Texas: 30th Anniversary of White on Blonde + the hits

Texas, one of the UK’s defining bands of the 21st century, celebrate 3 decades of the record that made them superstars when White On Blonde turns 30 on 5 February next year. Alongside the anniversary release comes brand new single ‘Another Way To Cry,’ and a huge 2027 UK & EU tour.

Released in February 1997 into a musical landscape running on Britpop swagger and laddy energy, Texas’ landmark fourth LP, which is certified 6x platinum in the UK, was the absolute opposite: a record that embraced the band’s love of soul, trip-hop and more, and turned it into a catalogue of emotionally-resonant, radio-ready hit singles. Following its immediate, huge success (a Number One album chart placing upon its release, plus five Top 10 singles), the band followed it up with curveball moves including a Wu-Tang Clan collaboration on ‘Say What You Want (All Day, Every Day)’ that earned them a further Top 10. Nothing about any of it was expected, but that was precisely what turned it into magic.

“It didn't feel risky because no-one at our label gave a shit,” Spiteri recalls of the attitude towards the band in the UK ahead of White On Blonde. “We were in Glasgow, we made the album in my house and I did all the vocals in the coat cupboard. We had nothing to lose, and anyway, I didn’t want to fit in. If everybody's doing something, I'm always running in the opposite direction and that’s always been the attitude - whether it’s walking on stage at Glastonbury, or with White On Blonde. It's always been us saying: We will play our own tune. If you want to jump on, great. If you hate us, fine. But this is what we want to do.”

The album will also feature a brand new, unreleased song ‘Another Way To Cry’. Proudly influenced by their love of Northern Soul, and filled with brass and strings, it finds Texas broaching new territory yet again. “It's a really good test for a new song if you play it up against the big hits; it’ll either sit up to them, or it fucking dies,” Spiteri says. “‘Another Way To Cry’, you could put it in the setlist tomorrow with all the hits and it'll stand its ground.”

The track comes alongside stunning video shot in the Scottish Highlands directed by Niall Trask (Jamie T, Fat White Family, Nadine Shah), which stars longtime friend and celebrated actor Robert Carlyle alongside Sharleen. The piece is a love letter to the film Paris Texas, which the band took its name from. 

The special anniversary, which features sleeve notes by friend and comedian Peter Kay, will be released on multiple formats including on vinyl for the first time. The album will be released on LP + 7" single, a x2LP version, double CD and digitally across all streaming platforms via Play It Again Sam. 

Known for their enthralling live shows the band will be back for an arena tour across the UK & EU in 2027. Kicking off at the P&J Arena in Aberdeen on October 15th, the 18 date run includes shows in Newcastle, Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow, Leeds, Cardiff, Brighton, Manchester and London.