Wire Unearth Early Material for New Studio Album

BY Alex HudsonPublished Dec 6, 2012

For many Wire fans, the band were at their best in the late '70s, right around the time they released their iconic debut album, Pink Flag. It's exciting news, then, to learn that they will be digging up some unrecorded old material for their newest LP. The collection is called Change Becomes Us, and it's due out March 25 in the UK via the band's own Pink Flag label.

The album features core members Colin Newman (vocals/guitar), Graham Lewis (bass) and Robert Grey (drums) joined by touring guitarist Matt Simms. They began working on the album last spring in Wales.

The band wrote in an email to fans [via Slicing Up Eyeballs], "Change Becomes Us began as an exploration of unrecorded material originally written in 1979-80. Some of this material had only ever existed as quickly prepared sketches for one-off performance; however, subjected to the rigour of a Wire working process of both touring and studio, it evolved organically into what we think is a fascinating hybrid. Liberated from its historic roots, it simply took off! 'Really fresh!' is the common quote of the few who've heard it!"

Fans can pre-order the album now from the band's website. It's available in a variety of special editions that come with everything from T-shirts to Newman's own guitar. Some bundles come with the brand new second series of Wire's Legal Bootleg Series, while others contain a copy of Read & Burn: A Book about Wire. This new tome is by Wilson Neate and will be out in March of 2013.

An announcement describes the book like this: "Wilson stresses this is not an 'official' biography (we understand by that he implies 'not sanitized') indeed he makes the point that "the musicians' perennially complex creative relationships" is very much part of the story. Expect 'warts & all'!"

Change Becomes Us:

1. Doubles & Trebles

2. Keep Exhaling

3. Adore Your Island

4. Re-Invent Your Second Wheel

5. Stealth of a Stork

6. B/W Silence

7. Time Lock Fog

8. Magic Bullet

9. Eels Sang

10. Love Bends

11. As We Go

12. & Much Besides

13. Attractive Space

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