New music: Squeeze, SLD

In this column, I review the latest studio albums from Squeeze and SLD.

Artist: Squeeze
Title: Trixies (BMG/Love Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Squeeze, The Beatles, The Zombies
Tell me more: British rock band Squeeze is back. Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook were just 19 and 16 respectively back in 1974 when they wrote the songs on the newly-released 13-track album Trixies (the album was demo-ed at the time but never released). The sixteenth studio album by Squeeze, the ambitious material taps into both imagination and nostalgia; Trixies focuses on a fictional members' club that the duo dreamt up in the early 1970s with its arc set in the "future" (the 1980s). This is a masterwork that features a parade of great songs, but those songs are even more compelling when heard as part of the complete album. Early standouts include the evocative opener "What Moore Can I Say," tender acoustic sortie "You Get the Feeling," the David Bowie-mining "The Place We Call Mars," the genre-defying rocker "Hell on Earth" and unsettling "The Dancer." The album's strengths play out on the last half courtesy of the jazzy "Good Riddance," edgy "Don't Go Out in the Dark," driving melodic rocker "Why Don't You," dreamy "It's Over" and stylish "Trixies, Pt. 1." Trixies marks the first new studio album from Squeeze since 2017's The Knowledge. Information: squeezeofficial.com.

Artist: SLD
Title: Look Back (Kool Kat Musik)
You might like if you enjoy: Badfinger, Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney
Tell me more: Singer-songwriter Paul Costanza is back with the latest full-length LP from SLD, the wonderful aptly-titled collection Look Back. Melody and solid songcraft — along with winning lyrics focused on memories from Costanza's past — take center stage across the 12-track disc. From the soaring opener "Nothing Can Stop Me" and charmingly Beatlesque "Bye Bye" to the '60s-flavored rocker "Come Back," music hall gem "A Look Back," exuberant "Everywhere She Goes" and shimmering acoustic nugget "Little Man," the album takes the listener on a wonderful listen. Information: koolkatmusik.com.

Robert Kinsler

Squeeze 2023 North American Tour Dates Announced; English legends to tour with The Psychedelic Furs

What a great tour announcement; Squeeze and The Psychedelic Furs are embarking on a tour together this summer and have confirmed several Southern California dates in fall. Read my review of a 2012 concert featuring Squeeze HERE...Robert Kinsler

SQUEEZE CELEBRATES UPCOMING 50-YEAR ANNIVERSARY  WITH AMERICAN TOUR ALONGSIDE THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS  TOUR COMMENCES SEPT 8, 2023 AT NYC'S RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL  TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY MAY 19, 2023   Photographer - Danny Clifford  BROOKLYN, NY – British band Squeeze are pleased to announce their Fall American Tour commencing September 8, 2023 at New York City's famed Radio City Music Hall. This will be the Squeeze's first U.S. foray since their 2021 North American tour with Hall & Oates. Joining the band on the road will be The Psychedelic Furs. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 19th.   In 1978 Squeeze blasted to the forefront of the U.K. music scene during the height of the punk revolution. A three-song E.P. landed them a deal with A&M Records leading to the release of their debut self-titled album. With songwriting hooks and melodies that harkened back to the 60's British Invasion, the groundbreaking L.P. featured "Take Me I'm Yours," followed by a cadre of U.K. hits, including "Cool for Cats," "Up the Junction," "Pulling Mussels From A Shell," "Black Coffee in Bed," and "Labeled With Love." The band made an indelible mark on the U.S. in 1981 with the release of their classic hits, "Tempted," "Hourglass," and "853-5937" (from East Side Story.) Squeeze disbanded in 1999, then reunited in 2007, releasing three new albums; Spot the Difference (2010), Cradle to the Grave (2015), and The Knowledge (2017.) in 2022; the Food for Thought E.P. was released featuring one new song, two reimagined songs, and three exclusive live tracks. Profits from the digital E.P. will go to benefit independent U.K. Food Banks. Additionally, both Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook have released various solo projects.   In addition to Chris and Glenn, Squeeze currently features keyboardist Stephen Large and drummer Simon Hanson (since 2007), percussionist/backing vocalist Steve Smith (since 2017) along with pedal/lap steel guitarist Melvin Duffy (since 2019) and Owen Biddle, former bassist for The Roots, (who joined in 2020.)   Since arriving on the post-punk landscape four decades ago, The Psychedelic Furs, led by vocalist and songwriter Richard Butler and his bass-wielding brother Tim quickly developed as one of the premiere bands at college and alternative radio, scoring hits with "Love My Way," "Pretty In Pink," "Heaven," "The Ghost In You," and "Heartbreak Beat." In total, the Furs have released eight studio albums, spawning several compilations, a boxed set, a live concert DVD, and inspiring one of the most iconic motion picture soundtracks of all time. Their latest release, Made Of Rain, became their second-highest charting U.K. Album ever.

