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New Department S single Whistle For The Wind, release date 1st December 2023, is a new-wave post-punk banger of a song which starts like a bull at a gate and barrels along to its breathless conclusion. But there’s no getting round it- it’s not a cheery subject for a song.

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Department S frontman and chief songwriter Phil Thompson explains:

“It’s about having a loved one suffer from dementia. It’s one of those songs about something that happened to me which was all-consuming for a while and eventually it just blurted out in a lyric. It was important that the music reflected the sense of manic loss, confusion and anger in the words. I thought we’d pretty much nailed that but then we let Leigh Heggarty (Ruts DC) loose on it and he absolutely took it to another level.”

 

Leigh plays guest guitar on the track and Phil explains how that came about. “Leigh is a good friend of ours and a monstrously talented guitarist so we wondered what he would come up with if we sent him the track and asked him to put something over the instrumental section in the middle. I expected he would probably break out his Les Paul and put a face-melting solo on there. I didn’t tell him what the song was about but, being the intuitive chap he is, he sensed the vibe of the thing and played slide on a cigar-box guitar which had been made by Rat Scabies. It completely captures the “lost at sea” feel we wanted for the song. He then proceeded to play in the same vein over the end of the track to hammer the point home. He did an amazing job.”

 

Whistle For The Wind is released as digital download and limited edition of only 250 seven inch coloured vinyl single on 1st December 2023 order your copy while stocks last here.

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Contact press@dept-s.com