Red Lorry Yellow Lorry release ‘Walking on Air’ single ahead of final album ‘Strange Kind of Paradise’
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry (Photo by Neil Chapman)
Post-punk pioneers Red Lorry Yellow Lorry will release their final studio album, “Strange Kind of Paradise,” in July 2025 via COP International. The full-length arrives nearly two decades after recording began.
Available as limited edition vinyl, CD, and across digital and streaming platforms, the album includes the advance track “Walking on Air”, now streaming exclusively on Bandcamp.
“Forty years on and the guitars still try to strangle each other, the words still struggle to make sense of chaos and the rhythms drive us to a glorious destination,” said guitarist Dave ‘Wolfie’ Wolfenden in a statement accompanying the announcement.
The album follows the band’s 2024 EP, “Driving Black”, and serves as the definitive culmination of their recorded output. According to Wolfenden, the partnership with COP International marked a turning point: “I feel that this Lorries album […] has found the right home.”
Label founder Christian Petke commented, “Red Lorry Yellow Lorry’s music served as the soundtrack to my formative years. The chance to contribute to the legacy of a band that has influenced me so profoundly is an honor I can scarcely put into words.”
“Strange Kind of Paradise” was produced and engineered by bassist Simon ‘Ding’ Archer (The Fall, Pixies, PJ Harvey) during the band’s active touring period between 2003 and 2015, but remained unreleased until now. With frontman Chris Reed no longer publicly active, final preparations and label negotiations were completed by Wolfenden and Archer throughout 2023.
The album is expected to be accompanied by further EPs, featuring b-sides, singles, and remixes.
About Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry formed in Leeds, England in 1981. Named after a tongue-twister, the band was founded by Chris Reed (vocals, guitar) and early collaborator Mark Sweeney. Guitarist Dave ‘Wolfie’ Wolfenden joined shortly thereafter and became Reed’s principal writing partner.
From 1982 to 1989, the band released four studio albums: “Talk About the Weather” (1985), “Paint Your Wagon” (1986), “Nothing Wrong” (1988), and “Blow” (1989). These releases consistently appeared in the upper ranks of the UK independent charts, supported by frequent tours across the UK, Europe, and North America.
Known for their stark, driving sound, the Lorries’ music was often compared to Joy Division, Killing Joke, and Big Black, though the band cited inspiration from acts ranging from MC5 to Wire and J.G. Thirlwell. Their style combined Reed’s cavernous vocals, distorted guitars, and drum-machine percussion into a tense, industrial-leaning post-punk aesthetic.
After the 1992 album “Blasting Off,” released by a reconfigured lineup, the band went dormant until 2003. During their revival, Reed and Wolfenden were joined by bassist Simon ‘Ding’ Archer and drummer Martin Henderson (Skeletal Family). They performed regularly at European festivals, including M’era Luna and Wave Gotik Treffen.
“Strange Kind of Paradise” was recorded during this era but shelved when the band dissolved again. Now, with the support of COP International and longtime fans, the final chapter of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry’s discography will be officially completed.
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