GOOD GODRICH!

Neil Hannon tells NME.COM signing to a major label has made all the difference to his band...

THE DIVINE COMEDY’s NEIL HANNON has revealed the one important difference between his forthcoming new album ‘REGENERATION’ and all his band’s previous LPs – money.

Speaking exclusively to NME.COM last night (January 22) following a special fanclub performance in Dublin’s Temple Bar Music Centre, Hannon also explained how central Radiohead and Travis producer Nigel Godrich was to the record.

“We’d never have got Nigel Godrich to produce if we were still on an independent label,” he said. “And without Nigel, this album wouldn’t have happened.”

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Of the video for single ‘Love What You Do’, due on February 23, Hannon added, “Having a bigger budget for videos is great. I don’t care what people say about independent videos. They look better the more money you put into them. It’s a simple equation.”

‘Regeneration’, set for release on March 9, is the band’s sixth album, but their first for industry giant Parlophone. The previous five have been released through independent Setanta.

The Dublin show was the band’s third Irish date, following appearances in Derry and Belfast which took place on the two preceding nights. Neil Hannon led the seven-piece band through a set-list which included the entire 11-track album and several old favourites, including ‘National Express’, ‘Becoming More Like Alfie’ and ‘Generation Sex’.

Abandoning his previously foppish image, Hannon took to the stage in a T-shirt and jeans with long, shaggy hair. Hannon also hinted that second single to be lifted from ‘Regeneration’ would be ‘Perfect Lovesong’, introducing the song saying “This is our first Number One – or so we’d like to think.”

The Divine Comedy will embark on a brief UK tour during February. The dates are as follows:

Edinburgh Liquid Rooms (February 14)

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Newcastle Northumbria University (15)

Manchester Hop & Grape (16)

Birmingham Irish Centre (17)

Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms (19)

Bristol New Trinity Centre (20)

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