Peter Perrett’s upcoming album will feature an array of special guests including Johnny Marr, Bobby Gillespie, and Fontaines D.C.’s Carlos O’Connell.
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The album, ‘The Cleansing’, is the Only Ones frontman’s third as a solo artist and is set for release on November 1. It’s going to be a 20-song double album – one of Perrett’s most ambitious projects for some time – and its special guests are certainly eye-catching.
Perrett’s sons, guitarist Jamie, who also handled production, and bassist Peter Jr., both play on the album, along with members of his live band. But they’re joined by Marr, Gillespie, Connell, and Dream Wife guitarist Alice Go.
Of the album’s subject matter, which concerns issues including ageing (Perrett turned 72 in April and the Only Ones released their debut album 46 years ago), addiction, and social media, he said, “I know some of the subject matter is death, suicide and depression, but I feel there is an uplifting atmosphere to the album, because I’m obviously enjoying recognising what is going on around me.”
Today (August 5), Perrett also shared the album’s lead single, ‘I Wanna Go With Dignity’. It’s dedicated to the late Fiona H. Stevenson, also known as Fay Wolftree, and the lyrics are in part inspired by the late David Cavanagh – both of whom interviewed Perrett. Both Gillespie and O’Connell appear on the track, while Gillespie also appears in the video, directed by Douglas Hart.
Perrett’s first solo album, ‘How The West Was Won’, came out in 2017, and he followed it up with 2019’s ‘Humanworld’. ‘How The West Was Won’ was his first new album since he released ‘Woke Up Sticky’ in 1996 with The One, his band at the time.
Meanwhile, the Only Ones reformed last year after being active from 1976 to 1982 and then again from 2007 to 2017, playing a handful of shows as a three-piece following the death of drummer Mike Kellie in 2017.
You can catch Perrett performing solo, too, as he’s confirmed a special intimate show at Moth Club in London in October. You can find tickets here.