Written by: Alex Green
The Violent Femmes let it slip on the Nerdist podcast with Chris Hardwick a few weeks ago that they have a new album in the works.
Singer Gordon Gano admitted the album has no title and no release date yet, but here’s what we’ve learned so far.
- The album will be the first platter of original material for the legendary Wisconsin-based band since 2000’s Freak Magnet.
- In spite of the fact that the album is title-less, the band revealed on Facebook that recording for the record is done and it was recently mixed at Boulder, Colorado’s Altitude Recording Studio by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.).
- The ‘Femmes just posted a picture on their Facebook page of the record being mastered in New York with Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound.
- The band also revealed the album will definitely be released in 2016.
- Mandolin player/’Femmes collaborator John Kruth–who is also a Professor of Music at the College of Mount St. Vincent–was in on the mastering sessions and he wrote on Facebook: “You’ll dig the new material — the band’s sounding really good and there’s a few unexpected twists and turns — I just happened to be wearing my red dragon shirt when they were mastering a wild song about dragon hunting!”
- The Violent Femmes announced that they will play 2016’s Womadelaide Festival alongside Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
- The band’s lineup is comprised of 2/3 of its original members (Gordon Gano, Brian Ritchie) and features new drummer Brian Viglione of the Dresden Dolls.
- Original drummer Victor DeLorenzo who has had three stints with the band, revealed that he was interested in recording again with his old bandmates. But soon after, he was replaced by Viglione. In a statement, DeLorenzo said: “It’s always hard to write a eulogy for a lost loved one. In this case, I sadly lament the loss of a dream and an ideal that was once Violent Femmes.”
- The band toured this summer with Colin Hay and Barenaked Ladies.
- The ‘Femmes’ latest video just premiered a few weeks ago. It’s a clip for the song “Good For Nothing” which comes from their last EP.
