GENE LOVES JEZEBEL

Two Cleopatra label favorites, Goth pioneers Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel and Stray Cat Slim Jim Phantom (Headcat, 13 Cats, Swing Cats, Voodoo Tones) launch their much-anticipated Hit & Run tour of the United States on April 8.

Eighties hit maker (and Pretty In Pink soundtrack standout) Belouis Some is also on the bill.

Key figures on the 1980s US college/alternative rock scene, Gene Loves Jezebel were responsible for a stream of immortal club and MTV hits, among them “Jealous,” “The Motion of Love,” “Heartache,” “Josephina” and “Desire (Come and Get It).”

This is Gene Loves Jezebel’s first American visit since the release of their acclaimed 2023 album Love Death Sorrow X; 2025 also marks the 40th anniversary of the core trio of Aston, bassist Pete Rizzo and guitarist James Stevenson playing together – in fact, Stevenson’s first tour with the band was the US.

“The tour is definitely something we’re looking forward to celebrating this milestone with,” says Aston. “It’s amazing that we’re still together after all this time!

“We’ve never stopped creating new music together and we are great friends. We’ll be playing so many of the classic GLJ songs of course, along with our personal favorites from the last two albums (Dance Underwater was released in 2017).”

He is also excited about the line-up for the tour. “We played a wonderful show with Belouis Some in London recently. Such a great band and it was a pleasure to share the same stage.”

Aston and Slim Jim go back even further; “I’ll never forget seeing Slim Jim with The Stray Cats at the Venue in Victoria, London, when they first came on the scene, and they were sensational. Jim and his beautiful wife, Jennie Vee are a striking rhythm section and I can’t wait to play these shows with them.”

Slim Jim also has a new Cleopatra release behind him. Issued at the end of February, the tumultuous rockabilly stomp “Livin’ Ain’t Easy” is the first single by Voodoo Tones, a new band formed by Phantom with fellow Headcat alumni Danny B Harvey and Djordje Stijepovoc (Tiger Army), plus CM Wolf of The Delta Bombers.

The Hit & Run tour kicks off in Philadelphia on April 8.

Brooding ethereal rock visionaries GENE LOVES JEZEBEL have returned with a brand new studio album, X – Love Death Sorrow, set for release on December 1. This is the band’s first studio album since their heavily praised 2017 album Dance Underwater. GLJ leader Jay Aston once again calls on acclaimed long term guitarist James Stevenson (who has also played in The Alarm, Gen X, The Cult, Chelsea) and longtime bassist Peter Rizzo as well as welcoming back producer Peter Walsh, who helped create some of the band’s classic albums like 1987’s The House Of Dolls, which included the monster singles “The Motion Of Love” and “Suspicion.”

Together, this team has crafted an album of superb original tracks as well as a handful of outstanding cover songs by the likes of Magazine, The Cure, and The Only Ones to name a few. In fact, the first single to be shared from the new album is a cover of the worldwide hit by fellow Brit, Edwyn Collins, “A Girl Like You.” This catchy, retro-sounding piece of pop is transformed in Gene Loves Jezebel’s hands into a gorgeously atmospheric rocker with guitars that chime and sustain, and a spectacular vocal from Aston. Check out the track below!

Stream/download the single: https://orcd.co/wydrxr

The full album, X – Love Death Sorrow, will be released on both CD and vinyl as well as digital. Order your copy today and be sure to catch the band performing live at a venue near you! See https://genelovesjezebel.co.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGeneLovesJezebel for tour information.

Order the CD/Vinyl: https://cleorecs.com/store/?s=Love+Death+Sorrow&post_type=product
Pre-order/pre-save the digital: https://orcd.co/genelovesjezebel-xlovedeathsorrow

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