FM Release "Whatever It Takes" Single To Coincide With New Album "Old Habits Die Hard"
COINCIDES WITH NEW ALBUM
"OLD HABITS DIE HARD"
RELEASED FRIDAY MAY 3, 2024
ORDER THE NEW ALBUM
Photo Credit: © Roberto Villani
To coincide with the Friday May 3rd release of legendary British AOR rock band FM's fourteenth studio album Old Habits Die Hard, the band have released their new single “Whatever It Takes.” Both album and single celebrate FM’s 40th Anniversary (1984-2024).
Old Habits Die Hard is available to order from https://orcd.co/oldhabitsdiehard.
Watch the official music visualiser for “Whatever It Takes” on YouTube HERE.
The album and single also coincides with FM’s 40th Anniversary “Old Habits Die Hard” Anniversary Tour which continues at the Rescue Rooms in Nottingham on Friday May 3rd. Tickets for the UK tour are available from thegigcartel.com. Full tour dates are listed at the bottom of this press release.
“Whatever It Takes is a classic FM style ballad and very much looks back to the sound of the band during the ‘Tough It Out’ era,” says FM’s guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick.
Continues Jim, “It has the big FM chorus that our fans know and love. It’s a song that will definitely go down well at live shows. It’s already a favourite amongst the fans and critics who have heard it.”
Released to coincide with the bands 40th Anniversary (1984 – 2024), vocalist, guitarist and founding member Steve Overland says, “the new album encompasses the best melodic elements of the band’s illustrious 40-year spanning career.”
“We really looked at what made the most popular FM albums great and tried to focus on that,” says Steve about the new album Old Habits Die Hard.
FM are known by many for their big choruses, twin lead guitars and Steve Overland’s intimate, yet powerful vocals, and clean guitar sound.
Following 2022’s Thirteen album, Old Habits Die Hard was delayed slightly by keyboard player Jem Davis’ cancer diagnosis (thankfully he’s now received the all-clear) and then by the sudden passing of FM’s founding guitarist Chris Overland (Steve’s brother), which hit the band hard.
Photo Credit: © Paul Stuart Hollingsworth
Over the past 12 months, during their extensive touring schedule, FM produced the album themselves and recorded the bulk of it at their own Dale View and Electric Pepperland recording studios.
Opening track and first single “Out of The Blue” was a song that originated from keyboard player Jem Davis. Says Jem, “the band love the music of Toto and Foreigner and so I tried to put those influences into one track. ‘Once Steve got involved and started singing it, I knew that we were onto something special.”
“Out Of the Blue is a song that old school FM fans will really latch on to,” says Steve. “So far, the reaction to the track has been amazing.”
“Whatever It Takes” and “No Easy Way Out” are typical FM melodic tracks and could fit seamlessly on to one of the bands earlier classic albums. Bass player and founder member Merv Goldsworthy explains, “No Easy way Out has the big typical FM chorus. It’s a massive hook. The kind of thing that we’ve become known for. It’s one of my favourites on the album.”
Photo Credit: © Fran Cea
Photo Credit: © Adrian HextallThe heavier side of the album is represented by “Lost,” “Another Day in My World,” and “Leap of Faith.” Whilst more hard hitting, these songs embody the catchy melodic choruses that FM are known for.
“Cut Me Loose,” “California,” and “Blue Sky Mind” are poppier, more feelgood tracks. “Blue Sky Mind” was conceived again by keyboard player Jem Davis who originally wrote the song about his experience with his cancer diagnosis. ‘That song really was therapy for me. It was important that I got it out of my system and into music,” says Jem.
“Black Water” is a brooding, bluesy track that grows and grows. ‘This is a real favourite of mine,” says FM guitarist, Jim Kirkpatrick. “I could hear Brian May playing the guitar solo, so I pulled out my Brian May signature guitar and tried to do my best impersonation of him. Hopefully I got somewhere close.”
Track Listing
1. Out of the Blue (4.21)
2. Don’t Need Another Heartache (4.35)
3. No Easy Way Out (3.54)
4. Lost (5.20)
5. Whatever It Takes (4.37)
6. Black Water (4.52)
7. Cut Me Loose (4.34)
8. Leap of Faith (4.05)
9. California (5.17)
10. Another Day in My World (4.14)
11. Blue Sky Mind (5.06)
Production Credits
Old Habits Die Hard
Produced by FM
Mixed by Jeff Knowler
Mastered by Jim Griffiths at Principal Audio
Photography by Paul Stuart Hollingsworth
Recorded at West3 Productions, Tremelo, Electric Pepperland, Morsecode Studios, JK Studios
All songs written by - Overland/Goldsworthy/Jupp/Davis/Kirkpatrick
Photo Credit: © Paul Stuart Hollingsworth
Track by Track
Out of the Blue – “I wrote this song in Lanzarote, says FM’s keyboardist, Jem Davis. “It’s about a guy who is completely happy in his own little world, and suddenly his partner declares she’s not, and is calling it a day! This comes to him out of the blue, but he’s not going to give in and lose her without a fight.”
