With a rush of melody and raw truth, Keyside release ‘Michael (What’s Your Call?)‘ cementing their status as sharp-eyed chroniclers of youthful highs and social challenges. Their second EP – OUT NOW -lands as they gear up for a fast-selling 5-date UK tour, concluding at The Lexington, London on Tues 25 March. The hotly tipped Mersey four-piece immerse hard-hitting truths in glass-cut melody as they release their second EP and head into new sold-out UK tour dates.
The track was recorded at Kempston Street Studios with producer Chris Taylor (Courteeners, Blossoms) and captures a band rapidly on the rise. Lost weekends, heartbreak and a life slipping through the cracks are spun into ringing guitar lines and a soaring chorus on the EP’s focus track, the band’s latest urban anthem of hope and escape ‘Michael (What’s Your Call?)‘ is a stark reminder that, behind the bright lights and big nights, some friends disappear when the music stops.
‘Michael (What’s Your Call?)‘ shimmers with lush, mellifluous vocals slanting over a glistening mosaic of multi-faceted riffs and heartfelt lyrics which reach into the shadows, illuminating the darkness. The radio-ready, hook-laden track opens up an essential dialogue on mental health and will have audiences rapt with melody.
Reflecting on the single, front man Dan Parker explains: “We’re inside Michael’s head for the verse. But the chorus plays out as a phone call to Michael, from a worried friend. We all know a Michael. Someone whose friends notice they’re not themself. Someone who disappears. Someone who can’t get home. This song is a reminder that reaching out to a friend when they’re struggling can save a life.”
Parker’s songwriting cuts to the core, distilling real-life experiences into vivid character portraits. Past
singles like ‘Angeline‘ and ‘Nikita painted unflinching pictures of substance abuse, the fallout of
addiction, and tangled family webs. Michael (What’s Your Call?) follows that thread, wrapping hard
truths in the band’s signature sound. Urgent, melodic and deeply felt.
The song’s themes inspired an exclusive collaboration with the legendary British music photographer
Lawrence Watson. A man whose lens has captured The Smiths, Paul Weller, Oasis, Run DMC,
Bowie and more, Watson’s world was shaken by personal tragedy in 2018. The loss of his son Travis
to suicide sparked a meaningful dialogue with Keyside, shaping an ongoing creative project with The
Photography Movement, which encourages people to express their feelings and emotions about
mental health and well-being through photography, raising awareness and funds for suicide
prevention charities. The first image from these sessions, captured on location in Liverpool, is released alongside the ‘Michael (What’s Your Call?)’ EP with more to be revealed soon.
Exclusive image by Lawrence Watson
January saw Keyside step into the limelight at Liverpool’s The Cavern with Mantra of the Cosmos,
the indie supergroup featuring British rock royalty Shaun Ryder, Bez, Andy Bell and Zak Starkey.
As well as opening the show with Keyside, Dan stood in for Noel Gallagher on guest vocals, after
being spotted performing on TikTok. With growing self-belief and a catalogue of earworm tunes,
Keyside hit the road this March for a series of headliners, hot on the heels of supporting Blossoms
and The Royston Club in late 2024.
All of Keyside’s confirmed upcoming UK live dates are as follows:
MARCH
12 – Leeds, Oporto – SOLD OUT
13 – Glasgow, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
14 – Liverpool, Arts Club – SOLD OUT
16 – Manchester, Deaf Institute – SOLD OUT
25 – London, The Lexington (just announced)
Final tickets available via: KEYSIDE | Official Website
