Squeeze at WOMAD
Over on the Open Air Stage Squeeze delighted the crowd with a set that included all you'd expect from these veteran performers, opening with 'Take Me I'm Yours' followed by 'Up The Junction' set the tone for an afternoon performance of fun and nostalgia from a band who are clearly enjoying themselves once again.

Squeeze Biog
Originally gaining fame during the New Wave period of the late 1970s,  Squeeze are known for their hit songs "Cool for Cats," "Up the Junction," "Tempted," "Black Coffee In Bed," "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)," and "Hourglass," among others. All of Squeeze's hits were written by band members Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford.

With the perfect combination of Chris Difford's lyrics and Glenn Tilbrook's melodies Squeeze created some of the most memorable and most loved songs of any generation of songwriters, with their indecently adept ability for narrating a good domestic yarn over a suitably pithy couplet - their carefully crafted inventive songs are utterly timeless.

It should come as no surprise then, that many of today’s young bands, ranging from The View to Razorlight to Fountains of Wayne to The Feeling and Kasabian have all cited them as a major influence. In early 2007 it was announced that Difford and Tilbrook would reform Squeeze for a series of shows throughout the latter half of the year, in support of Universal / Warner's release of a new 'best of' album, Essential Squeeze. John Bentley re-joined on bass for the first time since Squeeze's last reunion show in 1985. The rest of the line-up was augmented by members of Tilbrook's touring band, The Fluffers: Stephen Large (keyboards) and Simon Hanson (drums). The first actual full-band Squeeze show since 1999 took place at GuilFest 2007, the band then went onto play sold-out shows of the U.S. and UK.

The History
Squeeze were formed in South London in 1974 by Chris Difford (guitar, vocals, lyrics), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals, guitar, music), Jools Holland (keyboards), and Paul Gunn (drums). They chose the name “Squeeze” as a facetious tribute to The Velvet Underground's album of the same name. Gilson Lavis replaced Gunn on drums and Harry Kakoulli (England’s Glory/Only Ones) joined on bass in 1976.

The group's early singles and debut EP, 1977's Packet of Three, were released on the Deptford Fun City Label before the band signed to A&M for the release of their, John Cale produced, self-titled debut album in 1978, which contained the bands first Top Twenty single Take Me, I’m Yours. John Bentley replaced Harry Kakoulli on bass in 1979, following the success of second album Cool For Cats, which spawned two UK Number Two smashes – the title song, Cool For Cats and Up The Junction and the top Thirty hit Slap & Tickle. Argybargy followed in 1980 and included the hits Pulling Mussels (From A Shell) and Another Nail In My Heart. Jools Holland departed the same year and was replaced by Paul Carrack (Ace/Roxy Music).

In 1981 the band unleashed, East Side Story produced by Elvis Costello and Roger Bechirian. The album features the US Top Five single Tempted & the UK Top Five hit Labelled With Love. Sweets From A Stranger album was released the following year and included the classic Black Coffee In Bed. 1982 also saw the bands headline at Madison Square Gardens in New York.

The stresses of touring, and the constant work schedule led Difford and Tilbrook to take a break from the band later that year. Difford and Tilbrook continued to work together, and released a self-titled album as Difford & Tilbrook in 1984. The duo also contributed to a musical written and staged in Deptford, entitled ‘Labelled with Love,’ based largely on the music of Squeeze.

Squeeze re-formed to play a charity show in 1985. The performance was such a success that the band decided to resume recording and touring as Squeeze. They released a further six albums: Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti (1985, containing the US Hit Hits Of The Year); Babylon  And On (1987); Frank (1989); Play (1991); Some Fantastic Place (1993); Ridiculous (1995) and 1998’s self financed final album Domino.

In 1998 Difford won an Ivor Novello Award after scripting the lyrics for the film “Still Crazy.” In November 1999 after a show in Aberdeen Squeeze decided to call it a day, so that Difford and Tilbrook could concentrate on their separate solo careers. Tilbrook and Difford released their critically acclaimed debut albums - The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook (2001) and I Didn’t Get Where I Am (2003) respectively.

In 2003 Difford and Tilbrook collaborated on a song for the first time since Domino. The track, Where I Can Be Your Friend, appeared on Tilbrook's well-received second solo album, Transatlantic Ping Pong (2004). Difford’s South East Side Story was released in 2006 - a live album recorded at the Albany Theatre in Deptford, containing ten radically reworked acoustic versions of Squeeze¹s biggest hits. 2006 also saw the release of a feature length documentary Glenn Tilbrook: One For The Road about life as a touring musician on the road in the US
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The Future
In April 2008, Universal release the classic Squeeze albums Argybargy, Sweets From A Stranger, Frank and Ridiculous in expanded and Deluxe Editions with demos, rarities and expanded liner notes.
Chris Difford releases his first album of new songs in five years, The Last Temptation Of Chris through Stiff Records on April 7th 2008 and tours the UK with album collaborator Boo Hewedine from April 3rd.
Glenn Tilbrook is currently completing work, with his band The Fluffers, on his 3rd solo album due for release in September. A Fluffers tour will follow in October.

Squeeze Official Website

Squeeze MySpace