Photographer - Danny Clifford  TOUR DATES Sep 8               New York, NY              Radio City Music Hall Sep 9               Mashantucket, CT       Foxwoods Sep 10             Asbury Park, NJ          The Stone Pony Summer Stage Sep 12             Boston, MA                  Boch Center Wang Theatre Sep 13             Philadelphia, PA          The Met Sep 14             Washington D.C.          Filene Center at Wolf Trap Sep 16             Atlanta, GA                   Cadence Bank Amp at Chastain Park Sep 17             Nashville, TN                Grand Ole Opry Sep 19             Durham, NC                 Durham Performing Arts Center Sep 20             Richmond, VA              Virginia Credit Union LIVE! Sep 22             Nashville, IND               Brown County Music Center Sep 23             Detroit, MI                    The Fillmore Sep 24             Chicago, IL                   Salt Shed Sep 26             St. Louis, MO               Stifel Theatre Sep 27             Minneapolis, MN          The Uptown Theater Sep 29             Denver, CO                  The Bellco Theater Sep 30             Salt Lake City, UT         Eccles Theater Oct 2               Eugene, OR                   Silva Concert Hall @ Hult Center Oct 3               Seattle, WA                    The Paramount Theatre Oct 5               Saratoga, CA                 The Mountain Winery Oct 6               Napa, CA                        Blue Note Napa Session at Silverado Resort Oct 7               Wheatland, CA               Hard Rock Live Oct 9               San Diego, CA               The Sound Oct 12             Paso Robles, CA            Vina Robles Amphitheatre Oct 13             Los Angeles, CA             The Greek Theatre Oct 14             Las Vegas, NV                The Pearl Theater    FOR TICKET INFORMATION, CLICK HERE.    CONNECT WITH SQUEEZE Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify

Celebrated artists make eagerly-awaited returns

Fall 2015 has revealed a number of exciting returns for classic artists, including long-awaited returns by Jeff Lynne's ELO and British pop-rock outfit Squeeze, as well as high-profile releases from Canadian rocker Bryan Adams, German hard rock outfit Scorpions and a solo album from ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons.

Artist: Jeff Lynne's ELO
Title: Alone in the Universe (Columbia)
You might like if you enjoy: Traveling Wilburys, ELO
Tell me more: For the better part of the 1970s and '80s, the Electric Light Orchestra – better known as ELO – thrilled rock fans with dozens of spectacular hits including "Evil Woman," "Turn to Stone," "Don't Bring Me Down," "All Over the World" and "Mr. Blue Sky." When the band folded in 1986, lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Jeff Lynne became busy working as a producer for the likes of George Harrison and Roy Orbison, and a key member of supergroup of the Traveling Wilburys seemingly put an end to ELO. With 2015 being a year chalk full of amazing returns (Blur, the Zombies, Squeeze, Duran Duran), an amazing full-length disc from Jeff Lynne's ELO has to be heard to be believed. An acclaimed producer, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Lynne displays his myriad of talents across Alone in the Universe, a disc where he masterfully handles the majority of duties on his own. Lynne can still unleash shimmering symphonic epics (including the wonderful single "When I Was a Boy" and swirling "The Sun Will Shine On You"), but some of the most sterling songs here include the confessional ballad "All My Life," yearning "I'm Leaving You" and reflective title track. Here in the U.S., there is a deluxe edition of Alone in the Universe that includes two bonus tracks. Information: jefflynneselo.com.

Get 'Jeff Lynne's ELO - Alone In The Universe' (Amazon U.S. Deluxe Exclusive) here



Artist: Squeeze
Title: Cradle To The Grave (Caroline)
You might like if you enjoy: Crowded House, Squeeze
Tell me more: Featuring Squeeze's first new album of new material since 1998, the newly-released Cradle To The Grave finds Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook and company forging ahead even while celebrating their storied melodic and literate style that yielded a slew of classics in the 1970s and '80s. The songs here blend power pop and melodic rock, adorned with lovely harmonies and creative arrangements that enhance each song's core power (many of the tales here honest chronicle middle age). "Happy Days" is as exhilarating as its title; the ambitious Beatles-styled "Sunny" and Americana-tinged "Haywire" are the creative equal of Squeeze classics such as "Tempted," "Black Coffee in Bed" and "Cool For Cats." A thrilling return to be sure. Information: squeezeofficial.com.

