Rock Regeneration

“Forever & Ever”

Figureheads of the original indie/dance crossover scene, DIY-driven eighties post-punks and justice-seeking campaigners, The Farm have announced the release of their first album since 1994 with beatsy, feelgood lead single, Forever & Ever – OUT NOW. Written and performed by all five original ‘heyday’ members, the Liverpool band’s fifth album and first in over three decades, Let The Music (Take Control), will be released on Fri 2 May 2025 on Modern Sky.

Catapulted at speed into overdue fame by the runaway success of their No.1 album, Spartacus, in 1991, featuring all-time classic, indie dancefloor singles, Groovy Train and All Together Now, The Farm was originally formed in 1984.

Returning to the independent spirit that saw them release their own singles and albums up until household recognition found them at start of the nineties, the band’s comeback began earlier this year with the self-release of BBC Radio 2 playlisted album title track, Feel The Love. Their return to the forefront of music in the UK was further concreted by a return to play this year’s Glastonbury Festival, performing hits and new songs to a packed Leftfield Stage crowd.

While The Farm have rarely returned to the studio since the recording of their fourth album, Hullabaloo, released in the US only with Sire Records in March 1994, save for special commemorative and charity projects, they have toured frequently since 2004. Taking new ideas from their rehearsals for major outdoor shows as the blueprint for a potential new album, a refreshed sense of creativity, ambition and possibility emerged. Sessions with producer, Mike Cave (The Charlatans, Bloc Party) quickly captured that fresh energy.

Singer, Peter Hooton, says of Forever & Ever: “When I first heard the new music in rehearsals, I knew I had to match the infectious nature of the music, so went for lyrics that aim straight between the eyes. I went for the timeless theme of everlasting love. It’s about love, obsession and infatuation.

“We were listening to some cool dance tracks and liked the feel of them at 126bpm,” continues guitarist and keyboard player, Steve Grimes. “We started using a couple of Apple Loops beats in that style, added a keys melody and chords from a previous track we’d worked on. Keith played the guitar chords in the Nile Rodgers style.”

Let The Music (Take Control) will be released on multiple formats including standard and special edition collectors’ vinyl, CD and digital.

The Farm hold a distinct place in British popular culture, crossing through football terrace culture via Hooton’s influential The End fanzine of the 1980’s, the emergent North West indie/dance scene of the 90’s, alongside Stone Roses and Happy Mondays, and meeting Balearic dance culture via their appearance in the era-defining documentary A Short Film About Chilling.

Produced by Madness front man, Suggs, the release of their cover of The Monkees’ Stepping Stone in 1990 provided the momentum for the band’s rise to chart prominence in the months that followed. The current members who rode that wave – Hooton, Grimes, Keith Mullin (guitar) Carl Hunter (bass) Ben Leach (keyboards) and Roy Boulter (drums) – remained with the band until their split in 1996.

Renowned campaigners for justice, not least in connection with the city of Liverpool’s search for truth in connection with the 1989 Hillsborough Stadium disaster, the band formed The Justice Tonight Band with The Mighty Wah!’s Pete Wylie and Mick Jones of The Clash in 2011, going on to support Stone Roses at their huge reunion shows. Evolving under the weight of significant momentum to become The Justice Collective a year later, collaborators were as diverse as Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson, Paloma Faith, Paul Heaton and football legend, Kenny Dalglish.

Subsequent live and recording campaigns have been dedicated to combating sleaze within the ranks of the British tabloid media and a 2014 Christmas re-recording and release of All Together Now to raise funds for the British Red Cross and Shorncliffe Trust.

Written about the 1914 Christmas Day Armistice which saw British and German troops lay down weapons for a game of football, All Together Now stands as The Farm’s biggest hit to date, reaching No.4 on the UK Singles Chart. It has been covered on numerous occasions, remaining an enduring message of hope across generations.

Links
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