The plans for the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of Gypsy’s Kiss continue to build with the news today that 2024 will see a new Gypsy’s Kiss album released. The single We’ve Come To Play will be officially released tomorrow, but you can see this today at MetalTalk below, including a video partially recorded at The Cart & Horses.
Few bands hold the cult status of Gypsy’s Kiss, the outfit famously the first band of David Smith and legendary Iron Maiden bass player Steve Harris. Whilst this accolade is enough for most, the sextet returned after four decades to huge acclaim, stronger than ever and ready to celebrate their 50th year as prime rockers who are as passionate today as they ever were.
With a forthcoming as-of-yet-unveiled album marking their third release since their resurgence, the combo brings this blistering new morsel of gloriously classy hard-rocking thunder as a delirious taster. We’ve Come To Play is enough to stop fans old and new in their tracks.
“It’s not a biography,” David Smith told MetaTalk, “but it is about a band that did pretty well a long time ago breaking up because they just do and come back, older, wiser, less eager, not looking for money, but just looking to play and entertain.
“We are of an age that we’re not now doing this for a living. We’re doing it because we like to play and we like to entertain. So that’s what the new single is about.”
With its multiple layers of guitars and keys, the big, stomping riff that kicks We’ve Come To Play off mixes the finest of ’70s Glam Rock, throws in a bit of West Coast FM radio cool and shoots it through with some real NWOBHM grit.
Declaring their return in no uncertain way, the lyrics are brought to living, breathing, heartfelt life by vocalist/guitarist David Smith, his fretwork meshing with that of Jonathan Morley and Fraser Marr to bring a triple harmony attack.
Adding his own flourishes, keys player Ross Hunter brings yet more melody and colours whilst the rhythm section of Robin Gatcum on bass and Stuart Emms on drums bring the requisite locomotive drive.
Illustrating just how powerful great music is and its ability to transcend the years, Gypsy’s Kiss are so much more than some of the faded acts clinging to nostalgia. Here, instead, is a band still thrilling and making enough noise to level mountains.
Eschewing flash for genuine soul, there is an authenticity here that only comes from years of dedication to their craft, each other and their fans. Just as Iron Maiden have captured over the decades, this is a band based on strong bonds of family, the kinship a rare thing that’s enjoyed by generations of rock and Heavy Metal fans with the artists they follow.
The album hopefully will be out in June. “I think every song will be self-standing,” David says, “but they will have a story to tell. One of the things about our roots and perhaps who we are is we like our songs to tell a bit of a story, good story or bad story. But we’re really pleased about the single, and we just hope people will like it.”
“We had two songs out,” Jonathan Morley told us, “and I actually thought that the other one should be the single. So we had a good argument about that. But actually, We’ve Come To Play, as it turned out, is just slightly more effective as a single, I think. So powerful.
“It’s got a really good sing-along chorus. Not too complicated. I think that’s one thing we’re trying to do because we’re not a prog band, but we do have quite long prog-type passages on the first album. We’re just trying to make these songs four to five minutes rather than six plus. This one just fits perfectly. You know, it’s not hugely complicated.”
With the new album and a 50th-anniversary tour on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to check out one of the most seminal bands in the history of Heavy Metal. Gypsy’s Kiss is back, and they WILL rock your world. Here’s to the next fifty years.
Gypsy’s Kiss – We’ve Come To Play is available from here.
