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Squeeze (band)

From Alfawiki
Squeeze
Company typeGroup or band
IndustryMusic
Founded1974 in Deptford, London, England
FounderChris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook
Headquarters
London
,
England
Area served
United Kingdom, United States
ProductsMusic albums, singles

Squeeze is a British rock group that rose to fame in the UK during the late 1970s new wave era, maintaining an active recording presence throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and into the 2010s. Their UK top-ten hits include "Cool for Cats", "Up the Junction", and "Labelled with Love". In the United States, they found success with tracks such as "Tempted", "Black Coffee in Bed", and "Hourglass", playing a role in the Second British Invasion.

The majority of their lyrics were crafted by Chris Difford, while Glenn Tilbrook composed the music; both served as guitarists and vocalists. Early in their career, this songwriting partnership was praised as "the successors to Lennon and McCartney". Originating from Deptford, London in 1974, Squeeze initially split in 1982, reunited in 1985, and disbanded once more in 1999. The band also helped launch notable solo careers for keyboardists Jools Holland and Paul Carrack.

In 2007, they came together again for tours across the US and UK. They followed this with Spot the Difference in 2010, an album featuring re-recordings of earlier songs. Their first collection of new compositions since 1998, Cradle to the Grave, was released in October 2015, succeeded by The Knowledge in October 2017.

Initial period: 1974–1982

The band was established in March 1974 by Chris Difford (guitar, vocals, lyricist) and Glenn Tilbrook (vocals, guitar, composer). Difford placed an advertisement seeking a guitarist; Tilbrook was the only applicant. They began collaborating on songwriting and soon incorporated Jools Holland (keyboards) and Paul Gunn (drums), performing initially under monikers such as "Captain Trundlow's Sky Company" before adopting "Squeeze," inspired by the Velvet Underground’s 1973 album of the same name.

In 1975, Gilson Lavis took over drumming duties from Gunn, while Harri Kakoulli joined as bassist. Emerging from Deptford’s dynamic music scene in southeast London alongside groups like Alternative TV and Dire Straits, Squeeze first signed with Miles Copeland III’s BTM Records. After BTM folded in 1976, their early singles and debut EP Packet of Three (1977) were issued through Deptford Fun City.

Their eponymous debut album (1978), primarily produced by John Cale for A&M Records, included two successful singles—"Take Me I'm Yours" and "Bang Bang"—which were self-produced by the band after the label considered Cale’s production commercially unviable. Due to legal issues with American bands named "Tight Squeeze," they were promoted as UK Squeeze in North America and Australia until the release of Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti in 1985.

Their sophomore album, Cool for Cats (1979), delivered their biggest UK hits: "Cool For Cats" and "Up The Junction," both reaching No. 2 on the charts. That year John Bentley succeeded Kakoulli on bass. The third album, Argybargy (1980), sustained their UK popularity and introduced moderate North American recognition with singles like "Another Nail in My Heart" charting in Canada and "Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)" receiving US radio play.

Following Holland’s departure in 1980 to pursue a solo career, Paul Carrack of Ace and Roxy Music joined as keyboardist. The 1981 release East Side Story, produced by Elvis Costello alongside Roger Bechirian, featured Carrack’s lead vocals on their hit "Tempted." After Carrack left post-release, Don Snow replaced him. The band achieved another UK top-five single with "Labelled with Love," which reached No. 4 domestically and No. 2 in Ireland. This lineup recorded Sweets from a Stranger (1982). However, critical backlash, touring strains, and internal tensions led Difford and Tilbrook to dissolve Squeeze later that year following the single "Annie Get Your Gun."

Difford and Tilbrook era: 1983–1984

In 1984, Difford and Tilbrook issued a self-titled album under the name Difford & Tilbrook. Although not officially released as a Squeeze record, it is frequently considered a "lost" Squeeze album since the duo comprised the band's principal members. Several songs from this release have been included on authorized Squeeze compilations, and Tilbrook’s official website recognizes it within Squeeze’s discography.

During this timeframe, the pair also participated in the musical Labelled with Love, which was performed in Deptford and predominantly drew upon Squeeze’s repertoire.

Second reunion: 1985–1999

Squeeze reunited in 1985 for a charity event featuring the five musicians from the 1980 Argybargy lineup—Difford, Tilbrook, Holland, Lavis, and Bentley. The positive reception prompted a full return to recording and touring activities, with Keith Wilkinson taking over bass duties from Bentley. This formation produced the 1985 album Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti.

The record included intricate keyboard arrangements that necessitated adding a second keyboard player for live performances. Jools Holland’s brother, Christopher Holland, briefly toured with the band in 1985 and contributed Hammond organ on the single "Heartbreaking World". Christopher soon departed to focus on his solo work and was succeeded by Andy Metcalfe of The Soft Boys and The Egyptians, who remained on keyboards until 1988.

In 1987, the six-member group released Babylon and On, enjoying commercial success in both Britain and America with singles such as "Hourglass" and "853-5937".

Following Metcalfe’s exit in 1988, the band recorded Frank in 1989. The album failed to achieve strong sales, leading to Squeeze being dropped by A&M Records.