Buy 'Cradle To The Grave' here



Artist: Bryan Adams
Title: Get Up (UMe)
You might like if you enjoy: Jeff Lynne, Bryan Adams
Tell me more: Singer-songwriter Bryan Adams' latest album Get Up was produced by legendary Jeff Lynne (Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, George Harrison), and the project is something that ultimately stretches the reach of Adams' sincere style of rock 'n' roll. Some of the songs here incorporate elements of classic rock stretching back to the genre's roots (particularly the 50s-flavored "You Belong To Me" and Beatles-mining "Don't Even Try"), while "Go Down Rockin'" captures the spirit of the Ontario, Canada native's classic '80s works. The lovely "Yesterday Was Just a Dream" is a wonderful track that is as contemporary and affecting as anything Adams has ever recorded. Information: BryanAdams.com.

Get 'Get Up' here


Artist: Scorpions
Title: Return To Forever (Legacy)
You might like if you enjoy: Scorpions, AC/DC
Tell me more: AC/DC isn't the only classic hard rock band to have silenced the naysayers in 2015. Germany's Scorpions - who remarkably have been together for 50 years - have issued one of their best-ever discs. Return to Forever features the blend of strong riffs, melodic heavy metal and power ballads that marked the band's wave of top-selling albums issued throughout the 1980s and early '90s. Singer Klaus Meines remains a wonder, his voice able to convey youthful abandon as well as more mature emotions. "House of Cards" is the band's most compelling ballad since 1990's classic "Wind of Change." Rockers need not worry; the pumping "All For One," "Going Out With a Bang" and "House of Cards" are among the bona fide hard rockers on the album. The straight-forward and aptly-titled "Rock 'n' Roll Band" sums up the 5 decade career of one of the globe's most enduring hard rocking outfits. Information: the-scorpions.com.

Purchase 'Return To Forever' here



Artist: Billy Gibbons and the BFG's
Title: Perfectamundo (Concord Records)
You might like if you enjoy: ZZ Top, Los Lobos
Tell me more: While ZZ Top front man Billy Gibbons' distinctive vocal growl and blistering lead guitar work will quickly be recognized on Perfectamundo, the first-ever solo album from Gibbons stands apart in style from his role in his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band. Here Gibbons' musical stamp is mixed with a decidedly Cuban flair courtesy of his musical collaborator Martine "G.G." GuiGui. The festive, dance-minded affair blends blues, Latin rhythms, rap, Carribeano and other exotic elements. Infectious and authentic, highlights include the Mexicano-blues rocker "Got Love If You Want It" and percussion-anchored "Sal Y Pimiento." Information: billygibbons.com.

Get 'Perfectamundo' here

Robert Kinsler

Squeeze announce release of first new studio album in 17 years

Wow, pretty great news! I've seen Squeeze a few times and am a long-time fan of their music. It's pretty exciting that Squeeze kick off their tour in Anaheim next month. Read my review of the band's 2012 full-length performance at The Coach House here.

Squeeze announce their first album of new songs since 1998

with a new album, ‘Cradle To The Grave’, releasing November 13, 2015.

LISTEN TO “Happy Days” HERE

Squeeze formed in 1974 and went on to write a dazzling collection of hook-filled hits including ‘Cool For Cats’, ‘Take Me I’m Yours’,  ‘Another Nail In My Heart,’ ‘Pulling Mussels (From the Shell),’ ‘Tempted,’ ‘Black Coffee In Bed’ and ‘Labelled With Love’, which saw them awarded the Ivor Novello for Outstanding Contribution To British Music in 2008.

‘Cradle To The Grave’ is Squeeze’s 14^th studio album and features the first collection of new songs from the band since 1998.

Over the years there have been solo careers and occasional separations, but the songwriting duo Chris and Glenn are stronger now than they’ve ever been.“We reformed Squeeze in 2007,” says Glenn. “Things went so well, here we are eight years later. Four years ago we agreed that if we were to carry on, we really needed to work on new material.”

