BBC Radio 2 will be broadcasting the Squeeze concert live-to-air within their weekly live music programme ‘In Concert’ from 8-10pm. In the first hour of the show, presenter Jo Whiley will be interviewing the band, including founder members Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford, before introducing them onto the stage at the Newcastle City Hall at 9pm. Plus there will be a round-up of all the live music on Radio 2 over the past week; the latest ticket news in this week’s Gig Guide and the best in live music in the Support Slot.
Jeff Smith, Head of Music for Radio 2, says: “Squeeze are one of the UK’s all time great bands and Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford two of the country’s finest songwriters. With the band on the road again, Radio 2 In Concert could not miss the opportunity to broadcast the show live as it happens with all the atmosphere from the legendary venue, Newcastle City Hall.”
Talking about the gig, Radio 2 In Concert presenter Jo Whiley says: “Squeeze is a band I grew up listening to and loved with a passion. I remember going to the first of their farewell gigs and being gutted they were calling it a day so I’m delighted they’re still going strong and looking forward enormously to their In Concert in Newcastle!”
The concert is part of Squeeze’s biggest UK tour for more than 10 years which kicks off in Bournemouth on 14th November and concludes when they return to their hometown to play three separate London venues in four days in December.
On October 11th Squeeze released ‘Spot The Difference’ a collection of 14 of their best-loved hits, re-recorded by the band as faithfully to the original versions as possible (whilst challenging their fans to spot the difference!) The result is no mere set of re-masters, more an affirmation that Squeeze are the masters of accessible guitar-pop. Additionally the album comes with a second bonus CD, a live recording of the band’s superb recent set at the illustrious Fillmore.
A massive influence on the likes of Lily Allen, Mark Ronson, The Feeling, Broken Bells and Andy Burrows (Razorlight, I Am Arrows), Squeeze are refreshed and renewed and very much a contemporary band who are constantly looking to the future – a recent US TV performance of ‘Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)’ on ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’ saw the keyboard solo played on an Apple iPad! On top of this, Glenn and Chris have put their Ivor Novello winning partnership back into gear setting aside time early next year to start writing the first new Squeeze material in over a decade.
Releasing their first EP – the cheekily titled ‘Packet Of Three’ – in 1977, Squeeze shot to fame thanks to the pithy ‘kitchen-sink’ lyrics and new wave guitar music that have since become their trademark. Having numbered Jools Holland and Paul Carrack within their ranks, and working with the likes of Elvis Costello and Velvet Underground’s John Cale, Squeeze became a fixture of the UK’s music scene over the course of their 13-album career, before splitting in 1998.
Despite tentatively reforming in 2007, Squeeze have so far refused to tread the well-worn reunion path by trading on their past glories, which have included hit singles on both sides of the Atlantic such as Cool For Cats, Tempted, Hourglass and Up The Junction. Instead they have gradually been re-establishing the informal live show that made them such favourites in the first place, their festival appearances and gigs to date honing the chemistry that saw co-founders and ever-presents Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook dubbed ‘The New Lennon and McCartney’.
They are joined on this tour by fellow Squeeze favourite John Bentley, with the line-up completed by Glenn’s solo bandmate Simon Hanson on drums. Although Stephen Large has toured with the band since 2007 – notably playing the keyboard solo for ‘Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)’ on an iPad on a recent US TV performance – he is now taking a sabbatical to be MD for Duffy’s band. So Squeeze are proud to welcome their old friend Steve Nieve back into the fold. As well as appearing on several Squeeze albums, he was formerly a long time member of Elvis Costello’s band The Attractions, and is already a key part of Squeeze’s most able line up yet – Glenn commented “we now welcome with open arms and baited breath the incredibly talented Steve Nieve, who joins a long list of pianists that have joined Squeeze for a second time. Both I and my colleagues in Squeeze are dead chuffed.”
This set of dates will cap an exhilarating 2010 for the Squeeze boys. In March they had the site of their first ever gig in Greenwich commemorated by a PRS for Music Heritage Award, one of only a few bands to receive this honour alongside Blur and Dire Straits, and in October they were awarded with the PPL / Radio Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, joining the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Gary Barlow and Trevor Horn. Meanwhile the summer found them playing to their fans in the USA – Squeeze having long made a mockery of the belief that English bands cannot travel across the pond. Both continue to gig separately as well. Glenn is currently working on his fourth solo record with old friends Nine Below Zero, while Chris has also been busy with his new album ‘Cashmere If You Can’, which saw a release this summer through the innovative new Saturday Morning Music Club label.
Glenn Tilbrook continues to be involved with the Love Hope Strength Foundation, and this year trekked to the summit of Mount Fuji, following previous expeditions to the top of Kilimanjaro and Base Camp at Everest. LHS will have a stand at each of Squeeze’s shows to spread information on the music-centric charity’s work fighting cancer.
