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The Irish Sun
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Britpop legend reveals band's unreleased new song is a ‘banger' ahead of first album in 12 years
OCEAN Colour Scene are working on new music which could become the band's first album in 12 years, The Sun can exclusively reveal. The popular British band has five top 10 albums to its name but hasn't put out a full length release since 2013's Painting. Advertisement 4 Ocean Colour Scene are working on new music 4 Guitarist Steve Cradock called one new tune a 'banger' That might soon change as frontman Simon Fowler has written three new tracks, one of which guitarist Steve Cradock has branded a "banger". In an exclusive interview with The Sun ahead of their performance at Godiva Festival, Cradock, 55, said: "Simon sent me three tunes, that's what I've heard. I've demoed them up to a point where they sound f**king smart. There's one banger, and there's one interesting one. "I mean, we haven't done a record in like 11 years or something, we've been waiting for Simon to write for a long, long time. "The Beatles wrote together for eight years. That sort of puts it into some kind of funk. From where I sit at the moment, it would be fun for us all to do it, I think." Advertisement READ MORE ON BRITPOP The group's back catalogue includes singles The Day We Caught The Train and The Riverboat Song, both of which are currently getting play time during festival season. Having released 10 albums to date, Cradock is content playing Ocean Colour Scene's hits, of which there are many - 17 top 40 singles to be precise. "I don't think it would make a difference to gigs, if I'm honest," he says of a new record. "Because we've kind of got what we are through all the albums that we did back in the day. And when we play festivals, we play the main singles that people know, obviously. "I don't see the point in being self-absorbed when you're doing festivals. You've just got to play the songs that people hopefully will know. And leave it at that. Advertisement Most read in Music Latest "It's different for your own gigs. There's many tunes that we can unearth. I think that those sort of fans would find it interesting." While he wouldn't be drawn on a timescale for a new album, Cradock says the creative process could be very quick if material is right. Paul Weller - Wildwood "If the songs are there, it wouldn't take me long at all to produce it and to get it out." Away from Ocean Colour Scene, Cradock plays guitar for Advertisement Last year's 66 featured in numerous best of 2024 lists and will be followed this July by the Modfather's covers album, Finding El Dorado, featuring the likes of Robert Plant and Noel Gallagher. "It's beautiful, because you can see what a creative force Paul Weller is," he says. "That's just what he does, and he's a force of nature, and he's a force of melody. When you're in the studio, you see things happen just like that, in the instant, the second. And then, by the end of the day, something's happened. "There's not many days that I've seen where people got that disappointed. To be around that creative process is great." Advertisement 4 Cradock's produced Paul Weller's upcoming covers album Credit: Getty 4 Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant contributed to the record Credit: Getty Weller didn't hang around, laying it down in just 10 days, and there were no egos in the studio despite the calibre of musicians involved. Led Zeppelin frontman Plant turned up ready and willing to work like a regular session musician. Advertisement "He was prepared for it, like a working musician, not a rock god," says Cradock. "He was humbling and he played some beautiful harp. Then we asked if he would sing and he sang and it was just like, 'wow'." Mod fan Cradock rejoiced in hearing Plant's tales from his days before superstardom, particularly how he played a role in a notorious battle between two subcultures on the south coast. "He told me he left the Black Country in '64 on his hand-painted Lambretta, went down to Hastings and got involved in the mods and rockers fight and then drove back on his Lambretta. Advertisement "It blew my mind the fact that you've got this sort of rock icon who was originally a mod fighting the rockers. "He was a gentleman and he's a great singer and he's really tuned in to what's happening in that moment you know, a true professional, a G. He's a f***ing G." Music fans can hear Plant do his thing when the record is released on July 25. Godiva Festival takes place at Coventry's War Memorial Park July 4-6 Advertisement
Scottish Sun
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Oasis, Pulp & Suede are all playing huge tours – we can ride the Britpop wave too
They had three top five albums and a legendary run of nine successive top 20 singles RETRO SCENE Oasis, Pulp & Suede are all playing huge tours – we can ride the Britpop wave too Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OCEAN Colour Scene hope to ride a BritPop wave spurred on by this summer's Oasis reunion. The 90s rockers shot to fame with huge anthems such as The Riverboat Song and Traveller's Tune in their heyday. 3 Ocean Colour Scene will play in Glasgow later this month 3 The group in their 90s heyday 3 They supported Oasis at Knebworth They famously supported Liam and Noel at their massive Loch Lomond and Knebworth shows nearly 30 years ago. Although this time they won't be warming up for the warring brothers' comeback - as they have their own headline gig at Glasgow's Queens Park later this month. Guitarist Steve Cradock, 55, said: 'We're from a generation that grew up listening to records. That era is still well-loved and it was a great time where amazing music came from our shores. 'People get nostalgic about it because it was such a good time.' The group, which also includes frontman Simon Fowler, drummer Oscar Harrison and bass player Raymond Meade, will also perform two big dates at Dundee's Slessor Gardens in July. With three top five albums and a legendary run of nine successive top 20 singles, the band have plenty of material to keep such large crowds happy. But Steve believes it's extra important to impress their Scottish fans - as they are the main reason the band hit the big time. Steve, who also plays guitar for Paul Weller's band, said: 'Scotland feels like our home ground and I think it goes back to around 1996 when we put out our Moseley Shoals album. 'We just released the Riverboat Song, we were on Top of the Pops, and we had eight Scottish gigs and our promoter thought we wouldn't do them. 'But we never cancelled them. That established Scotland as our base and then we had a Stirling Castle date in 1998. Noel Gallagher looks stony-faced as he makes lonely Tube journey to Oasis rehearsals – but Liam's entrance is chaotic 'It's like our hometown. Why that is I don't know. Most bands will say that to you about Scotland. 'But there's something exceptional in the Scottish DNA.' Even after 35 years, Steve reckons the band is still improving. They completed a huge UK tour in April and had so much fun they immediately added many more dates for the summer. As they've got older, the guitarist reckons they've also got smarter. He said: 'We've all got our s*** together so it's been a joy. 'Every show was a dream. The audiences were fantastic and that just keeps happening. The songs keep growing and the crowds keep growing. 'We keep finding new fans. It's a strange one. If you're in a household and your parents are playing our tunes, it'll seep through. 'It's the same with my children and it gets passed down. We've seen the next generation arrive at our shows and that's fantastic.' He added: 'We've got our act together and we're a good band at the moment. 'Raymond, who's from Glasgow, has been our bass player for ten years and my lad is playing piano and guitar and Oscar's son Leon is playing percussion. 'Simon has calmed down too. I spent a week at my home in Devon before this tour and we got together with the band for a couple of days. 'And it comes together really quickly because we're so old now.' The focus now turns to Queens Park later this month as the group continue their love affair here. Although sunshine can't be guaranteed, Steve reckons the future is bright as they get to play the sort of outdoor gig they love most. He said: 'We played Kelvingrove Bandstand last year and that was one of best nights we've had in Glasgow. It was like being in a miniature Hollywood Bowl. 'I love outdoor gigs. Maybe that's because I'm coming off the back of tour indoors. 'But music flows differently playing outdoor gigs. It makes for a different vibration. 'It's just a nice atmosphere, especially when the weather is nice.'
