 Fischer-Z announce new studio album X-Ray Serenade Release date: 4 September 2026 Pioneering British art-punk band Fischer-Z, fronted by songwriter, performer, and multimedia artist John Watts, are set to mark their 50th anniversary in remarkable style - with a brand-new studio album, a sweeping worldwide tour, and a year packed with landmark releases. X-Ray Serenade, released on 4th September 2026 via Cherry Red Records on CD, vinyl, and digital, is the band's most ambitious record in years. Featuring seven powerful new tracks alongside four reimagined versions of classic fan favourites - re-recorded by the current band in a bold contemporary form - the album finds Watts in characteristically sharp form. The new material explores the subjects he has always made his own: human stories, the state of the world, and the absurdities of modern life, observed with wit, intelligence, and a distinctly dark sense of humour. Watts' signature vocals remain utterly central to the sound, and even one of the new tracks, Strings, has been given an additional life in a fashionable 'Official Bootleg' mix by DJ Ingo Wörner. The album features the band's exciting new line-up, with long-standing stalwarts Dave Purdye and Marian Menge now joined by Olly Newton and Chloe Leigh - a formation that has already taken the stage on the international 50th Anniversary Tour to considerable acclaim. A Landmark Year 2026 is a defining year for Fischer-Z. Fifty years have passed since the band first formed at Brunel University in 1976, and the anniversary is being celebrated with a programme of releases and live activity that reflects the full breadth of Watts' extraordinary career. The year opened with the release of the first single Strings on 27th March, accompanied by an official music video. On 24th April, Cherry Red Records released Word Paradise - a deluxe 3CD reissue of Fischer-Z's first three albums (1979–1981), newly remastered and expanded with B-sides and rarities. The second single, the reimagined So Long, will follow on 17th July – with a third to accompany the album on 4th September. An autumn release will add a high-quality, limited-run anniversary retrospective, drawing on unheard and unseen archive material to celebrate John's remarkable career to date. Complementing the releases, John has recorded an intimate series of 14 podcasts with host Martin Bull, released fortnightly throughout 2026. Each episode explores the stories behind a favourite track from every album in the Fischer-Z catalogue, with bonus guest episodes and a special dedicated to the new record. The Story So Far Fischer-Z formed in 1976 at Brunel University, where Watts - who had been studying clinical psychology at an experimental facility - met keyboard player Steve Skolnik. Combining razor-sharp political lyricism with angular post-punk energy, the band signed to United Artists in 1978 alongside label mates The Stranglers and Buzzcocks. Their debut album Word Salad (1979) became a staple of the European post-punk movement, propelled by The Worker - which earned the band a coveted slot on Top of the Pops - and Remember Russia, championed by John Peel. Their biggest chart single, So Long (1980), became one of the first music videos ever aired on MTV. Red Skies Over Paradise (1981) followed with further hits including Marliese and Berlin, cementing the band's international reputation. Since then, Watts has released 23 albums, sold over two million records, and performed more than 4,000 concerts across Europe, North America, and beyond. Collaborators have included Peter Gabriel, Steve Cropper, and members of Dexy's Midnight Runners' brass section. Fischer-Z have shared stages with James Brown in East Berlin, toured with The Police and Dire Straits, and appeared alongside Bob Marley on his final European festival tour. Most recently, 2025 saw Watts unveil the critically acclaimed PUNKT! project - 10 unique artworks, a 10-track album, and an art film, showcased in galleries across Germany to widespread press praise. Worldwide 50th Anniversary Tour With over 40 dates confirmed across 10 countries - including shows across Europe, the United Kingdom, and an historic first-ever 8-date tour of Australia - Fischer-Z's 50th Anniversary Tour is Tracklisting:
1. Strings 2. Perfect 3. Labadabada 4. Queen of Irony 5. Precious Time 6. River 7. Suburban Cowboy 8. So Long (Reimagined) 9. Pretty Paracetamol (Reimagined) 10. Marliese (Reimagined) 11. The Perfect Day (Reimagined) 12. Strings - 'Official Bootleg' Mix Website: fischer-z.com Opmerkingen zijn gesloten.
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