‘The New Age’ is a pounding and energetic gem of a 7″ single from rising British guitar band ‘The Spitfires’. At first listen the band reminds you of The Jam and there are bits of Ska and The Specials in there too, but then you realise it’s much better. It’s fresh and has a young hungry rocking Indie wall of sound power that speaks to the youth and welcomes a new age of British guitar music. As lead vocalist Billy Sullivan sings “You can’t understand the mentality of the new age” it sums up the state of the nation and offers a riotous escape to cool kids. Isn’t that what happened at the birth of punk ?
There are many bands trying to emulate the Mod sound and pretend to be Weller, but it’s been years since a band came along that could not only pull it off but create a new sound that give us hope that great British guitar music will return and in that case we hail The Spitfires as The New Pioneers.
10/10.
HISTORY
The Spitfires are from Watford and are a 4-piece consisting of songwriter Billy Sullivan on lead vocals and guitar, Sam Long on Bass/backing vocals, Matt Johnson on drums and George Moorhouse on keyboards.
The Spitfires take in a wide range of influences from Reggae and Ska through to punk and soul. This melting pot has helped infuse the band’s own sound and style.
The Spitfires have released two albums. ‘Response’ was released in 2015 and ‘A Thousand Times’ in 2016. Both albums peaked at Number 6 in the Independent charts and also dented the national Top 100.
The Spitfires also hit Number 1 in the UK Vinyl Singles Chart with So Long back in April 2016.
The Spitfires work ethic and acute social commentary has made this fiercely independent band one of the most popular underground success stories in the UK today. Their attitude and independent spirit has earned them a dedicated and loyal following across the whole of the UK and Europe.
As well as supporting the likes of The Specials and Paul Weller, the band have also played to vast audiences at The Isle of Wight, Reading and Y Not Festivals over the last couple of summers.
The Spitfires recently made their national TV debut on BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, waking up Sunday morning viewers with a blistering version of ‘Stand Down’.
NEW SINGLE AND TOUR DATES
The Spitfires are now dropping a new 7” single ‘The New Age’ on 13 July 2018 featuring a new track ‘The Bitter End’ as B-Side.
‘The New Age’ is taken off their forthcoming brand new album ‘Year Zero‘, to be released through Hatch Records on 27 July 2018.
Songwriter Billy Sullivan has said about the new single “The New Age for me, captures the band’s live sound. 3 and a half minutes of loud guitars and energy with a sort of ‘back to basics’ approach. The music video was shot one day within the album recording sessions at the studio in Chelmsford”.
The Spitfires will also be embarking on a nationwide UK tour in 2018/19. Tickets will be on sale from Friday 1st June and the full tour dates are as follows:
The Spitfires Tour Dates
Fri 05 Oct – Southend, Chinnerys
Sat 06 Oct – Norwich, Arts Centre
Fri 02 Nov – Dover, Booking Hall
Sat 03 Nov – Brighton, Patterns
Fri 09 Nov – Leamington Spa, Zephyr Lounge
Sat 10 Nov – London, Islington Assembly Hall
Thu 15 Nov – Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
Fri 16 Nov – Glasgow, Broadcast
Sat 17 Nov – Edinburgh, Mash House
Fri 23 Nov – Bristol, Fiddlers
Sat 24 Nov – Exeter, Cavern
Thu 29 Nov – Newcastle, Cluny
Fri 30 Nov – Carlisle, Old Fire Station
Fri 07 Dec – Leeds, Hi Fi Club
Sat 08 Dec – Northampton, Roadmender
2019
Fri 25 Jan – Belfast, Limelight 2
Sat 26 Jan – Dublin, Workman’s Club
Fri 08 Feb – Sheffield, Plug
Sat 09 Feb – Manchester, Gorilla
Fri 15 Feb – Hull, Fruit
Sat 16 Feb – York, Fibbers
Fri 22 Feb – Cardiff, The Globe
Sat 23 Feb – Liverpool, O2 Academy 2
The Spitfires Online:
www.facebook.com/thespitfiresuk
www.twitter.com/thespitfiresuk
www.instagram.com/TheSpitfiresUK
Pre Orders: http://thespitfires.tmstor.es
Andy Peart (Vive Le Rock) – “There are few bands who capture a snapshot of Britain in 2018, in all its confused and uncertain glory as accurately as the Spitfires…Year Zero is “set over a backdrop of sounds which are never safe or predictable, horns blazing and stomping, keyboards and piano adding texture and light to the riveting and thrilling guitar, bass and drums core, there are songs here which will stay with you on long journeys, which will help you make sense of days which drift away and, best of all, which will give you hope.”
