Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghostshave just signed to Wicked Cool Records and they have been working with the legendary Stevie Van Zandt. The band are proud to announce the first single with the new label Bottoms Up (Here’s To Goodbye) on 19th October. Released as a limited edition pink vinyl 7”, the B side is a swaggering cover of Paula Abdul’s 80s smash Straight Up.
In 2017 Ryan and the band reaped critical acclaim with debut album ‘The Devil’s In The Detail’ – under their previous name ‘Ryan Hamilton and the Traitors’. Singles ‘Heavy Heart’ and ‘Smarter’ received heavy radio play and were each voted Classic Rock magazine’s ‘Track of the Week’, as well as their Ginger Wildheart collaboration and Samaritans charity single, ‘F**k You Brain’.
Having already achieved Steven Van Zandt’s ‘Coolest Song In The World’ thrice on his ‘Underground Garage’ radio show, Little Steven recently heralded Ryan as ‘hope for the future’ – holding him up with such luminaries as Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl and Bille Joe Armstrong.
Speaking of the video to accompany ‘Straight Up’, Ryan says:
“I wanted something fun and quirky, something that looks like the 80s threw-up on a music video! In making it we limited the technology to old school 80s/90s effects – we’re super happy how it turned out.”
Watch the video for Straight Up, below:
Taking Green Day’s ‘Dookie’ as a reference point for artwork on the new single, it incorporates the band’s love of all things 80’s (and Star Wars) – see how many you can spot:
Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts are special guests on The Alarm’s 7 date UK tour, kicking off at London’s ULU on 28th November and wrapping up at the Liquid Room in Edinburgh on 7th December.
The Alarm and Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts UK tour dates
November
Wed 28th ULU. London
Thur 29th Wedgwood Rooms Portsmouth
Fri 30th Fibbers, York
December
Sat 1st Arts Club, Liverpool
Sun 2nd O2 Academy 2, Birmingham
Wed 5th Sub 89, Reading
Thur 6th Brudenell, Leeds
Fri 7th Liquid Room, Edinburgh
Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts – Bottoms Up (Here’s To Goodbye)
Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts – Straight Up