Chris Difford’s lyrics and Glenn Tilbrook’s music have prevailed through turbulent times over the past four decades, from the ever-changing musical landscape to their own internal reshuffles and an acrimonious break-up. In addition the pair will head to the U.S. in November and December for ‘The At Odds Couple’ Tour  – seeing Glenn and Chris reflecting on their careers, as part of Squeeze and as solo artists, sharing not only the music but also giving an insight in to what makes the two of them tick as a partnership.
Chris says of their fresh songs: “We’ve grown up a lot in the last few years, musically.  We still love and own our past, but as musicians we needed to grow.”

Squeeze have released 13 studio albums – ‘Squeeze’ (’78), ‘Cool For Cats’ (’79), ‘Argybargy’ (’80), ‘East Side Story’ (’81), ‘Sweets From A Stranger’ (’82), ‘Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti’ (’85), ‘Babylon And On’ (’87), ‘Frank’ (’89), ‘Play’ (’91), ‘Some Fantastic Place’ (’93), ‘Ridiculous’ (’95), ‘Domino’ (’98) and the re-recording of their classic hits ‘Spot The Difference’ (‘10).

The tracklisting for ‘Cradle To The Grave’ is:

1. Cradle To The Grave

2. Nirvana

3.  Beautiful Game

4.  Happy Days

5.  Open

6.  Only 15

7.  Top Of The Form

8.  Sunny

9.  Haywire

10. Honeytrap

11. Everything

12. Snap, Crackle And Pop

‘The At Odds Couple’ TOUR DATES

November:

13 Nov – Grove Of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA

14 Nov – Wilshire Ebell, Los Angeles, CA

15 Nov – HOB, San Diego, CA

18 Nov – City Winery, Napa, CA

19 Nov – City Winery, Napa, CA

20 Nov – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA

24 Nov – Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis, MN

25 Nov – Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis, MN **Just Added – due to popular demand**

27 Nov – Park West, Chicago, IL

28 Nov – Park West, Chicago, IL

29 Nov – The Ark, Ann Arbor, MI

December:

1 Dec – Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH

2 Dec-  Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH

4 Dec – The Rex Theater, Pittsburgh, PA

5 Dec – Scottish Rite, Collingwood, NJ

6 Dec – Birchmere, Alexandria, VA

7 Dec – Count Basie, Red Bank, NJ

9 Dec – Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, NY

10 Dec – The Wilbur, Boston, MA

11 Dec – The Ridegefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT

12 Dec – Paramount Theater, Huntington, NY

13 Dec – Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, NY

14 Dec – Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown, NJ

16 Dec – Troy Music Hall, Troy, NY

17 Dec – Best Buy Theater, New York, NY

18 Dec – Best Buy Theater, New York, NY

Glenn Tilbrook to tour U.S. in support of new album

Good to see Glenn Tilbrook is embarking on a U.S. tour in connection with his forthcoming solo release set to land this fall. Here is the official news release with all the details.

GLENN TILBROOK Squeeze's iconic frontman announces 2-month fall US acoustic tour   Each show to be recorded live and offered for sale at the end of the show!   New studio release, Happy Ending, set for late 2013 release on Quixotic Records

