Mike Scott examines pop culture through the lens of the Easy Rider.
The Waterboys’ brand new, sixteenth studio album “Life, Death And Dennis Hopper” comes out on the iconic Sun Records on April 4th. The first single ‘Hopper’s On Top (Genius)’ is released this Friday the 10th of January.
The album is the story of the trailblazing American actor Dennis Hopper told through a song cycle depicting not only Hopper’s story but the saga of the last 75 years of Western pop culture. “The arc of his life was the story of our times,” says band leader Mike Scott, “He was at the big bang of youth culture in Rebel Without A Cause with James Dean; and the beginnings of Pop Art with the young Andy Warhol. He was part of the counter-culture, hippie, civil rights and psychedelic scenes of the ’60s. In the ’70s and ’80s he went on a wild 10-year rip, almost died, came back, got straight and became a five-movies-a-year character actor without losing the sparkle in his eye or the sense of danger or unpredictability that always gathered around him.”
Scott worked on the piece for over four years and it was produced with Waterboys bandmates Famous James and Brother Paul, the album spans 25 tracks and traces the extraordinary arc of Hopper’s life, from his youth in Kansas to his long rise, five wives, tumultuous fall, and ultimate redemption. “It begins in his childhood, ends the morning after his death, and I get to say a whole lot along the way, not just about Dennis, but about the whole strange adventure of being a human soul on planet earth,” says Scott.
The album is The Waterboys’ first for Sun – “Hey”, says Scott, “we’re labelmates with Howlin’ Woif and young Elvis!” – and alongside band regulars the album features a stellar lineup of guests including Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, Steve Earle, Nashville-based Alt Americana artist Anana Kaye, young English singer Barny Fletcher, Norwegian country-rockers Sugarfoot, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s, and punk arch-priestess Patti Palladin.
The band will also embark on a massive 28-date UK and Irish tour through May and June. Tickets are available from this link.
The Waterboys 2025 UK Dates:
1st May – BASINGSTOKE, Anvil
2nd May – BATH, Forum
3rd May – BEXHILL, DLWP
5th May – BRIGHTON, Centre
7th May – NOTTINGHAM, Rock City
8th May – LIVERPOOL, Philharmonic
9th May – SHEFFIELD, City Hall
10th May – GATESHEAD, Glasshouse
12th May – BLACKPOOL, Opera House
13th May – MANCHESTER, Bridgewater Hall
15th May – YORK, Barbican
16th May – BIRMINGHAM, Symphony Hall
18th May – BOURNEMOUTH, Pavilion
19th May – CARDIFF, New Theatre
20th May – CAMBRIDGE, Corn Exchange
22nd May – BRISTOL, Beacon
23rd May – OXFORD, New Theatre
24th May – STOCKTON-ON-TEES, The Globe
25th May – LLANDUDNO, Venue Cymru
27th May – GUILDFORD, Live
28th May – LEICESTER, De Montfort Hall
31st May – LONDON, Roundhouse
1st June – LONDON, Roundhouse
7th June – DUBLIN, 3Arena
8th June – BELFAST, Live At The Botanic Gardens
11th June – ABERDEEN, Music Hall
12th June – GLASGOW, Royal Concert Hall
14th June – GLASGOW, Barrowlands
16th June – GLASGOW, Barrowlands
17th June – LEEDS, O2 Academy
19th June – TRURO, Hall For Cornwall
“Life, Death And Dennis Hopper” tracklisting:
1. Kansas (featuring Steve Earle)
2. Hollywood’55
3. Live In The Moment, Baby
4. Brooke / 1712 North Crescent Heights
5. Andy (A Guy Like You)
6. The Tourist (featuring Barny Fletcher)
7. Freaks On Wheels
8. Blues For Terry Southern
9. Memories Of Monterey
10. Riding Down To Mardi Gras
11. Hopper’s On Top (Genius)
12. Transcendental Peruvian Blues
13. Michelle (Always Stay)
14. Freakout At The Mud Palace
15. Daria
16. Ten Years Gone (featuring Bruce Springsteen)
17. Letter From An Unknown Girlfriend (featuring Fiona Apple)
18. Rock Bottom
19. I Don’t Know How I Made It (featuring Taylor Goldsmith)
20. Frank (Let’s Fu*k)
21. Katherine (featuring Anana Kaye)
22. Everybody Loves Dennis Hopper
23. Golf, They Say
24. Venice, California (Victoria)/The Passing Of Hopper
25. Aftermath
