Happy Mondays to release new record

Shaun Ryder tells NME.COM about 'Fresh' new album

Happy Mondays have announced details of their first album in 15 years.

The band, fresh from their new signing to Sanctuary Records, have been recording brand new material under the production guidance of Howie B and Sonny LevineQuincy Jones’ grandson.

The results of the sessions will be a new single which will be released in June, followed by the new album.

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Speaking about the record exclusively to NME.COM, frontman Shaun Ryder explained: “I’m not the world’s best salesman, me… I’m not a salesman at all. I think it’s a really great album.”

Asked if the band are still sounding as fresh as when they released ‘Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches’, their classic from 1990, Ryder added: “Of course it does. Fresher.”

He was also quick to highlight the work of producer Levine, saying, “Sonny’s great. A brilliant dude. A brilliant person.”

News of new material is in addition to the announcement that Happy Mondays will be playing a host of new dates this year, kicking off with a debut gig at the Coachella festival in California and picking up speed with a series of small shows in the UK in May.

“It’s going to be really weird,” Ryder admitted. “We only just finished touring about fucking six or seven months ago when we got back from Japan.”

The dates are as follows:

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Inverness Ironworks (May 22)

Aberdeen Music Hall (23)

Sheffield Leadmill (25)

Middlesbrough Town Hall (26)

Hull University (27)

Cambridge Junction (29)

Northampton Roadmender (30)

Preston 53 Degrees (31)

Dudley JB’s (June 1)

Manchester Ritz (July 8)

Tickets for the tour go on sale on March 30 at 9.30am. To check availability after then, and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/GIGS.

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