August 22, 2013:  As half of the iconic songwriter team Difford and Tilbrook of beloved pop legendsSqueeze, Glenn Tilbrook has written some of the most enduring pop classics of the '80s UK New Wave invasion with such global hits as "Tempted" and "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)."  With more recent performances at Coachella and on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,  The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Live From the Artist's Den, Squeeze has proven itself to be relevant and enduring as new generations of fans discover the band's incredible songbook.  On his own, Glenn is a effortless, engaging entertainer and stunning guitarist whose eagerly anticipated solo tours and releases have brought him critical acclaim as an artist in his own right. Glenn will be releasing a new solo album in late 2013 through Quixotic Records titledHappy Ending (more on that soon) and will be bringing the Glenn Tilbrook Happy Trails Tour 2013 to the States for a comprehensive US tour that will kick off in Boston on September 5 and finish back on the East Coast in mid-October.  Tour highlights include two NYC dates on Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8 at City Winery and an LA show on Friday, September 27 at The Mint.  (Scroll down for complete tour dates.)   A new unique and exciting aspect of Glenn's 2013 US Tour is that every show is set to be recorded live and then made available at the end of the night from the merchandise stand. Tilbrook says, "Over the years so many people have asked for recordings of the acoustic shows. Now the audience will be able to take home a recording of the show that they have just enjoyed and were a part of."                                                                           The tour will be different from anything that Glenn has previously done. While the first half will simply be Glenn on his own, the second half will see him joined by Squeeze drummer Simon Hanson and multi-instrumentalist Chris McNally and will feature percussion, acoustic guitars, ukuleles, Indian harmonium, bass and iPads for a completely new show. As well as performing songs from his back catalog, Glenn will be showcasing his new solo material from Happy Ending and also songs from his 2011 release with UK blues legends Nine Below Zero, The Co-Operative. The new and different line-up for the show with Simon Hanson and Chris McNally is based around the new sound on Happy Ending, which is a collaboration between the three musicians.    Glenn's wit, humor and keen pop savvy and ability to connect with an audience have brought him a fervent following for his solo shows --  he once led a Washington DC audience out to the Moonlit parking lot of the venue for impromptu renderings of "Goodbye Girl" and "Pulling Mussels From the Shell."  Catch one of these intimate, don't-miss shows on one of the tour dates below.          Glenn Tilbrook US Tour 2013: Thu 05 Sep               Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall Fri 06 Sep                 Philadelphia, PA - World Café Live Sat 07 Sep                New York, NY - City Winery Sun 08 Sep               New York, NY - City Winery                                                Tue 10 Sep               Annapolis, MD - Rams Head Tavern                                  Wed 11 Sep              Vienna, VA - Jammin' Java   Thu 12 Sep               Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom                                  Sat 14 Sep                Evanston, IL - SPACE - (9:30PM show) Sun 15 Sep               Chicago, IL - City Winery                                                      Tue 17 Sep               Nashville, TN - 3rd & Lindsley Wed 18 Sep              Atlanta, GA - Smith's Olde Bar Thu 19 Sep               Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall - 1884 Lounge Fri 20 Sep                 Dallas, TX - The Kessler Theater Sat 21 Sep                Austin, TX - Saxon Pub Sun 22 Sep               Houston, TX - Big Barn Wed 25 Sep              Phoenix, AZ - Cresent Ballroom                                              Fri 27 Sep                 Los Angeles, CA - The Mint Sat 28 Sep                San Luis Obispo, CA - SLO Brewing Company Sun 29 Sep               San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall Tue 01 Oct                Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios Wed 02 Oct               Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern                                               Fri 04 Oct                  Salt Lake City, UT -  The State Room Sat 05 Oct                 Denver, CO - The Walnut Room                                                Mon 07 Oct               Kansas City, MO - The Riot Room Tue 08 Oct                St Louis, MO - The Firebird  Wed 09 Oct               Cincinnati, OH -  20th Century Theatre Thu 10 Oct                Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater                                              Sat 12 Oct                 Asbury Park, NJ -The Wonder Bar Sun 13 Oct                Bethlehem, PA - Musikfest Café Mon 14 Oct                New Haven, CT - Cafe Nine,    Tue 15 Oct                 Newton, NJ - Newton Theatre Wed 16 Oct                New York, NY - Stage 48     Press quotes - Live Reviews "Glenn Tilbrook's hyperactive musical brilliance" - The Sunday Telegraph, UK - 2012 "The excellence is there in Glenn Tilbrook's guitar work (who knew that he was this fine a player as well as singer) but most assuredly in the songs, which are adapted and freshened but never ruined" - Sunday Express, UK - 2012 "Glenn Tilbrook, ace guitarist and gifted tunesmith" - Mail On Sunday, UK - 2012 "The frenetic guitar courtesy of Glenn Tilbrook" - Liverpool Echo, UK - 2012 "Glenn Tilbrook. A man cast from the same sacred mold as other classic British songwriters such as Ray Davies, Elvis Costello...delivers a blistering, irrefutable, unrestrained, totally unpretentious hour of joie de vivre to an ecstatic audience.   - Official Glastonbury Festival site    Tilbrook's former band Squeeze's influence still resonates today in the work of many of today's practitioners of three-minute powerpop tunes. Catching him live, I was treated to one of the very best solo appearances I've ever seen pulled off, bar none. A powerhouse of humor, punch, and energy...Catch him!   - Village Voice    Tilbrook continues to create melodic power pop that's buoyant, brainy and balls-out fun...Live, Tilbrook is loose, funny and unpredictable--and great at energizing a crowd.  - Nashville Scene    Best Concert - Glenn Tilbrook at Iota.  For an encore, the former Squeeze vocalist and songwriter led the crowd of 100 out the door and into Iota's parking lot, where he serenaded everyone under the moonlight with unplugged versions of "Goodbye Girl" and "Pulling Mussels From a Shell." He briefly made Wilson Boulevard feel like the center of the universe.   - The Washington Post    Links: Glenn Tilbrook Web Site  Quixotic Records Facebook Twitter  Squeeze Official

Squeeze set to rock The Coach House and Coachella 2012

My concert preview on Squeeze was originally published on The Orange County Register Web site on April 6, 2012.

