Ian Brown Attacks

23rd Aug 2007

Ian Brown will release his new single ‘Illegal Attacks’, featuring Sinead O’Connor(SOC), on the 17th of September. ‘The World is yours’ is the title of his fifth LP and will be released a week later on the 24th. Brown claims that his new LP will bury everything else he’s done! A tall order when you consider his back catalogue is studded with gems like ‘FEAR’, Love like a Fountain’ and his 1998 solo debut ‘My Star’. Since then we’ve witnessed IB mature with each outing and now, now he’s ventured into the realm of politics. Bugger! At least he made it out of Hogwarts (IB featured in the Harry Potter movie ‘Prisoner of Azkaban’ as a wizard. He mimed the words ‘give me my first number one single’ as he twiddled with his wand!)

‘Illegal Attacks’ sneaks in gently, with a Simon and Garfunkel like guitar leading us onto a spitefully delivered and string strengthened chorus that boasts a strong, anthemic ‘Soldiers, come home’ chant. Throughout we can hear a cold crisp breakbeat carrying the whole lot along. A particular favourite lyric of mine is ‘It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog’. It’s certainly an amazing statement of a single, but cutting so close to the bone for so many, will it get much airplay? IB has never made a secret of his opinions regarding Palestine in particularly, but has, as yet, kept it out of his music.

A kickass track filled with controversy and two way contempt. What better way to attract attention to your latest outing? When you tackle a subject like this one, you’ve got to be at least half right in what you’re saying to get away with it. IB has obviously given this track some time and dedication, a promising sign for the LP and for the fans awaiting it. SOC seems a great choice for collaborator, given her ‘heart on sleeve’, politically opinionated self. However well this single does, it’s gonna cause a stir in both pro and anti war circles. And not to forget the music community of course, for this is an epic statement reinforced with iron like orchestration and a tragedy laden sentiment.

As for the LP, well it surely can’t be anything but awesome, can it? Crystal clarity has been brought to the work ethic this time around, with IB laying off the ‘relaxants’ shall we say! There’s a definite punk fuelled righteousness behind the majority of the material, reflecting the spiritual consciousness of IBs childhood mentors Mohammed Ali and Bruce Lee. With ex members of The Smiths, Happy Mondays and most notably (for IB, an adolescent punk himself) the Sex Pistols, all on board to accompany SOC, who features on not one but two tracks, it promises to be something special. IB even approached Sir Paul McCartney to get him playing bass, but couldn’t contribute owing to his own workload. Shame, because as anybody who’s heard his track ‘Vanilla Sky’ knows, he’s even capable of sounding like IB vocally. Oh well!

September 24th everybody! Watch out! Who knows, even Manic Street Preachers fans might even like it!

Catch Ian Brown live at any of the shows listed below.

Thursday 27th Sept. – Newcastle Academy
Friday 28th Sept. – Hull City Hall
Saturday 29th Sept. – Sheffield Octagon
Monday 1st Oct. – Middleborough Town Hall
Tuesday 2nd Oct. – Lincoln Engine Shed
Wednesday 3rd Oct. – Halifax Victoria Hall
Friday 5th Oct. – Leeds University
Saturday 6th Oct. – Warrington Parr Hall
Monday 8th Oct. – Dundee Caird Hall
Tuesday 9th Oct. – Motherwell Civic Hall
Wednesday 10th Oct. – Edinburgh Corn Exchange
Friday 12th Oct. – Llandudno Venue Cymru Arena
Saturday 13th Oct. – Preston Guildhall
Monday 15th Oct. – Derby Assembly Rooms
Tuesday 16th Oct. – Nottingham Rock City
Thursday 18th Oct. – Reading Hexagon
Friday 19th Oct. – Birmingham Academy
Saturday 20th Oct. – Cambridge Corn Exchange
Monday 22nd Oct. – Southampton Guildhall
Tuesday 23rd Oct. – Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall
Thursday 25th Oct. – Bristol Academy
Friday 26th Oct. – Liverpool University
Thursday 29th Nov – London Brixton Academy
Friday 30th Nov – London Brixton Academy
Saturday 1st Dec – Doncaster Dome
Monday 3rd Dec – Aberdeen AECC
Tuesday 4th Dec – Glasgow SECC
Wednesday 5th Dec -Wolverhampton Civic
Friday 7th Dec – Manchester Central (Gmex)
Saturday 8th Dec – Manchester Central (Gmex)