Cheersquad are very pleased to present “Trouble“, the second single from the first solo album by Phil Jamieson – frontman/singer/songwriter/guitarist for Grinspoon.

"Trouble is tightly wound new wave pop, nervy staccato guitars and bubbling synths in a quintessentially antipodean style, along the lines of early INXS or Split Enz, colliding with a gloriously fuzzy chorus that intersects with the likes of Blur and The Vines, all the while remaining distinctly and unmistakably Phil Jamieson - one of Australian rock’s most iconic voices of the last 25 years." – Davey Lane (You Am I)

As that doyen of the arts, Tim Rogers, says of it: “Phil’s puckish performance style is underscored by a voice that can turn choirboy or demon’s spawn in a blinding grin. This has at times overshadowed his humour and empathy, but no more. Teasing open his lapels to show heart and scars, but also hope, and the lessons learnt from throwing yourself into this art that compels and damns us. Pop music with fire and finesse.”

Phil says of Trouble: “Trouble started life in Potts Point in 2019. I demoed with long-time collaborator Ben Rosen. He had just moved back from Singapore and had this chic Art Deco place right in the heart of the Cross. Over overpriced beer, I kind of came up with the riff and song… and we sat down and pushed out a demo. It had a very different middle 8 section, but apart from that the structure was pretty spot on. Lyrically it went through many moods… heartfelt, funny, sad. I think at one stage I was singing about John Laws’ boat? Anyhoo… I took it down to Field Studio in Collingwood to redo it from the ground up with the incredible Davey Lane. He wrote the middle 8 and wrote the drum pattern. It took on a whole new life and became what you hear today.”

The announcement will come as Phil prepares for rare performances with his old mates at Splendour in The Grass and Springloaded. The album’s release will be followed by a run of solo shows from Phil’s trio, which features Sam Raines on drums and Rob Muiños on bass.

“Fuck me, this is a catchy tune. Can’t get it outta me noggin after only one listen!” – Wally Meanie

Phil has been working on his solo career for some years. Indeed, some of his ‘new’ material pre-dates his role in the Australian stage production of American Idiot. He has, however, up until now been nervous to christen it with an album. The long gestation of the album’s first single shows something of the struggle: “It was born at Blueys Beach a few moons ago. It started life as a slinky Rolling Stones-type jam – with a bit more strut. Then Oscar Dawson of Holy Holy got his hands on it and changed it around, then I redid it as a dream pop major seventh sort of thing. That didn’t work, so I went back to Oscar, and we redid it in July/August last year, in an industrial area of Dandenong situated at the end of a cul-de-sac surrounded by Boats/Solar/Brothels.”

“The collective fear and loathing which has gone into releasing this has sometimes seemed insurmountable. But it’s a bit like an election, innit? If not now, when? If not me, who? Thanks for listening regardless; I hope you get a kick out of it…”

With “Somebody Else” the album due out July 29, Phil has not got too much longer to feel the fear. And all who have heard the record say that he’s got nothing to worry about anyway.

“Somebody Else” the album will be released on white vinyl, CD and digitally through Cheersquad Records & Tapes, the Melbourne-based label run by Wally Kempton from The Meanies and Even.