Listen: WIRE via NPR First Listen
Wire also revealed details of their upcoming DRILL : CHICAGO festival taking place June 11 – 13. Now, nearly forty years into its existence, Wire is breathing new life into small, curated festivals built on artistic kinship across divergent musical styles, influences, and generations. That festival is DRILL.
Named after a single song dissected and rearranged into a full album of divergent pieces, DRILL festivals in LONDON, SEATTLE, and BRIGHTON perfectly captured Wire’s unique, forward-facing approach to making music. 2015 is no different with DRILL : LEXINGTON in April and DRILL : CHICAGO in June. As with the cities that preceded it, DRILL : Chicago will unite a distinct group of artists bonded by mutual admiration to celebrate creative possibilities with one of the most influential rock bands of our time.
Each DRILL : CHICAGO event will feature unique collaborations, including an extended study of “Map Ref. 41°N 93°W” with Chicago Jazz legend Ken Vandermark, and a new version of the continuously mutating song, “Drill,” featuring Grammy winner St. Vincent. The festival will culminate with historic pinkflag guitar orchestra, in which performers, friends, and allies join Wire onstage to play the song “Pink Flag” at full volume. Additional confirmed performers include Nate Wooley, Olivia Block, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Tim Hecker and Disappears. The event will also include in a Sound Opinions Live Taping with Wire. Tickets and additional information can be found at the DRILL : Festival Website.
Right from their inception in 1976, back in the first stirrings of punk, Wire went about making music in a subversive, conceptual way, setting themselves apart from both their peers and their influences.
Their 13th studio album – simply titled WIRE– is comprised of material that was written with the album in mind but had been performed on toured extensively first. Songs that Newman introduced to the group in the studio just prior to recording are also included. The idea was to get the most spontaneous reaction possible from the musicians, and far from the rough and ready results than one might have expected.
WIRE is full of swooning pop melodies with a 60s tinge and an irresistible, near driving rhythmic momentum. One can recognize certain melodic inflections, guitar and bass motifs, and drum rhythms from Wire’s idiosyncratic vocabulary but it has a remarkable freshness.
Big money offers have been made to Wire to become part of the Heritage Rock industry, to get the original line-up back together and play only 70s music. These have all been unequivocally turned down. As fun as that might be, Wire has their eyes set on making new, potent music with the promise of more in the future.
“The point where our personal narratives meet is all about change – moving on and keeping it interesting for ourselves,” says Newman. “We’re in it for the long haul and this is a one-way trip.”
WIRE will be launched by the fourth event in the band’s DRILL series entitled DRILL: LEXINGTON – five nights (14-18 April) at the Lexington in London with Wire headlining, plus a different curated support each night. This will be followed by a UK and US tour. See full dates below.
.
Wire Tour Dates
April 12-13 – UK – BRIGHTON – Prince Albert
April 14-18 – UK – LONDON – DRILL : LEXINGTON (album launch)
April 20 – UK – SOUTHAMPTON – Engine Rooms
April 21 – UK – RAMSGATE – Music Hall
April 22 – UK – NOTTINGHAM – Rescue Rooms
April 23 – UK – LIVERPOOL – Kazimer
April 24 – UK – HEBDEN BRIDGE – Trades Club
April 26 – UK – ABERDEEN – Lemon Tree
April 27- UK – GLASGOW – King Tuts
April 28 – UK – LEEDS – Brudenell Social Club
April 29 – UK – MANCHESTER – Club Academy
April 30 – UK – BRISTOL – Fleece
May 26 – USA – PORTLAND, OR – Dantes
May 27 – USA – SEATTLE, WA – Nuemos
May 29 – USA – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Slim’s
May 30 – USA – LOS ANGELES, CA – The Echoplex
June 02 – USA – CAMBRIDGE, MA – The Sinclair
June 03 – USA – BROOKLYN, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
June 04 – USA – NEW YORK, NY – Bowery Ballroom
June 05 – USA – PHILADELPHIA, PA – Union Transfer
June 06 – USA – WASHINGTON, DC – Black Cat
June 08 – USA – CLEVELAND, OH – Beachland Ballroom
June 09 – USA – DETROIT, MI – Majestic Theatre
June 10 – USA – LOUISVILLE, KY – Headliners
June 11 – 13 – USA – CHICAGO – DRILL : CHICAGO
WIRE Tracklisting
