The Waterboys have announced their sixteenth studio album ‘Life, Death And Dennis Hopper’, due out on 04 April 2025 via Sun Records.

The full-length tells the epic story of the trailblazing American actor and rebel told through a song cycle depicting not only Hopper’s story but the saga of the last 75 years of western pop culture.

“The arc of his life was the story of our times,” says band leader Mike Scott, “He was at the big bang of youth culture in Rebel Without A Cause with James Dean; and the beginnings of Pop Art with the young Andy Warhol. He was part of the counter-culture, hippie, civil rights and psychedelic scenes of the ’60s. In the ’70s and ’80s he went on a wild 10-year rip, almost died, came back, got straight and became a five-movies-a-year character actor without losing the sparkle in his eye or the sense of danger or unpredictability that always gathered around him.”

First single ‘Hopper’s On Top (Genius)’ is due out this Friday (10 January).

Scott worked for four years on ‘Life, Death And Dennis Hopper’. Produced with Waterboys bandmates Famous James and Brother Paul, the album features 25 tracks and boasts a stellar line-up of guests including Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, Steve Earle, Nashville-based Alt Americana artist Anana Kaye, young English singer Barny Fletcher, Norwegian country-rockers Sugarfoot, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s, and punk arch-priestess Patti Palladin.

In addition, The Waterboys will embark on a massive 28-date UK & Ireland tour in spring 2025 – full details below:

Basingstoke Anvil, 01 May
Bath Forum, 02
Bexhill DLWP, 03
Brighton Centre, 05
Nottingham Rock City, 07
Liverpool Philharmonic, 08
Sheffield City Hall, 09
Gateshead Glasshouse, 10
Blackpool Opera House, 12
Manchester Bridgewater Hall, 13
York Barbican, 15
Birmingham Symphony Hall, 16
Bournemouth Pavilion, 18
Cardiff New Theatre, 19
Cambridge Corn Exchange, 20
Bristol Beacon, 22
Oxford New Theatre, 23
Stockton-on-Tees The Globe, 24
Llandudno Venue Cymru, 25
Guildford Live, 27
Leicester De Montfort Hall, 28
London Roundhouse, 31
London Roundhouse, 01 June
Dublin 3Arena, 07
Belfast Live At The Botanic Gardens, 08
Aberdeen Music Hall, 11
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 12
Glasgow Barrowlands, 14
Glasgow Barrowlands, 16
Leeds O2 Academy, 17
Truro Hall For Cornwall, 19

Remaining tickets on sale now from Ticketmaster AXS Ticketweb See Tickets

CHECK OUT THE ALBUM ARTWORK HERE:

Our new album: LIFE, DEATH AND DENNIS HOPPER. Out 4 April on Sun Records. Guests include Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle, Fiona Apple and Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes. It’s the story of Dennis Hopper’s life in songs – and the story of his and our times #TheWaterboys #RockAndRoll pic.twitter.com/IntCd79y8v

— Mike Scott (@MickPuck) January 6, 2025

The Waterboys ‘Life, Death And Dennis Hopper’ Full Album Tracklisting:

Kansas (featuring Steve Earle)
Hollywood’55
Live In The Moment, Baby
Brooke / 1712 North Crescent Heights
Andy (A Guy Like You)
The Tourist (featuring Barny Fletcher)
Freaks On Wheels
Blues For Terry Southern
Memories Of Monterey
Riding Down To Mardi Gras
Hopper’s On Top (Genius)
Transcendental Peruvian Blues
Michelle (Always Stay)
Freakout At The Mud Palace
Daria
Ten Years Gone (featuring Bruce Springsteen)
Letter From An Unknown Girlfriend (featuring Fiona Apple)
Rock Bottom
I Don’t Know How I Made It (featuring Taylor Goldsmith)
Frank (Let’s Fu*k)
Katherine (featuring Anana Kaye)
Everybody Loves Dennis Hopper
Golf, They Say
Venice, California (Victoria)/The Passing Of Hopper
Aftermath

Photo Credit: Paul Mac Manus / PRESS