This really is happening. The Distractions will be performing live to launch what we're pretty confident is the longest-awaited album of the year. I mean, 26 years for a new Dexys album - why the rush, Kevin? The Distractions released their first album, the beloved
Nobody's Perfect, in 1980. Their second,
The End Of The Pier, will be released by
Occultation Recordings at the end of August 2012, although the label expect to have copies available from their website a few weeks earlier.
That's not all. In a flurry of activity, a first live date is already confirmed. The band will be performing at the
Kings Arms, Salford, Manchester, on 31st August:
Tickets are now on sale,
£12 in advance (£15 on the night, if there are any left), from TicketWeb
here. There's a possibility of a second gig but details are yet to be confirmed.
That's not all though. Not only could this be your only chance to see The Distractions (who knows what the future may bring? Even so let's be realistic...) but this'll actually be a proper Occultation event, also featuring label-mates Factory Star and The June Brides. Quite a bill, if we say so ourselves.
The album will be released as a 180g vinyl edition and on CD - we'd recommend the LP as it's cut from a higher-quality source and will come with a CD thrown in anyway. It features core Distractions Mike Finney and Steve Perrin and is produced by Nick Halliwell (The Granite Shore) who also appears along with bassist Arash Torabi (June Brides, Granite Shore) and Mike Kellie (Only Ones, Spooky Tooth, too many to mention) on drums.
More details as we get them and see you in Salford...