The Waterboys recently announced plans to release a new concept album titled Life, Death and Dennis Hopper. The 25-track song cycle, which delves into the turbulent and fascinating life of the late actor and maverick filmmaker, is due out April 4.
Videos by American Songwriter
The Waterboys have now debuted a second advance digital track from the album, “Andy (A Guy Like You).” The song was inspired by Hopper’s role in promoting a young Andy Warhol’s first solo pop-art exhibit. The exhibition, which featured Warhol’s famous paintings of Campbell’s soup cans, took place in 1962 at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles.
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“Andy (A Guy Like You)” features a 1960s pop vibe that reflects the era during which the tune is set. In a recent exclusive interview with American Songwriter, Waterboys frontman Mike Scott explained that although the musical styles of a number of tracks on the album seem to allude to the period in which the songs take place, he maintained that that was “in large part accidental.”
“I didn’t consciously or deliberately set out to do that, but I noticed it happening,” Scott noted. “It was almost as if it was happening beyond my control. The ‘Andy’ one was a very obvious one. It sounded like a Burth Bacharach instrumental.”
He continued, “[A]ctually it was co-written with a guy I work with in London called Simon Dine. [T]hat was his instrumental. I loved that the music seemed to be describing the times.”
More About the Song “Andy” and Hopper’s Connection with Warhol
Scott gave some more background about the song “Andy” in a press statement.
“The song describes the moment Warhol drove across America to visit Dennis Hopper in L.A. and have his first exhibition,” he pointed out. “It was the beginning of the pop art revolution, the moment the ’60s started coming into color.”
Speaking with American Songwriter, Scott talked more about Hopper’s connection with Warhol. He mentioned that Dennis is said to have been the first person to purchase one of Andy’s Campbell’s soup can paintings, while noting that the story may be apocryphal.
“[C]ertainly [Hopper] was there championing the young Andy at the Ferus Gallery in L.A. and making sure that people came,” Mike added. “And also, he’s instrumental in Andy getting his name around and becoming known.”
Warhol also filmed Hopper for one of his famous silent “screen tests” around 1964.
Scott told American Songwriter “Andy (A Guy Like You)” is among his favorite songs on the new Waterboys album.
About the “Andy (A Guy Like You)” Music Video
A companion music video for “Andy (A Guy Like You)” has debuted on The Waterboys’ official YouTube channel. The clip features different film snippets of Scott singing the tune appearing simultaneously on screen in multiple colorful squares, mimicking the style of a Warhol silkscreen.
The video also boasts footage of Mike shot in Taos, New Mexico, where Hopper lived for many years. In one scene, as a sedan that Scott is riding in pulls away, it’s revealed that several Campbell’s soup cans have been tied to the car’s back bumper.
More About Life, Death and Dennis Hopper
Life, Death and Dennis Hopper features contributions from several guest artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle, and Fiona Apple. Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith, Go-Go’s bassist Kathy Valentine, and veteran punk/new wave singer Patti Paladin also appear on the album.
The first advance track from the album, “Hopper’s on Top (Genius),” was released on January 10. A companion music video debuted in conjunction with the song.
The tune focuses on perhaps the high point of Hopper’s career, when he directed and co-starred in the enduring 1969 counterculture film Easy Rider.
In the press release, Scott mentioned some of the highlights of Hopper’s life, which served as inspiration for various tunes.
“[Hopper] was at the big bang of youth culture in Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean; and the beginnings of Pop Art with the young Andy Warhol,” Mike noted. “He was part of the counter-culture, hippie, civil rights, and psychedelic scenes of the ’60s. In the ’70s and ’80s he went on a wild 10-year rip, almost died, came back, got straight and became a five-movies-a-year character actor without losing the sparkle in his eye or the sense of danger or unpredictability that always gathered around him.”
You can pre-order Life, Death and Dennis Hopper now.
The Waterboys’ 2025 Tour Plans
The Waterboys have more than 30 concerts lined up in the U.K. and Ireland in 2025. The band’s itinerary runs from a May 1 show in Basingstoke, U.K., through an August 30 performance at the Lindisfarne Festival in Northumberland, U.K.
Scott and company also are scheduled to play the Gent Jazz fest in Ghent, Belgium, on July 5. In addition, The Waterboys will perform at the 2025 Bourbon and Beyond Festival on September 14 in Louisville, Kentucky.
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