Squeeze Honored To Open Glastonbury Festival In Their 50th Anniversary Year

06-24-2024 10:12 AM EDT

(Republic Media) As they prepare for their 50th Anniversary Tour, Squeeze's co-founders Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford look forward to opening Glastonbury Festival when they perform on the Pyramid Stage at midday on Friday (June 28).

"I was at the 1971 Glastonbury Fayre and it was a life changing experience for me. I didn't return until 1994, and, of course, the festival had grown but it carried the same spirit that I remembered. I have been a regular at the festival ever since which may explain why I am so pleased and proud that Squeeze will be opening the Pyramid Stage this year!" said Glenn Tilbrook

Chris Difford said "It is a massive honour to open the festival. I feel completely grateful that after 50 years we can play our songs in front of such a loving audience, and have a nice lunch afterwards."

With a half-century distinguished by some of the smartest and sweetest guitar-pop made during the rock & roll era, Squeeze are one of rock's vital institutions, a band who carved out a distinctive place in the pop firmament with their vibrantly melodic, perceptive songs. Those songs were written by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, the composers who have remained at the heart of Squeeze since its inception. 70s and 80s Hits such as 'Up the Junction', 'Cool for Cats', 'Another Nail in My Heart', 'Hourglass' and 'Tempted' led critics to label Difford and Tilbrook the "next Lennon and McCartney", an assessment that wasn't proven to be hyperbole.

Squeeze in the 1990s delivered exquisitely crafted records - 'Play', 'Some Fantastic Place', 'Ridiculous' and 'Domino'. Reuniting in 2007 after solo careers, the ensuing decades have found Squeeze continuing to build their formidable body of work, with the release of the vigorous comeback albums 'Cradle to the Grave' and 'The Knowledge'. Squeeze have stayed on the road through the early 2020s, taking time to record the 'Food for Thought' charity EP in 2022 raising foods and funds for food banks.

With Difford and Tilbrook joined by bassist Owen Biddle, pedal steel and guitarist Melvin Duffy, percussionist Steve Smith, keyboardist Stephen Large and drummer Simon Hanson - the sound and spirit of Squeeze remains vital and vibrant for its fiftieth year.

Squeeze's nationwide tour, culminating at London's Royal Albert Hall, is only part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. Difford and Tilbrook are currently working on their first new material since The Knowledge and are deep diving into the archives for previously unreleased material. Watch this space....

Squeeze have confirmed that, on their headline tour, they will once again be supporting charity The Trussell Trust, which provides emergency food and support to people who cannot afford the essentials, while campaigning for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. Fans are invited on the tour to bring along food donations to the shows, where there will be collection points across the venue each night. There will also be collection buckets for any cash donations. All donations will be distributed to people in crisis across the 1,300 food bank centres in the Trussell Trust network.