Matt Irving joined on keyboards for the live album A Round and a Bout (1990). That same year, Jools Holland departed once more; subsequent keyboard parts on 1991's Play—released via Reprise Records—were handled by session musicians. Despite lacking UK chart success, singles like "Satisfied" and "Crying in My Sleep" received airplay on US modern rock stations; notably, "Satisfied" also charted in Canada. Afterward, Reprise ended their contract with the band. In 1992 drummer Gilson Lavis was replaced by Pete Thomas; Paul Carrack returned the following year.

Returning to A&M Records, Squeeze unveiled Some Fantastic Place in 1993. Although UK popularity had waned, the lead single "Third Rail" reached No. 39, marking their first Top 40 UK hit in six years.

The mid-1990s were marked by frequent personnel shifts. In 1994 American songwriter Aimee Mann toured alongside the band. Drummer Pete Thomas departed; Paul Carrack temporarily covered drums before session drummer Andy Newmark joined. Carrack left shortly after; Andy Metcalfe rejoined briefly for live gigs. Kevin Wilkinson succeeded Newmark on drums and contributed to the 1995 album Ridiculous, which featured Difford, Tilbrook, and both Wilkinsons. This release spawned minor UK hits including "This Summer", "Electric Trains", and "Heaven Knows"—the latter appearing in the film Hackers. A remixed version of "This Summer" reached No. 32 in the UK charts in 1996. Despite these successes, A&M dropped Squeeze again later that year.

Following Ridiculous, Don Snow (also known as Jonn Savannah) returned as touring keyboardist. By 1997, Squeeze had been reduced to just Difford and Tilbrook as a duo. That year they released a non-album single titled "Down in the Valley" to support Charlton Athletic F.C., launching Tilbrook’s Quixotic label for subsequent releases.

For their 1998 album Domino, Squeeze expanded to a five-piece consisting of Difford, Tilbrook, bassist Hilaire Penda, former Del Amitri drummer Ashley Soan, and returning keyboardist Christopher Holland. Nick Harper frequently appeared as a guest guitarist and vocalist. In January 1999, mere days before embarking on a tour, Difford announced a break; Squeeze continued as a four-piece led by Tilbrook with Jim Kimberley substituting for Soan on some dates. Christopher Holland departed later that year and was replaced by Chris Braide, Tilbrook’s songwriting collaborator.

On 27 November 1999 in Aberdeen, Scotland, Squeeze performed their final show before disbanding once more. Following this split, Difford and Tilbrook each pursued solo careers independently.

Solo period: 2000–2006

In 2003, Difford and Tilbrook reunited creatively for the first time since Domino, collaborating on "Where I Can Be Your Friend," a track featured on Tilbrook's sophomore solo release, Transatlantic Ping Pong. The following year, they co-wrote the retrospective book Squeeze: Song By Song alongside music journalist Jim Drury, reflecting on how their relationship had strengthened after the band's dissolution.

An effort by VH1 in 2004 to bring back the mid-1980s Squeeze lineup was unsuccessful, primarily due to Jools Holland's conflicting schedule and Tilbrook’s reluctance to reform the band. Nevertheless, Difford made a guest appearance alongside Tilbrook during a Glasgow concert in December 2005.

Third phase: 2007–present

In early 2007, Difford and Tilbrook revived Squeeze to perform shows promoting Universal and Warner’s reissued back catalogues as well as the new compilation Essential Squeeze. Due to their ongoing commitments with Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, both Jools Holland and Gilson Lavis were unavailable. John Bentley returned on bass, supported by Tilbrook’s touring musicians Stephen Large on keyboards and Simon Hanson on drums.

The group's first full ensemble performance since 1999 occurred on 12 July 2007 at The Albany in Deptford. This was followed by a United States tour featuring opening acts such as Fountains of Wayne, Will Hoge, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Aimee Mann, and Cheap Trick. In November 2007, they released Five Live: On Tour in America, a live album documenting the tour. The band sustained touring activities across both the US and UK through to 2010.

In March 2010, Squeeze was honored with a Heritage Award from PRS for Music, marked by a commemorative plaque at Greenwich’s Borough Hall—the site of their inaugural performance. Their mid-2010 'Spot The Difference' tour showcased re-recorded versions of classic tracks, which were made available on an accompanying CD.

A notable moment occurred during a US television appearance performing "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where Stephen Large delivered a keyboard solo using an Apple iPad. Later that year, Steve Nieve briefly filled in on keyboards before Large resumed his role.

The lineup comprising Difford, Tilbrook, Bentley, Large, and Hanson continued touring throughout 2011 and 2012. April 2012 saw the release of Live at the Fillmore, a live album featuring twenty tracks. During their UK tour that year, they offered live recordings from each concert along with a four-track bonus EP titled Packet of Four, marking their first new studio material in fourteen years.

On 11 February 2013, Difford and Tilbrook performed a rendition of The Beatles’ "Please Please Me" alongside Paul Jones on BBC Radio 2 to commemorate the album’s fiftieth anniversary; this was followed by a documentary broadcast on BBC Four.

