Blossoms' new music video stars Rick Astley and is based on the viral true story of a giant fibreglass gorilla being stolen from a garden centre.
The band have announced details of their long-awaited fifth studio album, “Gary,” named after the primate sculpture that inspired the video, as well as revealing upcoming promotional details.
Singer Tom Ogden, 31, said: “This video was directed by myself and my brother Ewan Ogden and is a follow-up to our last video.”
“The song is based on a true story I heard on the radio last year: Gary, an eight foot fibreglass gorilla, was stolen from Reynard Garden Centre in Carluke, Scotland.
“Gardening centre owner Andrew Scott is played by Rick Astley, who recreates the storyline on screen in which the band kidnap Gary.
“This video was great fun to make and was again shot on 16mm film around Stockport, the Peak District and Derbyshire.
“The song itself is the centerpiece of the album, and after considering many different titles, we kept coming back to Gary. In the end, Gary was the only one that stuck.”
The giant primate statue of Gary was stolen from a garden centre in Lanarkshire in 2023 and returned to its owner, Andrew, a year later.
The Blossoms' video for “Gary” was directed by Tom and his brother Ewan, and features the return of their friend Rick, 58, who made a cameo appearance in the band's previous video, “What Can I Say After I'm Sorry?”, in the promotional video.
The new Blossoms album is due for release on September 20th and will be produced by the band's regular collaborators James Skelly of The Coral and Jungle's Josh Lloyd Watson, who produced “What Can I Say After I'm Sorry?” and “Nightclub.”
Singer CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson), 28, also co-wrote two songs on the album, “I Like Your Look” and “Why Do I Give You the Worst of Me?”
Tom adds: “At its core, the album is the five of us recording live together in the same room for the first time in years.
“We wanted to capture the energy that occurs when five friends decide to form a band and make music together.
“On this album, I collaborated more than ever before, working with long-time collaborator James Skelly and also bringing in Josh and CMAT.
“We rented an AirBnB on the seafront in Anglesey and holed up with Ciara for a songwriting session and it was one of the most inspiring few days we've spent as a band.
“During the songwriting process, I was listening to a lot of Bowie, Blondie and Hall & Oates.”
Other standout tracks on the album include ‘Big Star’ and ‘Mothers’, which Tom says were also inspired by true stories: “The tracks on the album themselves are based on different stories, mostly from personal experiences.
“In Big Star, after meeting a famous music journalist at the Chateau Marmont, I thought about going up to him and introducing myself, but my embarrassment got the better of me, so I refrained.
“'I Like Your Look' pays homage to Blondie's 'Rapture' and winks at Joan Baez's 'Time Rag,' with lyrics that explore a tongue-in-cheek approach to high fashion.”
“'Mothers' is a celebration of the friendship between me and (bandmate) Joe (Donovan) and references the fact that our mothers were friends in the '80s.”
Blossoms will open for Tom Grennan, 28, at Gunnersbury Park on August 10 and will then play festival dates including the Isle of Wight and TRSNMT before playing the band's biggest headline show to date at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester on Sunday August 25.
Since forming in 2013, Blossoms has enjoyed widespread success and acclaim.
Their 2016 debut, Blossoms, topped the album chart for two consecutive weeks and earned the band Brit and Mercury Prize nominations, while 2018's Cool Like You reached No. 4 in the UK album chart.
“Gary” Tracklist
“Big Star”
“What should I say after I'm sorry?”
“Gary.”
'I like the look of you.'
'Nightclub'
“The perfect me”
'Mother's'
'cinnamon'
'Slow down'
“Why would I show you the worst parts of myself?”