Waterboys, The: Life, Death And Dennis Hopper - Burnt (Coloured Vinyl 2xLP)

The Waterboys' new album, Life, Death And Dennis Hopper, out via Sun Records. The 25-song double LP is entirely about the counterculture icon and acclaimed actor and director, and features contributions from Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, Steve Earle, and more.

“The arc of his life was the story of our times,” says Waterboys bandleader Mike Scott, “He was at the big bang of youth culture in Rebel Without A Cause with James Dean; and the beginnings of Pop Art with the young Andy Warhol. He was part of the counter-culture, hippie, civil rights and psychedelic scenes of the ’60s. In the ’70s and ’80s he went on a wild 10-year rip, almost died, came back, got straight and became a five-movies-a-year character actor without losing the sparkle in his eye or the sense of danger or unpredictability that always gathered around him.”

You may remember that one of the singles from The Waterboys’ 2020 album Good Luck, Seeker was “Dennis Hopper” so this is a subject that has been rumbling around Mike Scott’s head for a while. The first single from this new album is “Hopper’s On Top (Genius)”.

Life, Death And Dennis Hopper is the first Waterboys album for the legendary Sun Records – ”Hey, we’re labelmates with Howlin’ Wolf and young Elvis!” says Scott — and the record also features contributions from Anana Kaye, Barny Fletcher, Sugarfoot, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s, and Patti Palladin.

Burnt vinyl version.

1. Kansas (featuring Steve Earle)
   
2. Hollywood ’55
   
3. Live In The Moment, Baby
   
4. Brooke / 1712 North Crescent Heights
   
5. Andy (A Guy Like You)
   
6. The Tourist (featuring Barny Fletcher)
   
7. Freaks On Wheels
   
8. Blues For Terry Southern
   
9. Memories Of Monterey
   
10. Riding Down To Mardi Gras
    
11. Hopper’s On Top (Genius)
    
12. Transcendental Peruvian Blues
    
13. Michelle (Always Stay)
    
14. Freakout At The Mud Palace
    
15. Daria
    
16. Ten Years Gone (featuring Bruce Springsteen)
    
17. Letter From An Unknown Girlfriend (featuring Fiona Apple)
    
18. Rock Bottom
    
19. I Don’t Know How I Made It (featuring Taylor Goldsmith)
    
20. Frank (Let’s Fu*k)
    
21. Katherine (featuring Anana Kaye)
    
22. Everybody Loves Dennis Hopper
    
23. Golf, They Say
    
24. Venice, California (Victoria)/The Passing Of Hopper
    
25. Aftermath