Wille & The Bandits
Wille & The Bandits Announce New Album ‘When The World Stood Still’
Set to Release January 28, 2022
New Single “Will We Ever” Released November 5, 2021
Cornwall-based roots rock band Wille & The Bandits will release their fifth studio album When The World Stood Still on January 28, 2022, on their independent label, Fat Toad Records. The first single from the album, “Will We Ever,” features Wille’s signature slide guitar playing and powerful vocals. It mourns the loss of performing as a band, and asks the question; will the world ever be the same?
Watch “Will We Ever”
This is about an album that documents a time when the world stood still, recorded in a place only accessible on the high tide, on the banks of the river Fowey; one of Britain’s most iconic recording studios that is coming to the end of an influential life. This could be the last album recorded at Sawmills, funded by the fans of a band considered one of the most exciting and successful independent acts in Europe,
Willie and the Bandits rock hard and speak their piece on a brand-new track called “Will We Ever.” Centered around Willie Edwards’ overdriven lap steel, the song is a slicing bit of blues/rock pleasure with a message about the intersection of life and liberty in modern times. “Will we ever see you again” ask the lyrics while, in the accompanying music video, various characters try to shut the band down in the middle of a gig. It’s a song of substance no matter where you stand on pandemic issues from one of of Europe’s top roots rock outfits. Play it loud. Dance. Think.
It is no exaggeration to state that Sawmills Studio, with the artistry of John Cornfield, has produced some of the most ground-breaking albums of the last 30 years; Stone Roses‘ Fools Gold, Oasis’ Definitely Maybe, Supergrass’ In It For The Money, Robert Plant’s The Fate of Nations, Muse’s Showbiz, and now Wille & The Bandits’ When the World Stood Still stands alongside as one of equal mastery.
Wille & The Bandits are a band who do not stop pushing boundaries. They were in the process of carving out a reputation as one of the UKs most original acts when the impacts of the pandemic led to a cease of touring. Wille and the Band got stuck into song-writing and an album was written; A group of powerful anthemic songs, who’s melodies and lyrics resonate with the emotions of a time that none of us expected.
“It had always been a dream for me to record at Sawmills,” says Wille Edwards, the band’s lead singer, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist. “I was devastated at the thought that another piece of music history was being repurposed away from a place of inspiration for the arts.”
“However,” continues Wille, “there was a suggestion of fate when a friend took me night fishing at a secret spot, that just happened to be in the Foy River, looking across to this wonderfully situated building; one that we all know, even if we don’t realize it, from a childhood of reading Wind in the Willows. This set me on a hunt to find out if there was still a chance to record one last album at Sawmills with the man behind all the iconic albums recorded there – Mr John Cornfield. To fund this enterprise, we turned to our unbelievable fans who made the dream happen, and who we are eternally grateful, too”
The combination of one of the country’s best live bands, best producer and iconic recording studios has produced something very special with the forthcoming release of When The World Stood Still.
Wille & The Bandits have so far recorded five studio albums to critical acclaim, their last is titled Paths, and are credited with pushing the boundaries of roots rock into a new era of music lovers. They were listed in the top ten must see bands at Glastonbury Festival by BBC Radio One and were personally invited to perform on the German TV show Rockpalast – a musical institution of global import.
They have played festivals across the world, from Broadway to the West End, and Belgrade to Sydney. They were picked to perform at the London Olympics after being voted one of UK’s best live acts.
Band Line-Up
Wille Edwards – Lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, dobro, electric lap steel
Harry Mackaill – Backing vocals, bass guitar, synthesizer
Matthew Gallagher – Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, piano, Mellotron, guitar, b. vocals
Tom Gilkes – Drums and percussion
Album Track Listing
Caught In The Middle (3.57)
I’m Alive (6.22)
Without You (8.33)
Good Stuff (4.56)
In This Together (3.42)
Will We Ever (4.25)
When The World Stood Still (5.08)
Move To Fast (6.05)
Broken Words (3.34)
Daylight (3.52)
Refuge (4.39)
Solid Ground (7.55)
The single “Will We Ever” pre-save link
When The World Stood Still pre-order link
Wille & The Bandits embark on a March/April 2022 UK Tour with Special Guest Troy Redfern. For tour dates and tickets see here
Leave A Comment