Catching up with Squeeze as they head to Indio

Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook began writing songs together as teenage friends in South London in the mid-’70s. The duo would later be dubbed the “new Lennon and McCartney” and, aided by a rotating roster of talented players, would go on to craft some of the most timeless power pop of the New Wave era as Squeeze.

The band stood apart in the ’80s by delivering energetic shows anchored by a seemingly endless supply of marvelous songs – “Black Coffee in Bed,” “Tempted,” “Another Nail for My Heart” and “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell),” to name a few – most of which outdistanced the work of their contemporaries by leaps and bounds.

Now, Squeeze is returning to its deserved position in the limelight. Not only is the legendary U.K. troupe set to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio this month, the current lineup will release Live at the Fillmore (Anchor and Hope Music) on limited edition white vinyl on April 14, the first of two dates they will play at the desert festival.

In addition, Squeeze is set to perform April 17 on The Ellen Degeneres Show and the group will play a series of club dates to warm up for Coachella, including April 11 at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano and April 10 at House of Blues San Diego. (Also look for their return June 30 alongside the B-52′s at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, on sale April 14.)

During a recent phone interview, Difford discussed everything from Squeeze making its first appearance at the renowned event to the band’s growing legacy and influence on modern-day artists such as Kasabian, Lily Allen and Razorlite. But the discussion led off with the subject of Squeeze coming to Coachella.

“We’ve been asking to be in the festival for quite some time, really, because we’ve played lots of festivals in the U.K. So this year we’ve managed to find a billing where we can fit in,” he said. “Obviously I am very pleased that we are there; it’s gonna be good.”
But Difford says the band doesn’t consider its club dates as mere warm-ups for the massive bash.
“The Coach House is just as important as any of the shows that we are going to do. So we have to make sure that we have all of our eggs in one basket, so to speak. When we rehearse this week for the tour we will be doing, we’ll be rehearsing for the Coach House (too).”

Given how many groundbreaking artists perform at Coachella – Squeeze shares consecutive Saturday bills with Radiohead, Bon Iver, Feist, Gary Clark Jr., the aforementioned Kasabian and scores more – Difford admitted to feeling honored that he and Tilbrook are praised by name by many of the group’s musical descendents.
“It can only be something that makes you proud when people tip their hat to you,” he says. “I can hear it (the sound of his band in those artists). I can hear Squeeze in Crowded House, but then I can hear the Beatles in Squeeze. So every band is like a magpie; we all copy from each other, really.”

Since re-forming in 2007 following an eight-year hiatus, Squeeze has captured the attention of a new generation of fans on both sides of the Atlantic, as evidenced by not only the group’s Coachella appearances but other winning tours in recent years. More than three decades after the release of Squeeze’s debut EP, Difford says he’s better able to reflect on the group’s place in rock ‘n’ roll history.

“I’m always rewarded when people say that (Squeeze has a growing legacy over time) because you spend your entire life – almost – being in a rock ‘n’ roll band and you never know what the outcome is going to be, and then you get to my age (he’s 57) and people really respect what you’ve done. It’s a beautiful feeling; it’s a feeling of coming home, and when people come to the shows and they hear ‘Black Coffee’ and ‘Tempted’ and songs like that, their feedback is very rewarding.”

But as large as the band’s legacy looms, Difford said Squeeze’s story is not yet complete: “I don’t think our history is something we should chase,” he said of new songs he’s been working on with Tilbrook for a future studio set.
“We only live in the now – most of the time, anyway – so we can only really change ourselves by exploring what we have in front of us, rather than what we have behind us.”

Squeeze plays April 11 at the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, in San Juan Capistrano. Davis Fetter, formerly of O.C. band Venus Infers, will open. Tickets are $55. Also catch Squeeze at House of Blues San Diego on April 10, $20-$30, and look for them alongside the B-52′s at the Greek Theatre on June 30, $35-$65, on sale April 14 at 10 a.m.