Don’t Need Another Heartache – “This is one of the bluesier tracks on the album, kind of early Foreigner/Bad Company vibe,” says Steve Overland. “It’s about a guy that’s been in a bad relationship for too long, but he’s finally had enough.”
No Easy Way Out – “This was one of the first songs written for the album,” says Steve. “It’s about a guy that’s been down on his luck and knows it won’t be easy but is determined to pick himself up.”
Lost – This is a real AOR groove rocker,” says Steve. “It’s about someone who had it all, lost it, and wants it all again.”
Whatever It Takes – “This is the ballad of the album, really,” says Steve. “It’s a song about a guy who worships a girl from a distance but doesn’t have the words to tell her… a familiar story.”
Black Water – “This initially had the working title of Havana, says Jem. “It turned out to be about a someone from Deep South, USA. No matter how far he travelled, the strong pull of home was always going to draw him back.”
Cut Me Loose – “This song is about a relationship that’s faded,” reflects Steve. “It’s time to move on, but how hard that can be if you’ve been together for a long time?”
Leap Of Faith – “This one is the opposite to Cut Me Loose,” explains Steve. “it’s a great riff to open the track. The story tells how if you lose the spark, and you both want to, you can get it back if you both want it.”
California – Musically, I was looking for an old school Indiscreet vibe in the style of Other Side Of Midnight or American Girls,” says Merv. “As a kid I'd watch the Beverly Hillbillies and 77 Sunset Strip. It all seemed so different to where I grew up in the North of England. Sun, beaches, surfing, great weather and, of course, all the great movie studios. I wasn't even sure it was real or make believe.
Another Day in My World – “This tells the story of a guy who has always gone unnoticed and has spent his life in the shadows,” explains Steve. “Suddenly, he wants to change that and make his mark in life.”
Blue Sky Mind – “No one knows how they will react when being diagnosed with cancer, “Says Jem. “When I was diagnosed January 2023, I found my way of dealing with it was just to stay positive. Nothing you can do. I received the all-clear in September. It’s about staying positive and leaving the neg behind. I like this being the last track. It’s a positive message to everyone dealing with cancer!”
Planet Rock & The Gig Cartel Present
"OLD HABITS DIE HARD"
40TH ANNIVERSARY UK TOUR 2024
FEATURING SPECIAL GUESTS
BRAVE RIVAL*, COLLATERAL**,
ROMEO’S DAUGHTER***, & HAND OF DIMES****
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM
THEGIGCARTEL.COM & FMOFFICIAL.COM
NOTTINGHAM, RESCUE ROOMS
FRIDAY 3rd MAY 2024
Special Guests: Collateral**
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Masonic Pl, Goldsmith St, Nottingham, NG1 5LB
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GATESHEAD, GLASSHOUSE ICM
SATURDAY 4th MAY 2024
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St Mary's Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 2JR
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LEEDS, BRUDENELL
SUNDAY 5th MAY 2024
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33 Queen's Rd, Leeds, LS6 1NY
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BURY ST EDMUNDS, APEX
FRIDAY 10th MAY 2024
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1 Charter Square St, Bury Saint Edmunds, IP33 3FD
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BIRMINGHAM, ASYLUM
SATURDAY 11th MAY 2024
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38-43 Hampton St, Birmingham B19 3LS
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CARDIFF, TRAMSHED
FRIDAY 17th MAY 2024
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Clare Road, Cardiff, CF11 6QP
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NEWBURY, ARLINGTON ARTS
SATURDAY 18th MAY 2024
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Mary Hare, Snelsmore Common, Newbury, RG14 3BQ
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EXETER, PHOENIX
SUNDAY 19th MAY 2024
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Gandy Street, Exeter, EX4 3LS
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SOUTHAMPTON, 1865
FRIDAY 24th MAY 2024
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Brunswick Square, Southampton, SO14 3AR
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LONDON, DINGWALLS
SATURDAY 25th MAY 2024
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East Yard, 11 Camden Lock Pl, London, NW1 8AL
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GLASGOW, ORAN MOR
FRIDAY 31st MAY 2024
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Top of, Byres Rd, Glasgow G12 8QX
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ABERDEEN, LEMON TREE
SATURDAY 1st JUNE 2024
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5 West North Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5AT
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