Starting in late 2014, Difford and Tilbrook toured as an acoustic duo in smaller venues throughout the UK while the full band appeared sporadically at festivals during 2015. Early that year, bassist John Bentley departed and was replaced by Lucy Shaw from Tilbrook's backing group The Fluffers.

Between 2016 and 2018, Squeeze maintained an active touring itinerary across the United States, Australia, and extensively within the United Kingdom.

Cradle to the Grave

Plans for a new Squeeze album began circulating from 2008 onwards, with Difford and Tilbrook discussing intentions during interviews at V Festival in both 2008 and 2011. In January 2010, they announced songwriting sessions scheduled for summer in Italy; by November 2013, Tilbrook indicated that recording would commence in early 2014. These sessions ultimately did not take place as planned, with Tilbrook instead releasing his solo album Happy Endings.

Concurrently, Squeeze was commissioned to create music for the BBC drama Cradle to Grave, adapted from Danny Baker’s autobiography Going To Sea in a Sieve. The band premiered the title track during their 2013 tour and were photographed with Baker while filming on location.

Recording started during 2014 and into early 2015; Difford confirmed completion of a "first mix" by April 2015. By July of that year, mastering was underway. Released officially on 2 October 2015, Cradle to the Grave marked their first original studio album since 1998 and was issued in a limited edition of one thousand copies through their Love Records label.

In December 2015, Difford and Tilbrook featured on BBC Radio 4's "Mastertapes", where they discussed their landmark album "East Side Story" during a live session recorded at Maida Vale Studios.

Current Endeavors

In January 2016, Squeeze appeared on BBC's The Andrew Marr Show, utilizing the opportunity to voice opposition to then-Prime Minister David Cameron by modifying the lyrics of "Cradle to the Grave".

July 2017 brought news of a North American tour along with changes in the lineup: bassist Lucy Shaw was succeeded by Yolanda Charles, while Steve Smith joined the group as a percussionist and backing singer. Plans for an Australian tour in 2018 and progress on a new album were also announced.

August 2017 marked the announcement of Squeeze’s fifteenth studio album, The Knowledge, which was preceded by the release of the single "Innocence in Paradise". The full album became available on 13 October 2017.

The band maintained an active touring schedule throughout the UK, Ireland, and North America. However, their proposed 2020 tour across Australia and New Zealand was indefinitely delayed due to scheduling issues.

On 13 August 2019, Melvin Duffy was officially added as the seventh member of Squeeze; he had previously contributed as a session musician. During September 2019 at Louisville's Bourbon & Beyond Festival, former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl joined them for a performance of "Black Coffee in Bed".

Yolanda Charles left the band in February 2020; Sean Hurley temporarily filled the bassist role. By April, Glenn Tilbrook introduced Owen Biddle—formerly with The Roots—as the new permanent bassist. Nevertheless, planned performances were postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Touring with Biddle resumed in 2021.

In November 2022, in response to the UK’s cost of living crisis, Squeeze committed proceeds from their Food for Thought EP to food banks and encouraged their audience to contribute during their UK tour.

In September 2023, Tilbrook revealed intentions to record two albums in Los Angeles: one featuring new original material and another comprising early unreleased tracks.

On 8 June 2024, Squeeze served as special guests for Richard Thompson at the Royal Albert Hall during his final UK tour performance.

Musical Style

Squeeze’s sound has been characterized as new wave, post-punk, pub rock, and power pop. According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, they represent "a bridge between classic British guitar pop and post-punk." The band has also been categorized under punk and pop punk, although Glenn Tilbrook clarified in 1988 that despite punk influences, they never identified themselves strictly as a punk band.

Inspirations

The band’s influences include iconic 1960s rock groups such as The Kinks and The Beatles, with the Difford-Tilbrook songwriting duo often likened to Lennon-McCartney—a comparison met with ambivalence by the band. Additional influences cited encompass artists like David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Donovan, Ian Dury, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, King Crimson, Nick Lowe, Ramones, The Rolling Stones, the Velvet Underground, and The Who.

Impact and Legacy

Squeeze has left a significant mark on numerous musicians and bands. American new wave artist Marshall Crenshaw acknowledged Squeeze as a major influence on his self-titled debut album released in 1982. The college rock group The Replacements, particularly bassist Tommy Stinson, also expressed admiration for them. Many artists associated with Britpop, especially Blur, have praised Squeeze; guitarist Graham Coxon described them as "an amazing band" and singled out Tilbrook’s vocal style as one of his favorite English voices. Subsequent musicians influenced by Squeeze include American Hi-Fi, The Caulfields, Kasabian, the Killers, Nightmare of You, Razorlight, and Space.

Several now-renowned bands got their start opening for Squeeze, including acts like Dire Straits, The Jam, R.E.M., The Specials, U2, and XTC.

Members

Present lineup

  • Glenn Tilbrook – lead guitar, keyboards, lead vocals
  • Chris Difford – rhythm guitar, vocals
  • Stephen Large – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Simon Hanson – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Steve Smith – percussion, rhythm guitar, vocals
  • Melvin Duffy – pedal and lap steel guitars, dulcimer
  • Owen Biddle – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Danica Dora – backing vocals, keyboards

Discography

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