Modern English have announced 1 2 3 4, their first album in eight years, which will be out February 23. The album was produced by Mario J. McNulty (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Nine Inch Nails), mixed by Cenzo Townsend (Florence + The Machine, U2) and mastered at Abbey Road.
“It’s been a big journey for everybody, and our early days are really important to us,” says frontman Robbie Grey. “We haven’t changed that much. We’re still the same people inside. And the original members are the sound of the band — Stephen [Walker] on the keyboards, making lots of noises with all his analog synths, and then the sounds made by guitarist Gary [McDowell] or bassist Mick [Conroy]. If you take some of those components away, you won’t have the Modern English sound.”
The first single from the album is spirited protest song “Not My Leader.” “I remember first coming to America in the early-’80s,” Grey says. “We had Margaret Thatcher and you had Ronald Reagan. And then fast forward to today to Donald Trump and all the politicians and corporate organizations that have followed — along with their corruption and greed. It’s the same thing 40 years later, really. It’s the same old shit that makes the ordinary person feel sick.” Watch the video below.
This summer, Modern English will be a part of the Totally Tubular Festival tour with Thomas Dolby, Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, Men Without Hats, The Romantics, Bow Wow Wow, Tommy Tutone, and The Plimsouls. That rolls into NYC on July 18 at The Rooftop at Pier 17. All dates are listed below.
1 2 3 4:
Long In The Tooth
Not My Leader
Not Fake
Exploding
Plastic
Crazy Lovers
I Know Your Soul
Genius
Out To Lunch
Voices
Modern English – 2024 Tour Dates
MARCH
09 — Mexico City, MX — Foro Puebla *
12 — Tucson, AZ — Rialto Theatre *
13 — Los Angeles, CA — Teragram Ballroom *
APRIL
11 — Dortmund, DE — Musiktheater Piano *
12 — Frankfurt, DE — Batschkapp *
13 — Berlin, DE — Huxleys *
14 — Hamburg, DE — Knust *
22 — Copenhagen, DK — Little Vega #
24 — Oberhausen, DE — Kulttemple #
25 — Hague, NL — Paard #
26 — Amsterdam, NL — Paradiso #
27 — London UK — Dingwalls #
MAY
02 — Paris, FR — Le Petit Bain #
JUNE
28 — Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl ^
29 — Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theatre ^
30 — Oakland, CA – Fox Theatre ^
JULY
03 — Phoenix, AZ — Arizona Financial Theatre ^
06 — Englewood, CO — Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre ^
09 — Irving, TX — Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory ^
10 — Houston, TX — 713 Music Hall ^
13 — Raleigh, NC — Red Hat Amphitheatre ^
16 — Bridgeport, CT — Hartford Healthcare Amphitheatre ^
17 — Boston, MA — MGM Music Hall at Fenway ^
18 — New York, NY — Pier 17 ^
19 — Atlantic City, NJ — Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena ^
20 — Bushkill, PA — Poconos Park Amphitheatre ^
23 — Laval, QC — Place Bell ^
24 — Mississauga, ON — The Theater at Great Canadian Casino Resort ^
26 — Detroit, MI — Meadowbrook Amphitheatre ^
27 — Cincinnati, OH — Riverbend Music Center Amphitheatre ^
28 — Cleveland, OH — Blossom Amphitheatre ^
* — supporting The Buzzcocks
# — headline appearance
^ — Totally Tubular Festival (feat. Thomas Dolby, Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, Men Without Hats, The Romantics, Bow Wow Wow, Tommy Tutone, The Plimsouls)
