Out now, The Stranglers’ newest single ‘If Something’s Gonna Kill Me (It Might As Well Be Love)’ is the latest offering from up-coming album Dark Matters, due for release on 10th September 2021.
Written by JJ Burnel after the tragic passing of keyboard player Dave Greenfield last year, ‘If Something’s Gonna Kill Me (It Might As Well Be Love)’ was then arranged by Baz Warne, becoming an electro-pop track inspired by the music of the 80s, with nods to artists such as Kraftwerk, whilst remaining unmistakably the sound of The Stranglers.
Alongside the song the band have shared an official music video, produced by Debonair Films and directed by Atlanta-based filmmaker Daniel Oramas. Wanting to work with the next generation of creative innovators, The Stranglers put out an open brief to filmmakers – instantly Oramas’ arresting tale of an elderly couple still very much in love at the end of the world leapt out of all the pitches for its poise and poeticism. In storyboarding the idea, it expanded into something even more complex; the heartbreak of parents losing their children to war, the futility of conflict in a post-nuclear age, and how our worldview is shaped by the media we consume.
“‘If Something’s Gonna Kill Me’ was actually one of the few songs written for this album after we lost our dear friend and colleague Dave.” says JJ Burnel, “So I started writing about that. He was one of life’s innocents, and I thought it would be good to mark that point in the lyrics – ‘innocence has left this house’.
“A song can be interpreted in so many different ways.” he adds. “Daniel’s interpretation is nothing like I envisaged. So in my book that’s great.”
Following previous Stranglers’ releases this year, the emotional tribute ‘…And If You Should See Dave’ and the thought-provoking ‘The Lines’, their newest single continues to address the themes of loss and change – ‘If Something’s Gonna Kill Me’s’ pertinent lyrics reference Covid-19 (“you wake up one morning and the world has changed, it’s war and the martians have arrived”) and Dave’s passing itself (“innocence has left this house, to wander among the stars, to light the path before us so we can see”).
Go behind-the-scenes of the making of this single, in The Stranglers video ‘Track Chat’ series – watch here.
Surviving Stranglers band members, JJ and Baz, completed new album Dark Matters remotely during lockdowns, making it their first record since 2012. Adding to it a fitting tribute in ‘And If You Should See Dave…’, the first single from the album – a contemplative but uplifting dose of sixties sunshine-drenched rock.
Keyboard player Dave Greenfield tragically passed away in 2020 from Covid-19 but still features on 8 of the 11 tracks, which were made over the course of two years at the band’s studios in the rural idylls of Somerset, and in Southern France, produced by long-time collaborator Louie Nicastro.
Dark Matters is out on 10th September 2021 on the band’s own Coursegood imprint, via Absolute. All pre-orders for the album, on any format, through the official store will receive a special bonus CD titled ‘Dave Greenfield – A Tribute’, featuring 8 unreleased live recordings selected by the surviving members with a view to celebrating Dave’s unique talent. Pre-order Dark Matters via https://stranglers.tmstor.es/
In addition to the digital single release, those who have pre-ordered the album from The Stranglers official store will receive an ‘instat grat’ download of the single from today (6th Aug): https://stranglers.tmstor.es/
The Stranglers announced their ‘full final tour’ of the UK and Europe and have decided to proceed with the 47-date run which includes two sold out performances at Brixton Academy, in Dave’s memory. For full tour details and more information visit www.thestranglers.co.uk
