Some bands say all they have to say at the very beginning of their career, with diminishing returns the longer they hang around. That could not be further from the truth, however, for the legendary Cock Sparrer, the “biggest punk band most people have never heard of.” As the band gears up for the April 5th, 2024 release of their eighth and final studio album, ‘Hand On Heart’ and looks forward to celebrating their 52nd year with headlining shows and festival appearances, it’s never been a better time to be Cock Sparrer than right now!
The 10 tracks that comprise ‘Hand On Heart’ will thrill the Cock Sparrer faithful with their iconic, anthemic sound, but the band still has surprises and new tricks up their sleeves, including a string arrangement by Simon Dobson (Bring Me The Horizon / Mike Oldfield) that lends a touch of class to the affair. With production overseen by James Bragg and guitarist Daryl Smith, as well as mastering by Grammy-winning engineer Kevin Tuffy, the lads sound better than ever, and for once, more of the budget went into the studio than down the pub!
Astoundingly, the four core members present at the band’s 1972 inception – vocalist Colin McFaull, guitarist Mick Beaufoy, bassist Steve Burgess, and drummer Steve Bruce – are still the ones in the studio and onstage today, joined by their “new member,” guitarist Daryl Smith, who has a “mere” 31 years under his belt. This atypical longevity and stability are a part of Sparrer’s legacy of shoving any rules and expectations put on them by anyone else. They were childhood friends, and were already well underway playing, drinking, and rabble-rousing by the time punk became a recognized social movement.
Nowadays, the band’s “career in reverse” sees them enjoying more success than they ever experienced in the “good old days.” While Cock Sparrer found a level of kinship with punk, their relentless independence meant they wouldn’t go down with the ship when the pop culture attention span moved on to the next big thing. While most bands were only getting started, Sparrer had already logged touring miles with luminaries like the Small Faces, Thin Lizzy, Motörhead, and Slade, and had already seen a contract with Decca Records go up in flames. Sex Pistols impresario Malcolm McLaren’s offer of management was rebuffed due to his refusal to pick up a round of drinks.
Cover songs from a huge and diverse array of artists from Rancid to Against Me!, The Bouncing Souls, The Interrupters, Ted Leo, and more are a testament to their wide-ranging influence, as is their status as an in-demand live act at festivals all over the world. However, as always, it is at their own headlining club shows that Cock Sparrer are most in their element, playing for sold-out crowds of adoring fans of all ages. It turns out, that over 50 years of doing things their own way has attracted legions of like-minded faithful.
‘Hand On Heart’ tracklist:
01. With My Hand On My Heart
02. Mind Your Own Business
03. I Belong To You
04. Rags To Riches
05. No Way Out
06. Take It On The Chin
07. Nowhere To Be Found
08. One Way Ticket
09. My Forgotten Dream
10. Here We Stand