The Waterboys announce 'Rips From The Cutting Room Floor' - Companion Album to 'Life, Death And Dennis Hopper'

Get the breaking news on the release of The Waterboys' forthcoming Rips From The Cutting Room Floor, a companion album to the band's Life, Death And Dennis Hopper masterwork released earlier this year (read my review of the album HERE)...Robert Kinsler

The Waterboys announce Rips From The Cutting Room Floor Companion Album to Life, Death And Dennis Hopper Out December 5, 2025 via Sun Records  First Single “The Next Time I Saw Elvis” Out Today Stream the new single HERE and pre-order the album HERE

August 29, 2025 — The Waterboys today announce Rips From The Cutting Room Floor, a companion disc to their acclaimed Life, Death And Dennis Hopper containing extra tracks and vignettes, and arriving December 5th via Sun Records. The first single, “The Next Time I Saw Elvis,” will be released on all streaming platforms today, with the album now available for pre-save and pre-order. “These are tracks that didn’t make the album,” says bandleader Mike Scott. “Not because of quality control reasons, but because they broke the narrative. But we want to share them with people and they make a cool little record on their own.”  Rips From The Cutting Room Floor offers listeners a kaleidoscopic view of the creative universe Mike Scott and his band conjured during the making of their audacious opus released in the spring of 2024. Featuring 16 tracks and pressed on hot pink vinyl exclusively through Sun Records, the album traces tangents of Hopper’s mythos and the strange, wild world he inhabited — a vivid addendum to the story of America’s rebel icon. The new single, “The Next Time I Saw Elvis,” recounts a legendary 1956 encounter between Hopper and Presley in Hollywood. Brought to life with Henry Dobson Jr.’s charismatic lead vocal, the track features Ralph Salmins on drums, Aongus Ralston on bass and rhythm guitar, Famous James on piano, and a searing lead guitar solo from Scott himself — all channeling the swagger and electricity of that unforgettable moment. Watch "The Next Time I Saw Elvis" video here.

Among the other highlights: “On The Set Of The Last Movie,” a full-length instrumental steeped in transcendental blues; “Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Arrival In Taos,” which imagines the surrealist auteur’s creative clashes with Hopper in New Mexico; and “Flipside Of The American Dream” and “Still Raging On,” two alternate drafts of the main album highlight "Ten Years Gone" — plus audio of two spoof TV adverts. “Dennis made a lot of TV ads in his later life,” says Scott, “and brought a real artistry and creative sparkle to them. As such they’re ripe for spoofing and having some fun with, and so we did!” Recorded with longtime Waterboys collaborators and an eclectic cast of contributors, the tracks pull back the curtain on the wild ride of Life, Death And Dennis Hopper while standing as essential, standalone works of musical storytelling. Many of these songs were recorded in a burst of inspiration after Scott acquired a vintage mellotron, sparking new textures and creative momentum. “The mellotron is like an early sampler — a magic machine,” Scott explains in his notes. “Once it arrived, these songs came to life.” For more information about The Waterboys, visit the band’s website HERE. Rips From The Cutting Room Floor tracklisting: Western Rollcall The Next Time I Saw Elvis Cinema, C'est La Vie On The Set Of The Last Movie Alejandro Jodorowsky's Arrival In Taos Crystal Morning New Mexico Funkout At The Mud Palace Cowboy Bill, Guy Grand & Kansas Still Raging On Flipside Of The American Dream Thank You Mr Schneider The Counterculture Holdout Stanley In I Love The Movies Dennis In Ameridreams A Few Words About Dennis Hopper Golf, They Say (James Version) The Waterboys 2025 North American Tour Dates 9/4 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club 9/5 – Red Bank, NJ – The Vogel at Count Basie Center for the Arts 9/6 – New York, NY – Webster Hall (Sold Out) 9/7 – Boston, MA – Seisiún Fest 2025 9/9 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre 9/10 – Montréal, QC – Beanfield Theatre 9/11 – Toronto, ON – The Danforth Music Hall (Sold Out) 9/12 – Columbus, OH – The Athenaeum Theatre 9/14 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond 2025 9/15 – Nashville, TN – The Basement East 9/16 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall (Sold Out) 9/17 – Minneapolis, MN – Uptown Theater 9/20 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom (Sold Out) 9/21 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre 9/23 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater (Sold Out) 9/25 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore (Sold Out) 9/26 – Los Angeles, CA – The Bellwether 9/27 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up (Sold Out) 9/28 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom 9/30 – Santa Fe, NM – Lensic Performing Arts Center 10/2 – Austin, TX – The Paramount Theatre 10/3 – Dallas, TX – Longhorn Ballroom 10/4 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre For a full list of shows and ticket information, visit https://mikescottwaterboys.com/waterboys-shows.php.  About Sun Records:  Established in 1952 by Sam Phillips, Sun Records is renowned for discovering music legends including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The label moved to Nashville in 1969 where it continued cultivating acclaimed artists Jeannie C. Riley, The Dixie Cups, Linda Martell, and many others. As a member of the newly-formed Sun Label Group under Primary Wave, Sun Records continues to foster musical innovation while honoring its rich history of shaping American music culture. For more information, visit https://sunrecords.com.