Ocean Colour Scene’s Steve Cradock says the band want to release a new album – their first since 2013.
The 57-year-old guitarist has revealed that the British indie-rock band already have some songs written and could potentially release new material as a single, but stressed that a full-length record will depend on frontman Simon Fowler writing lyrics for more tracks.
When asked if fans could expect a new Ocean Colour Scene album, Cradock told Contact Music: “Yeah, it could happen. We’ve got a few things down, but I guess it’s down to Simon writing some songs. We’ve got a couple of songs that are kind of close to being ready to be released.
“We could put a single out, definitely. We’ve got a couple of great tunes, but as an album I’m not sure. Simon needs to be writing the tunes for it.”
Ocean Colour Scene’s last release was 10th studio album Painting in 2013, which followed 2010’s Saturday.
Cradock – who is also Paul Weller’s touring and studio guitarist – insisted the band’s lack of new material is not down to any reluctance to make another album.
Asked whether the way people consume albums has made the group hesitant about releasing new music, he said: “No, we’re not reluctant to. We just haven’t got the songs. You need songs for an album, don’t you?
“So until that day comes, but there’s no reason why we shouldn’t. We might be better off just putting singles out, I don’t know.”
Cradock also acknowledged the challenge of following the band’s best-known records, particularly 1996’s Mosley Shoals, which became a defining album of the Britpop era.
Ocean Colour Scene enjoyed their commercial breakthrough in the mid-1990s, with Mosley Shoals producing hits including The Day We Caught The Train, You’ve Got It Bad and The Riverboat Song, which was used as the theme song to Chris Evans’ talk show TFI Friday.
Cradock suggested that the emotional connection fans have with those albums makes releasing new music a different proposition.
He said: “Here’s the thing, right, is that people like the albums from that era and it’s got a certain nostalgia about it and it’s got memories of that time.
“If you put new music out, it’s not going to hold any of those things and I don’t know if people retain albums in the same way these days. People don’t listen to albums in the same way, I don’t think.”
Despite those concerns, Cradock insisted the band’s motivation would ultimately be about creating music rather than chasing the commercial impact of their classic material.
He added: “But it’s not about that, you do it because you want to do it and we would all like to do an album. Definitely. So, you know, fingers crossed.”
Ocean Colour Scene will be revisiting one of the most important records in their career with their Mosley Shoals 30th Anniversary Tour.
The band will celebrate three decades of the landmark album by performing material from Mosley Shoals to audiences once again, giving fans the chance to hear the record that helped establish Ocean Colour Scene as one of the UK’s biggest guitar bands of the era.
And Cradock has promised some rarities as well, including tracks from their fan favourite 1997 release B-sides, Seasides and Freerides.
He said: “I think we’re going to be playing The Clock Struck 15 Hours Ago. Obviously, we’re playing Moseley Shoals, we’re not gonna play it in the format of the album, otherwise the gig will be over in three songs! Or otherwise reach a pinnacle.
“We’re going to do a few songs we’ve never done before. Hopefully we’re going to do a song called The Waves that was on the One from the Modern album, which we’ve tried once before, but has never been a success. So I’m hoping we can do a few songs that we don’t normally play live.”
Ocean Colour Scene kick off the Moseley Shoals 30th Anniversary Tour at The Telegraph Building in Belfast on November 14.
The 18-date UK tour includes gigs at The O2 in London, Manchester’s AO Arena and the Cardiff Utilita Arena and finishes on 12 December in their hometown of Birmingham at the bp pulse LIVE arena.
Tickets for Ocean Colour Scene: Moseley Shoals 30th Anniversary Tour are available via the venues and the band’s official website.