EUROPE frontman Joey Tempest says the band will begin working on new material in 2024
During a recent appearance (Tuesday, October 3) on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”, EUROPE frontman Joey Tempest discussed the band’s new single “Hold Your Head Up”. “We went into the studio about a few months ago and recorded one new song,” he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). “And over the pandemic, there was some extra time. I managed to get some really good ideas down and everybody loved this idea.
“So we hooked up with GHOST producer Klas Åhlund. And we managed to record this in between shows, and it turned out really, really good. And, yeah, it’s just come out and it feels kind of fresh. We like to stay fresh and try to be innovative and have fun with it.”
Asked if he and his EUROPE bandmates plan to make a full record and whether “Hold Your Head Up” was primarily meant as a way to test a new producer, Joey said: “We wanted to check out Klas, obviously. Whether we’re gonna work with him or not, we’re discussing, but yes, we are throwing ideas around. We have some great ideas and yes, we will make a new album. But this was something we wanted to have out now, because we have a documentary coming out as well [chronicling our entire history] from [the early days in] the suburbs of Stockholm out to the world.
“We found some old VHS tapes from — I think some of it’s from San Francisco as well when we recorded ‘The Final Countdown’, in the studio with [producer] Kevin [Elson], and the hotel rooms in Japan, when we were very young and backstage from ’83, ’84. And we managed to put this documentary together with — people from GHOST are in it, Benny Andersson from ABBA‘s in it, talking, and we’re just honored that people wanted to take part in this documentary. It’s coming out beginning of next year, so we wanted this song to be part of that documentary.
“That was also part of the plan. And this 40th-anniversary tour we’re doing. We were lucky getting this song together because it seems like it has some legs, so we’re happy… But we do have some really great songs cooking. Obviously, ‘Hold Your Head Up’ will be on there as well. So, yeah, we’re right now in the middle of touring. And then beginning of next year, we’ll be in the studio again and doing some new ones.”
On September 30, EUROPE thrilled fans by performing “Hold Your Head Up” live for the very first time at Salle Métropole in Lausanne, Switzerland. The band proudly describes this track as a “punchy uptempo rocker with reminiscent elements of early EUROPE.” The song was recorded in August at Atlantis Studios in Stockholm with the talented Åhlund and later expertly mixed by Stefan Glaumann, known for his work with artists such as RAMMSTEIN and DEF LEPPARD.
“Notably, Stefan Glaumann was also responsible for mixing EUROPE‘s “Secret Society” album. Fans can now stream and download “Hold Your Head Up” across various reputable digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal, Pandora, and YouTube Music. This exciting release serves as a prelude to EUROPE‘s twelfth studio album, set to be recorded in 2024 and expected to grace the music scene in late 2024 or early 2025.
The music video for “Hold Your Head Up” offers a sneak peek into the band’s brand-new documentary, “Europe – The Movie,” currently in the works with producer/director Craig Hooper (known for his work with DEEP PURPLE and SAXON) under Coolhead Productions. The documentary aims to chronicle EUROPE‘s incredible journey, from its formation to the present day. It will recount the band’s rise to fame in the mid-1980s, their enduring strength through challenging times, their resurgence in the new millennium, and their current accomplishments. Fans can anticipate its release in early 2024.
Presently, EUROPE is immersed in the “Time Capsule” tour, featuring 21 concerts in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, and the U.K. The tour includes two nights at the iconic London Palladium. These anniversary performances offer fans a comprehensive “evening with” experience, featuring all the band’s greatest hits, deep cuts, and beloved fan favorites from their extensive catalog spanning 11 studio albums.
EUROPE‘s previous album, “Walk The Earth,” dropped in October 2017 through Hell & Back Recordings (Silver Lining Music). The album was recorded at the renowned Abbey Road Studios in London, with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb at the helm, known for his work with artists like RIVAL SONS, Shooter Jennings, Jason Isbell, and Chris Stapleton.
