Razorlight have shared the meaning behind their controversially named new song ‘Taylor Swift = US Propaganda’.
Today (July 26), the band have announced ‘Planet Nowhere’ – their first album recorded by the group’s classic line-up since 2008. The LP sees singer Johnny Borrell, guitarist Bjorn Agren, drummer Andy Burrows and bassist Carl Dalemo return to the studio for their first full-length since their third album ‘Slipway Fires’. You can pre-order the album here.
While speaking to NME about their upcoming album, the band discussed how the first track written for the LP was their newly released single ‘Scared Of Nothing’ and opened up about the creation of their new song ‘Taylor Swift = US Propaganda’.
“I went back to the Basque country where I live and promptly forgot about being a musician for five weeks. My girlfriend asked me: ‘Are you writing anything?’ and I just laughed. I hadn’t even thought about it until she put it in my mind. I picked up a guitar and, honestly, pretty much everything else happened. ‘Taylor Swift’ popped out in about 10 seconds,” Borell said.
The track has nothing to do with the ‘Speak Now’ singer. Explaining how the name came to be, Borell said: “When we’re recording, I always write down things people say. Finishing that song in the studio, I saw a bit of paper that said: ‘Taylor Swift = US Soft Propaganda’. If you want me to comment on Taylor Swift specifically, I’m not sure I really can, because I don’t know much about her.
After being told that Swift fans and more would be all over that song title, the frontman shared: “Sure. Like I say, I don’t know much about Taylor Swift. But I like to take the reality of the creative process and keep it. And with a lot of albums, people start off wanting to say things then, once people start saying: ‘Oh, that’s controversial, what will people say about that?’ Everything starts to get smoothed out. In 2024, what’s the point?
“I want to stay true. Every step of the way on this album, what was happening in the studio is what you get. That piece of paper is a joke someone thought was funny at the time. So, why not?”
Elsewhere in the chat, the band reflected on their debut album ‘Up All Night’ and their forthcoming 20th-anniversary show at Brixton Academy in celebration of the LP.
Reflecting on that era, Burrows said: “We were all aware something bananas was happening. You can’t be that much in demand and not think: ‘This isn’t totally normal.’ The time since gave me a lot of time to reflect and think: ‘Yeah, that really, really wasn’t normal. It was amazing.’ And at the top of that list is the way it feels when Razorlight plays together. When we lift off, it’s something I haven’t felt anywhere else.”
“Even my haters seem to love ‘Up All Night’. Even people who’ve got certain preconceptions about me will say: ‘I loved your first album.’ Everything on it was me, I’ve never been such a control freak on a record since,” added Borell.
Released on June 28, 2004, ‘Up All Night’ peaked at Number Three in the UK Official albums charts and went on to sell over 1.2million copies. The album spawned six singles: ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Lies’, ‘Rip It Up’, ‘Stumble And Fall’, ‘Golden Touch’, ‘Vice’ and ‘Somewhere Else’.
Reviewing the album, NME said at the time: “Razorlight’s debut packs more tunes than Franz [Ferdinand]’s, more spirit than The Strokes and more balls than nearly every band out there right now.”
They also appear at the following festivals before an intimate underplay tour. Visit here for tickets and more information.
JULY
28 – Harbour Festival
AUGUST
11 – Hull Zebedee’s Yard
23 – Victorious (Also featuring Johnny Borrell’s band, Jealous Nostril)
25 – Witcombe Festival
30 – Nottingham Woolaton Hall
OCTOBER
18 – Birmingham, Castle & Falcon
19 – Edinburgh, Mash House
20 – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
21 – Manchester, Band on the Wall
22 – Brighton, Komedia
24 – Bristol, Strange Brew
NOVEMBER
21 – London, O2 Academy Brixton
