Alfie Boe Releases new single ‘Face Myself’ in tribute to his Northern roots

The latest single by legendary tenor Alfie Boe addresses his roots in northwest England and, perhaps unexpectedly for Britain's favourite tenor, the indie and dance music that he was immersed in during his teenage years.

‘Face Myself’ evokes imagery of Liverpool's shipyards, the illuminations in Blackpool and music of his youth, with references to legendary Manchester club the Hacienda as well as paying tribute to the Stone Roses’ bassist Mani who passed away last year.

It is the second single from Alfie’s new album, also titled Face Myself, which is released on April 10 and is the singer's first record featuring predominantly original material.

Alfie said: “Face Myself is a tribute to the North and to my youth, back in the days when I was into the indie movement and hopped on the train to Manchester every weekend to see bands, when The Stone Roses came on the scene, then Inspiral Carpets and The Charlatans, the Hacienda and the Northern Quarter in Manchester.

“It has the line ‘The Roses sing our indie song, we bang the drum, home is the place where time won’t change us’, remembering the way we celebrated that music.”

Alfie said: “At the time that I was writing that song, we heard about the tragic death of Mani from Stone Roses and Primal Scream. I put in a little tribute, which goes: ‘Dreams are grown in Burnage skies, a golden past that made us cry. The prom is glorified with lights, for good old Mani played it right. Those Cranwell boys, they sang along.’

“I only met Mani once and never really got to know him - I wish I had. The ‘Cranwell boys’ is a reference to Liam and Noel Gallagher, who grew up in Cranwell Drive in Burnage.”

Before Alfie found fame as one of the country’s great stage singers, he also had a scrape with indie fame, in the role of ‘Opera Dude’ with The Clint Boon Experience (Clint being keyboard player for Manchester indie legends Inspiral Carpets), supporting the band Shed Seven. He had also been a teen drummer in a band but had to stay in school instead of going on tour.

‘Face Myself’ is one of the key songs he wanted to write, with the title ringing in his head before the track was written.

“I thought, what is it about me that I have that I have to face?” he said. “For me, it was a number of moments in the past - my childhood, my teenage years, what got me to where I am today, the stories of my personal life. Reflecting on those things fed into other songs on the album as well. It's been a wonderful journey doing that.”

The release follows the poignant first single, ‘Meanwhile Gardens’, and features on the album Face Myself, which was also produced by the acclaimed duo MyRiot (London Grammar, Primal Scream). Also in April, Alfie sets off on a national tour titled ‘Facing Myself’.

Alfie is taking his ‘Facing Myself’ tour around the UK in April and May, and has also announced album signings at HMV stores in Westfield, White City (11th April) and Manchester (12th April).