Squeeze album news

Squeeze songwriters Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook reveal 'Trixies,' their first album in eight years, due on March 6 via BMG. It is also the first album they ever wrote. 

Written by the teenage Difford (19) and Tilbrook (16) at the very start of their songwriting partnership, when concept albums and rock operas were de rigueur and with the snappy underworld vernacular of New York fabulist Damon Runyon filling Difford’s thoughts, the songs are a collection of stories set in a fictional night club, Trixies.

The only problem with these songs was that, back in 1974, the musical vision of the young creators exceeded their virtuosity. “We fully committed ourselves to songwriting but this was three or four years before we even got to make our first record. Long story short, these were songs that we just didn’t have enough musical experience to record properly” explains Difford.

Fifty years on, and having rediscovered the original cassette, that problem no longer exists for the band who have played more than 600 shows since reuniting in 2007. So, what better way to mark 50 years of Squeeze than to complete the circle and realize the vision they had for Trixies? “The songs that we wrote then astound me. I’m proud of them now, and I’m particularly proud that it was young us that did that. These are very much the same songs that we wrote then,” says Tilbrook, “The only difference is that now I can teach the songs to the rest of the band. Back then, I didn’t even know what the names of the chords were!”

Now this precocious opening volley of songs – under the guiding production hand of Squeeze’s bassist Owen Biddle (The Roots, John Legend, Al Green) – finally gets to enjoy its moment in the spotlight.

And by returning Difford and Tilbrook to the birth of their creative partnership, Trixies has acted as the catalyst to a latter-day songwriting surge. On the heels of Trixies, an album of brand new Squeeze songs – recorded concurrently with Trixies – is finished and set to follow in the future. “The act of revisiting the Trixies songs had me in tears,” smiles Tilbrook, “partly because they’re so good, but also because I’m aware of all the stuff that I’ve still yet to hear and write.” The sentiments are echoed by Difford: “It really fills me with joy that at my age we can discover that we wrote such great songs when we were teenagers. I’m very proud of that.”

The first taste of the record comes in the form of “Trixies Part One,” a sub-3 minute introduction to Trixies, the rhythm of the club and the colorful assortment of characters within.

Squeeze are on tour with Madness in December. See www.squeezeofficial.com for more information.

“Trixies Part One” is available everywhere today.

Trixies album; pre-order HERE. Formats include black vinyl, transparent pink vinyl, transparent red vinyl, CD and deluxe CD. 

Track listing:

What More Can I Say
You Get The Feeling
The Place We Call Mars
Hell On Earth
The Dancer
Good Riddance
Don't Go Out In the Dark
Why Don't You
Anything But Me
It's Over
The Jaguars
Trixies Part One
Trixies Part Two